Sc. (and north.). Forms: 5–6, 9 wyle-, 6 vyle-, vile-, wile-, wele-; 5–7 wyly-, 6 vily-, veli-, 6–7 weyli- (8 weily-), 6– wylie-, 8– wylicoat (9 wili-, wilie-); 7 wylli(e)-, 9 willy-, willey-, welli-; 7 waly-, vali-, 7, 9 walli-, 9 walacoat; also 5 -coyt, 5–8 -cot, 5–7 -cott, -cote, -coit, 5, 7– -coat. (Occas. as two words, or with hyphen.) [Of obscure origin: the forms of the second element agree throughout with those of COAT sb., but the first has not been identified, and may be an alteration of some foreign term.]
1. An under-waistcoat, in earlier use esp. one worn under a doublet; an under-vest, woollen or flannel under-garment. ? Obs.
In latest quots. applied to some kind of outer garment.
1478. Acta Auditorum (1839), 83/1. A doublat of Bukkessy with a wyle cot of quhit in It.
1494. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 225. v quarteris of Inglis quhit, to be the King ane wyly coit. Ibid. (1505), III. 109. For ane wyly cote undir his cote,… v s. vj d.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, VII. Prol. 90. In double garmont cled and wyly coyt.
1561. in Inv. de la Royne Descosse (Bann. Cl.), 23. Foure wylie coittis of quhite lambskynnis.
1645. Rec. Elgin (New Spald. Cl.), I. 179. To delywer to James Walker ane wylliecote worthe thrie poundis four shillingis.
1786. Burns, To a Louse, vi. I wad na been surpris’d to spy You on … some bit duddie boy On ’s wyliecoat.
1820. Scott, Abbot, i. A hardy little boy … did not hesitate a moment to strip off his wylie-coat, [and] plunge into the water.
1823. Mirror, I. 285/2. A wallicoat of white drugget, deep blue inexpressibles.
Prov. 1737. Ramsay, Sc. Prov. (1750), 107. We can shape their wylie-coat, but no their wierd.
2. An under-petticoat.
1544. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., VIII. 326. Tua elnis and ane half scarlot to be hir ane wyle cote. Ibid. (1551), X. 33. Arche Clerk, send … with ane furrit vylecoit to my Lady Gordoun.
a. 1586. Sir R. Maitland, in M. Quarto MS. (S.T.S.), 2. Sumtyme thay will beir vp their goun, to schaw thair wylicot hingand doun.
1604. Compt Bk. D. Wedderburne (S.H.S.), 45. Ane narrow pece quhyt clayth … to be my lassis weylecottis.
1686. G. Stuart, Joco-Ser. Disc., 31. The Sisters skewed their Wylycoats.
1715. Ramsay, Christ’s Kirk Gr., II. xxii. The bride she made a fen, To sit in wylicoat sae braw.
a. 1725. Cock-laird, in Orpheus Caled., 26. I man’ ha’e a Silk Hood,… wylie coat, And a Silk snood.
1797. Pinkerton, Hist. Scot., I. 154. The kirtle, or close gown, was rarely accompanied … with the wylicot or under petticoat.
1895. Crockett, Men of Moss-Hags, xxxii. 235. We are a pack o’ silly craiturs. A’ thing that wears willy-coats; no yin muckle to better anither! Ibid. (1895), Grey Man, iii. 23. Nell Kennedy with her wylicoats kilted.
Prov. 1721. Kelly, Scot. Prov., 54. A Wife knows enough, who knows the good Man’s Breeks from Weilycoat.
b. A feminine (or esp. in later use, a child’s) night-dress.
c. 1634. in C. K. Sharpe, Pref. to Law’s Mem. (1818), p. lviii. She was seen … standing bare-legged and in hir sark valicot … conferring with the devill.
a. 1670. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1851), II. 233. Scho gettis wp out of hir naiked bed in hir night walycot, bairfut and bairleg.
1894–9. in Northumb. and Cumb. glossaries.
