Sc. Also 9 wester. [Altered form of WAWSPER, influenced by the synonymous LEISTER.] A fishing-spear.
1580, 1634. [implied in WASTERING vbl. sb.].
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxvi. This chase, in which the fish is pursued and struck with barbed spears, or a sort of long-shafted trident, called a waster, is much practised at the mouth of the Esk, and in the other salmon rivers of Scotland. Ibid. Ground the waster weel, man!
1825. Jamieson, Waster, a kind of trident used for striking salmon, Dumfr., Eskdale; the same with Wester.
a. 1835. Hogg, Sheph. Wedding, ii. Tales & Sk. 1837, II. 152. My teeth war a’ waterin to be in him, but I kend the shank o’ my waster wasna half length.
1843. W. Scrope, Salmon Fish. Tweed, ix. 195. I shall give a description of the clodding, or throwing leister, or waster, as he was used to term it…. The spear has five prongs of unequal, but regularly graduated, length.
