v. Obs. Forms: 1 wédan (3 sing. pres. wét(t), 3 weden, -enn, 3–5 wede, (3 weede, 4 wed, wedde, 3–4 wide), 5 Sc. weide, weid, weyd. [OE. wédan = OS. wôdian, OHG. wuoten (MHG. wueton, mod.G. wüten), ON. œða:—OTeut. *wōðjan, f. *wōðo- mad: see WOOD a.]
1. intr. To be or become mad. Cf. AWEDE.
c. 900. Bæda’s Hist., V. xiii. (1890), 438. Cwæð he; Ne wede ic [L. non insanio].
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., John x. 20. Deofol is on him & he wet.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 1264. Þes keiser … as mon þet bigon to weden & to wurðen ut of his ahne witte, wodeliche ȝeide [etc.].
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3749. Me es sua waa, almast i weede.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1509. He … went hom aȝeine, Weping as he wold wide for wo & for sorwe.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1585. So was þe wyȝe wytles, he wed wel ner.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 539. I am all in aunter, sa akis me þe wame, Of werke well ne I wede.
c. 1400. Rowland & Otuel, 936. He … ferde als he wolde wede.
a. 1413. Anturs of Arth., 558 (Ireland MS.). Neȝtehond Syr Wauan wold wede, So wepputte he fulle sore.
b. Phrase. To wede (out) of, but wit.
13[?]. Cursor M., 13975. Of þis womman þe grete fairede Did mani man of witt to wede.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., V. x. 1903. Bot ay withe roris reythe he [rerde], Wedande but wit as a wode man.
c. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 651. Nighe of witte she wold wede.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 205. Thocht I for wo all out off witt suld weid!
2. To be wild with anger or desire; to rage. Const. again; to (do something).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xvi. 225. He [the Devil] wet nu swiðe and wynð on ða cristenan.
c. 1200. Ormin, 14140. Fra þatt grediȝnesse Þatt doþ þe mann to wedenn rihht To winnenn erþlic ahhte.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 264. Hwon mon loggeð him bi ure Louerde, þeonne on erest biginneð þe deoflen to weden.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2408. Quen þai þe see, for þi fairhede To reue me þe þan sal þai wede.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., V. vi. 1179. Fra þine he cessit for to weide Agayne þe cristyn men in deide. Ibid., V. xiii. 4624. In ire as he was wedande þen.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xv. 47. No wonder if I wede, I that may do no dede; how shuld I theder wyn ffor eld?
a. 1500. Ratis Raving, 2480. Wedand in a rage.
b. Of waves, pestilence: To rage, be furious.
c. 900. Bæda’s Hist., III. xv. (1890), 200. Þa yða weollon & weddon þis sæs.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. iii. 230. In Scotlande þat ȝhere in wiolence [Was] wedande þe thride pestilence.
Hence † Weding (Sc. wedand) ppl. a., raging, raving.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss., L 198. Limphaticus, woedendi.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., vii. § 4. Hwa mæʓ þæm wedendan ʓietsere ʓenoh forʓifan?
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xliii. (Cecilia), 572. Almacius cane til hire say: þat wedand wodnes do away, & sacryfy oure godis til.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xi. 1776. Al brym he belyt in to brethe, And wrythit al in wedand wrethe.
a. 1500. Ratis Raving, 1644. Fore wedand Joy beand in vages Lattis al suthfast gud knawleges.
