Now only Shetland dial. Pa. t. and pple. willed, wilt (also 4 wylt, 5 welt). [a. ON. villask, refl. of villa to lead astray, f. villr WILL a.] intr. To go astray, lose one’s way; to stray; pa. pple. gone astray, ‘lost’ (= WILL a. 1).

1

13[?].  Metr. Hom. (Vernon MS.), in Herrig’s Archiv, LVII. 277. So fer forþ þis foul him tilled Þat atte last in wode he willed.

2

13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1711. He … Stelez out ful stilly … Went haf wylt of þe wode with wylez fro þe houndes.

3

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 3230. Me thoughte I was in a wode willed myne one.

4

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxviii. 17. Qwat way is he willid In þis worlde wyde?

5

1887.  Jessie M. E. Saxby, Lads of Lunda, Helyers, v. 251. ‘To will,’ in Shetlandic parlance, means to lose your way.

6

1899.  J. Spence, Shetland Folk-Lore, 227.

        ‘They’re wilt that wales’
has reference to the difficulty often experienced in choosing among many things.

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