Sc. and dial. Forms: 5 quhedir-, -thir, qwedyr, 5–6 quhidder, 6 -ir; 6–7, 9 whidder, 8–9 whedder, whuther, 9 whudder, wuther, 8– whither. [a. ON. *hviðra (cf. Norw. kvidra to go to and fro with short quick movements), related to hviða squall of wind (see WHID sb.2), fit (of coughing), OE. hwiþa, hwiþu (hweoþu) ‘aura’: see WHYȜT.]
1. intr. To move with force or impetus, to rush; to make a rushing sound, to whizz; to bluster or rage, as the wind.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVII. 684. The stane … flaw out quhedirand [MS. Edin. quhethirand, ed. 1616 whiddering].
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. vi. 65. Diores, quhidderand at his bak fute hate. Ibid., XII. xiv. 86. Neuer sa swiftly quhidderand the stane flaw.
15[?]. Outlaw Murray, xvi. in Child, Ballads (1894), IX. 191/2. He heard the … arrows whidderand near him by.
a. 1736. T. Whittell, Sawney Ogilby’s Duel, iv. Poet. Wks. (1815), 170.
| She mutter’d, and moung’d, and looked damn’d misty, | |
| And Sawney said something, as who cou’d forbear? | |
| Then straight she began, and went to’t handfisty, | |
| She whither’d about, and dang down all the gear. |
1825. Jamieson, To Whither, to whirl rapidly with a booming sound. Ibid., To Whudder, to make a whizzing or rushing sort of noise.
2. To tremble, shake, quiver.
c. 1450. Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 122. For joy I qwedyr and qwake.
1790. Grose, Prov. Gloss. (ed. 2), Whedder, to tremble. Ibid., Whither, to quake or shake.
3. trans. To strike or beat forcibly; to throw violently.
1825. Jamieson, To Whither, to beat, to belabour, Roxb.
1828. Craven Gloss., Whither, to throw with violence.
Hence Whitherer, a vigorous person or thing (cf. thumper, whopper); Whithering vbl. sb., a rushing, whizzing, blustering; Whithering ppl. a., rushing, whizzing, etc.; also, very large or vigorous (cf. thumping, whopping).
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. ix. 29. Ȝoung Hippocaon … A quhidderand arrow leit spang fra the string.
1585. Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 15. They heare the whiddering Boreas bolde.
1787. Grose, Prov. Gloss., Whithering, a sudden great sound. Ibid. (1790), (ed. 2), Whitherer, a lusty, strong, or stout person, or thing.
1828. Craven Gloss., s.v., He’s a girt withering tike.
1847. E. Brontë, Wuthering Heights, i. Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff’s dwelling. ‘Wuthering’ being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed, in stormy weather.
