Middleton has it in his "Roaring Girl," and Chaucer. The word was once spelt "viage." W. WALLOPPING, a slatternly manner. (Grose.) In this sense I have never heard this word used. Jennings and Brockett have wallup, to beat, which was a very common expression in New England. To get wollupped, or, to get a wollupping, were both frequent a score of years ago. There was, however, another use of this word, that I have heard very often without knowing at the time what was its application, nor do I now know. Pot was a prefix, and to call one a pot-wollupper, was quite common. Tod's Johnson defines wallup, to boil; thence it attached to persons or to personal character, and a hot, hasty person might be said to wallup, as we say, to boil with indignation, and from this we may have wollopper. But whence comes the pot? Grose has a word, walling, which he . says is in frequent use among the salt-boilers at Northwich, and two towns in Cheshire, where there are salt-works. "Perhaps," he says, "this may be the same as wallopping, whence in some boroughs persons who boil a pot there are called pot-wollopers, and entitled to vote for representatives in Parliament." We have here, very distinctly, the origin of pot-wollopers in England, but why it, was brought to this country, or what it meant when used in this country, I am at a loss to say. There was something like admiration in the application; I am quite confident, though a burlesque, there was no contempt in it. WAX. A lad of wax, is a clever, promising child, but never used except where something of the ludicrous is intended. (Hallamshire Glossary.) I have heard this expression, but it did not seem to mean anything in particular. What it once meant, it is not easy to say. In some parts of England, wax is still used for to grow; and a half-waxed lad, is one half-grown. Whether a lad of wax means one arrived at full height, I cannot say. WEDDINER. In the County of Chester, Pennsylvania, I have heard this word applied to a wedding party. Whether it includes the groomsmen and bridesmaids, I cannot say. It is a most satisfactory and comprehensive epithet, and should be adopted into general use. In some parts of England they coin a word in a similar way; one who attends meeting, or a dissenter, is called a meetiner. I find it in the Craven Glossary. Weddiners is in a poem, by John Stagg, written in the Cumberland dialect : "The priest was ready, waitin, : The weddiners just took gluts a piece, WHACK, a loud blow; WHOP, a heavy blow. To whack, is an expressive term, in the North of England, for a severe scolding; also tongue-banged. WHAPPER, anything large; a thumper. (Grose and Brockett.) We say of a tale that appears somewhat doubtful, that's a whapper; it is, however, only used playfully. A large child, also, would be called a whapper. Wapping is an old word, according to the Hallamshire Glossary, and is used by us. WHIPPERSNAPPER, a diminutive, insignificant person. (Brockett.) Whenever heard among us, it is in the last sense. WHITTLE, a knife. (Grose.) Generally a clasp-knife. (Brockett.) As a verb, the Hallamshire Glossary has whittle, to cut the bark from a switch with a knife. It is used in the country here for any kind of cutting. To whittle a stick, is to cut it without any particular design. The restlessness of a Yankee keeps him always in action, and as you pass an inn you will observe the larger portion of those in sight are whittling, if they have no other occupation. It is a word that English travelers have twitted us about, but its pedigree is evidently a good one. WISHYWASHY, for poor-looking, weak; not to the point. (Brockett.) Inefficient, without energy, is nearer our application of the word; as defined by Jennings, active, nimble, sharp, I have never heard it. WITTLE. In Wiltshire they have swittle. ADDEND A. CLEVER. In this country this word is applied exclusively to moral qualities: a clever fellow, meaning a good-tempered person. In England it is used for the intellectual, except in Norfolk, where the same meaning as that we give to it is employed. THE END. |