Sc. Also walie, wallie, waulie, wawlie. [Of obscure origin.] A. adj. Used as an indefinite term of admiration: Handsome, fine; large, ample.
If quot. 1637–50 is correctly placed here the use is ironical.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxv. 45. Quod he … My kyd … My tendir gyrle, my wallie gowdye.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 431. In the beginning of March 1618, he said to his wife, ‘Spouse, this wallie March will make an end of all thir things:’ and so it was, for he deceased March 31.
1722. Ramsay, Three Bonnets, i. 83. She was a winsome Wench and waly, And cou’d put on her Claiths fu’ brawly.
1739. Alex. Nicol, Nature without Art, 22. Ilk merry Look and wally Taste Gies Health unto the gamesome Jest.
1786. Burns, To a Haggis, vii. Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He’ll mak it whissle. Ibid. (1791), Tam o’ Shanter, 164 [echoes quot. 1722].
1839. Whistle-binkie, Ser. II. 50. Auld Souter Rabby, that dresses sae brawly; Auld Barber Watty, sae smirky an’ waly.
1896. J. Lumsden, Poems, 142. Our Wee Toun’s wally offspring.
† b. Comb. Walliman (Orkney): see quot.
1629. Orkney Witch Trial, in County Folk-Lore (1903), III. 103. The devill appeirit to you, Quhom ye called Walliman, claid in quhyt cloathis with ane quhyt head [etc.].
B. adv. Finely. † With impersonal vb. used optatively, Wally fall, fair fall, good luck to.
1535. Lyndesay, Satyre, 2434. Iohne to the King. Gude day, gud day! Grit God saif baith ȝour graces! Wallie, wallie fall they twa weill-fairde faces!
1847. H. S. Riddell, Poems, 193. For a’ gangs wally wi’ them, Wha thus live in their native land, Wi’ them that’s dearest to them.
C. sb. ‘A toy, a gewgaw’ (Jam.).
1722. Ramsay, Twa Cut-purses, 4. Baith Lads and Lasses busked brawly, To glowr at ilka Bonny-waly. Ibid. (1728), Poems, II. 404. Gloss., Bonywalys, Toys, Gu-gaws.
a. 1774. R. Fergusson, Hallowfair, 29. Here chapman billies tak their stand, An’ shaw their bonny wallies [rhyme fallows].
1811. A. Scott, Poems, 96. What bonny lassies flock to Boswell’s fair, To see their joes, an’ shaw their wallies there!
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxix. Glenallan House, wi’ a’ the pictures and black velvet and silver bonny-wawlies belanging to it. Ibid. (1821), Pirate, xviii. Bonny-wallies baith of silver and gowd.
