sb. Sc. and north. dial. Also 7 whytie whatie, 8 whity-whaty, 9 whittee-whattee. [Reduplicated ? on WHAT int. pron.]. Vague or undecided talk or statement; indecision, shilly-shallying; a frivolous excuse. So Whittie-whattie v. intr., to be undecided, to shilly-shally; also, to speak low or secretly, to mutter, whisper.
a. 1687. R. McWard, Earnest Contend. for Faith (1723), 363. The Sense and Substance of all this Whittie Whattie, to be sure, will be only, O be quiet, [etc.].
1692. ‘J. Curate,’ Sc. Presbyt. Eloq., 110. Criticks with their frim frams and whytie whaties, may imagine a hundred reasons.
1808. Jamieson, Whitie-whaties, silly pretences;… frivolous excuses.
1821. Scott, Pirate, vi. What are ye whittie-whattieing about, ye gowk?’ said his gentle sister, who suspected the tenor of his murmurs.
