Latterly Sc. and north. Obs. Forms: α. 1 wiʓa, 4 wiȝe, wihe (whi, whie, whiȝ) wyȝe, wyȝ (wiȝh), wieȝ, 5 wiȝ, 4–5 wyghe, 4–6 wye, 4–5, 6 Sc. wy, 4, 6 wie. β. 4 weiȝ, weiȝh, weih (wehy), 4–5 weiȝe, weie (4 waie), weye, 5 wey, wegh (whegh, whe), we, 5–6 wee. [OE. wiȥa, f. the weak grade of the stem repr. by wíȥ WI sb. Cf. OHG. widerwigo ‘rebellis,’ and Wigo as a proper name.]
In OE. chiefly, and in later use only, in poetic use.
1. One who fights; a fighting man; a warrior or soldier.
α. Beowulf, 629. He þæt ful ʓeþeah, wælreow wiʓa, æt Wealhþeon.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., I. xv. (1890), 50. And hi þa sona hider sendon maran sciphere strengran wiʓhena.
993. Battle of Maldon, 210. Swa hi bylde forð bearn Ælfrices, wiʓa wintrum ʓeong.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 581. Syþen þe brawden bryne of bryȝt stel ryngez Vmbeweued þat wyȝ vpon wlonk stuffe.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3787. William & his wiȝes were armed wel sone.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 56. [He] wente in-to Wales with his wyes alle.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 499. The wyis quhar the wicht went war in wa wellit.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), II. 505. With mony wy that worthie war and wycht, [he] Appeirit thair richt sone.
15[?]. [see β].
β. a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 1030 (Ashm. MS.). Bot wees wiȝtly with-in þe wallis ascendid, Freschely fendid of.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1212. Mony woundit we from his weppont paste.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., liv. (Douce MS.). Þe wees, þat werene wounded so woþely…, Surgenes sone saued.
1515. Scottish Field, 493, in Chetham Misc. (1856), A yong knight,… Sir William Warkehoppe … was the wees [Percy MS. wyes] name. Ibid., 637. Now is this fuirse feilde foughten to an ende; Many a wee wanted his horse, and wandered home on fote.
2. A noble, vigorous man; hence gen., a man, a person.
In very freq. use from c. 1340 to c. 1420, esp. in α-form.
α. a. 900. Andreas, 1711 (Gr.). Hie ða ʓebrohton æt brimes næsse on wæʓþele wiʓan unslawne.
a. 1000. Menologium, 160. Se þe fæʓere iu mid wætere oferwearp wuldres cynebearn, wiʓa weorðlice.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 579. Þen alle þe wyȝez in þe worlde myȝt wynne By þe way of ryȝt to aske dome.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 571. Wis holde ȝe no whi but ȝif he wel conne Faire tempren his tounge.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 98. Went neuere wy in this worlde thorw that wildernesse, That he ne was robbed.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 1628. In þe same wedes, For all þis werld as þis wy wendes now attyred.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xxix. Scho was the worthilieste wyghte, þat any wy myghte welde.
c. 1480. Henryson, Lion & Mouse, xxxii. Thair is na wy that will my harmis wreik.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxx. 50. I awoik as wy that wes in weir.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, V. xi. 19. Sone slaid scho down wnsene of ony wy.
a. 1568. in Bannatyne MS. (Hunter. Club), 739. Sen ye ar pleisit to pleiss ane vthir wy.
β. 1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 17. Þanne weies of worschipe, wittie & quainte, Wiþ his lettres he let to þe lud sende.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 281. ‘Sertes,’ þan seide þemperour,… ‘y am þat ilk weiȝh.’
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 374. ‘Holy writt,’ quod that weye, ‘wisseth men to suffre.’
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 134. He passis his way, Vn-wetandly to any wee. Ibid., 383. His liknes he changis, Worthis agayn to a wee, fra a worme turnys.
b. Used as a form of address.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1508. ‘I woled wyt at yow, wyȝe, þat worþy þer sayde.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 69. Wordlich weiȝ, we wische of þi ȝifte Al-lastinge lif.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2302. Welcom we [Dubl. wye], at all þe werd sall wyn with þi landis.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 57. Sen thy will is to wend, wy, now in weir, Luke that wisly thow wirk.
1515. Scottish Field, 257, in Chetham Misc. (1856), I will wynde you to wreke, wees, I you heete.
c. Without article. (Cf. MAN sb.1 2.)
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1039. I am wyȝe at your wylle to worch youre hest.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 337. Hadde neuere wye witte to worche þe leest. Ibid. (1399), Rich. Redeles, III. 288. Þis warmnesse in welth with wy vppon erthe Myȝte not longe dure.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), x. 51. Thair is nocht wie Can estimie My sorrow.
d. Applied to the Deity. rare.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2441. Þe wyȝe hit yow ȝelde Þat vphaldez þe heuen and on hyȝ sittez.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems, iii. 39. Be the wy that all the warld wrocht.
3. transf. A woman; a lady. rare.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3356. Thou shalt haue riches more Rife … Þan any lady in þi land,… And more likandly lyf … as a wee noble.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems, xxxi. 34. I lufe þe wy Will nocht apply, Nor grant to gife me grace agane.
