Forms: 4–5, 8–9 dial. wips, weps (5 wyps), 8–9 dial. whips; 4–5 (6, 8 Sc.) wysp, 4–6 wyspe, 4–7 wispe, 6 wysppe), 5–6 Sc. wosp, wasp, 6–9 whisp, 4– wisp. [Of uncertain origin; perh. an unrecorded OE. *wips, *wisp:—*wipisa-, f. base wip- in the sense ‘wind or bind round,’ for derivatives of which see WHIP v.
Cf. WFris. wisp wisp, twig, handful of straw. For the forms current in other Germ. langs. see WHISK sb.1]
1. A handful, bunch, or small bundle (of hay, straw, grass, etc.).
13[?]. in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1875), 91. Þer inne oure ledi him wond and bond him wiþ aliste, And leide him on awisp of hei [v.r. a wips of heye].
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., ii. 438. Yey, gif don, thyne hors, a wisp of hay.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 579. These champions … bringing foorth a speare made of a wrapt vp wisp of hay.
1639. J. Clarke, Parœm., 215. All’s alike at th’ latter day, a bag of gold and wispe of hay.
1779. G. Keate, Sketches fr. Nat. (ed. 2), I. 42. But why do we stop?… Only to give the horses a pail of water, replies the postillion…. Nay, prithee boy, says my friend, add a whisp of hay to it.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gr., V. viii. (1873), II. 132. As if we were a starved coach-horse, to be quickened along by a wisp of hay put upon the coach-pole close ahead of us always!
1879. Beerbohm, Patagonia, iv. 53. Made soft for the young chicks by a few wisps of grass.
b. used to wipe something dry or clean; now chiefly to rub down a horse.
In quot. 1589 with allusion to hanging.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 195. Alle þat herde þe horn heolden heore neose after, And weschte þat hit weore I-wipet with a wesp [v.rr. wips, wysp(e] of Firsen [C. VII. 402 Wips [v.r. weps] of breres].
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xx. Þenne kembe euery hounde after oþer and wype hem with a gret wyspe of strawe.
14[?]. in Wr.-Wülcker, 595/35. Mempirium [= anitergium], a wyps.
1508. Dunbar, Flyting, 64. For wit and wisdome ane wisp fra the may rub.
1589. [? Lyly], Pappe w. Hatchet, Lyly’s Wks. III. 404. If he driuell so at the mouth and nose, weele haue him wipte [= wiped] with a hempen wispe.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, S j. A maulkin or wispe to wype her shooes with.
1600. Surflet, Country Farm, VII. xxii. 840. For lice … wash them [sc. dogs] and rub them with a wispe.
1611. Cotgr., Torche-cul, a wispe for the tayle.
1660. Bonde, Scut. Reg., 214. There you shall burn like wisps, which have done scouring the better vessels.
1725. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Embrocation, Take the Soldiers Ointment,… and anoint the Part affected therewith, being first well rubbed with soft Whisps of Hay.
1864. E. Mayhew, Horse Managem., 378. The curry-comb is abolished; but the generality of grooms also require to be cautioned concerning the use of the wisp and the brush.
1901. Fitzwygram, Horses & Stables, vi.
c. in various special uses, e.g., as an ale-house sign; hung outside a house as a sign of the plague; as a plug, strainer or wad; (of herbs) as a perfume or deodorant.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 335. Ȝit tuk I neuir the wosp clene out of my wyde throte, Quhill I oucht wantit of my will. Ibid. (1508), Test. Andro Kennedy, 110. I will … na bellis for me ring,… Bot a bag pipe to play a spryng, Et unum ail wosp ante me.
1518. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 18. The inhabitants of thos howses that be … infectyd shall kepe in, pott owt wyspes and her whyt roddys.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, N 3. His Muse, from the first peeping foorth, hath stood at Liuery at an Ale-house wispe.
a. 1598. D. Fergusson, Scot. Prov. (S.T.S.), 34. Good wine needs not a wispe.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 934. The same Man vsed to haue continually, a great Wispe of Herbes, that he smelled on.
1650. R. Stapylton, Strada’s Low-C. Wars, IX. 41. [He] put forth … a wisp of straw, upon the end of a white Rod, as if he would, according to the custome of the Countrey, give notice … that the house was visited with the plague.
1658. trans. Porta’s Nat. Magic, V. ix. 176. Strain the vinegar through a wisp.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xviii. (Roxb.), 141/1. A wisp or wad, is either hay or straw to put in after the powder.
1855. Delamer, Kitch. Gard. (1861), 25. If the potatoes are moist,… it will be well to leave a wisp of straw sticking out at the top [of the ridge].
1901. Rhys, Celtic Folklore, I. iv. 299. He gave them herbs … and … sold them wisps to place under their pillows.
† d. in proverbial phr. as wise as a wisp. Obs.
1550. Bale, Engl. Votaries, II. 84. Than as wyse as ij wyspes, and as godly as ij goselynges, they examined her what her beleue was in the sacrament.
1655. H. More, Second Lash, 218. When we say that one is as wise as a wisp, does that imply the wisp is wise? Ibid. (1682), Annot. Glanvill’s Lux O., 35. They would have rose out of their sleep no more wise than a Wisp.
2. A twisted band, esp. of hay or straw; a ring or wreath of twisted material, used as a pad.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. xviii. (1495), D v b/1. [The] gristylbone … in ye eere … is wound & wrapped as a wyspe, leest the spyrite of heringe were … hurt by sodayn … smytynge.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 530/2. Wyspe, torques,… torquillus.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 239/2. [They] mocked hym … and bond behynd hym wyspes of strawe.
1607. Markham, Cavel., IV. ix. 48. As you rid him with the tramels, so you shall ride him with these wispes [sc. thick ‘thumb-ropes’ of hay round his pasterns].
1611. Cotgr., Torche,… the wreathed clowt, wispe, or wad of straw, layed by wenches betweene their heads, and the things which they carrie on them.
1725. Pope, Odyss., X. 194. An ell in length the pliant wisp I weaved, And the huge body on my shoulders heaved.
1876. Smiles, Sc. Natur., i. 10. His mother tied him firmly to the table leg with a thick wisp of thrums.
1908. J. Gunn’s Orkney Book, 394. ‘Wisps’ (the local name for great rolls of heather ‘simmons,’ or ropes, used in thatching houses).
† b. A twist or figure of straw for a scold to rail at. Obs.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour, xv. 21. He writhed a litell wipse of strawe, and sette it afore her, and saide, ladi, yef that ye will chide more, chide with that straw.
1566. Drant, Horace, Sat., VII. D 7 b. Women … Whose tatling tongues, had won a wispe.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. ii. 144. A wispe of straw were worth a thousand Crowns, To make this shamelesse Callet know her selfe.
1626. H. Parrot, Cures for the Itch, B 5 b. Theres nothing mads … her [sc. a scold] more … then but the very naming of a wispe.
1698. [R. Fergusson], View of Ecclesiastick, 27. As a wisp (saith he) is a Theame copious enough to engage an Harangue for an hour Long to a well studied Scold.
3. A bunch or twisted bundle of hay or straw, used for burning as a torch, etc.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. 4984. Þei faren as a wisp a-fire: Whanne it brenneþ briȝtest in his blase, Sodeinly it wasteþ.
15[?]. Wyf of Auchtirmuchty, 29 (Bannatyne MS.). Yeis lay ane soft wisp to the kill.
1572. Mascall, Plant. & Graff. (1592), 49. Ye shall … with a wispe on a Poles ende, set fire on all.
1682. Lond. Gaz., No. 1688/4. Some rascally Boys … who made some wisps of Straw, and burnt them in the dark night.
1806. [J. Black], Falls of Clyde, 169.
| Cheet! cheet! waesucks, I doubt poor thing she’s dead: | |
| Fie light a wisp, and look below the bed! |
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), II. 268. It should be put into the oven, moderately heated with a few wisps of straw.
b. A marsh-fire, WILL-O’-THE-WISP; also the light supposed to be carried by the sprite. In more recent use poet.
[1608–: see WILL-O’-THE-WISP.]
1618. Bp. Hall, Contempl., N. T., I. Sages and Star. Philosophy without the star, is but the wispe of error.
1650. in H. Cary, Mem. Gt. Civ. War (1832), II. 226. It is the saints’ minimum quoddam naturale; a Nol with the wisp.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., vii. ‘Jack-a-lantern’ with his wisp alight.
1822. Byron, Vis. Judgm., c v. Light as an elf, Or wisp that flits o’er a morass.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, IV. 339. We did not know the real light, but chased The wisp that flickers where no foot can tread.
4. A bundle or parcel containing a definite quantity (of certain commodities: see quots.). Sc. and north. (Presumably so named from being orig. tied in a bundle with a wisp or wisps of straw or hay: cf. WIDDY 3, and the analogous SHEAF sb. 2 a, b, c.) a. of steel and glass.
1470. in Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees), 73. Pro j les wysp vitri rubii, 16 d.
1496. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 292. Item … for vij wosp of steil to pykkis and mattokkis xiiij s. Ibid. (1511–2), IV. 273. Ane wisp of Lambart steile, price iiij s.
15[?]. Aberdeen Reg. (Jam.). Ane wosp of glas.
1612. Sc. Bk. Rates, in Halyburton’s Ledger (1867), 330. Wisp steill the wisp, x s.
1621. in Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1895), XII. 439. Thay fand that the … caissis of the said glasse contenis fyfteene wispis and that in everie wisp thair is three tablis.
1657. [see wisp-steel in 6].
b. of other things, e.g., fish.
1521. Aberdeen Reg., XI. (Jam.). Four wospe of malt.
1557. Rec. Inverness (New Spalding Club), I. 8. This is the pricis [of fish]: for the gret wasp iij s., the small wasp xxx d.
1910. Aberd. Jrnl. Notes & Q., II. 150/2. Weesp, a quantity of fish; ‘I hae naething bit a weesp o’ eels’ as the result of my fishing—Moray.
c. transf. A flock (of birds, esp. snipe).
1806. P. Neill, Tour Orkney, etc., 59. The sportsman … will not pass a marsh without starting several wisps of snipe.
1805. A. Mackintosh, Driffield Angler, 294. Wisp, or whisp, of snipes.
1884. P. Robinson, Teetotum Trees, 159. A barrelful of shot emptied into a wisp of larks.
5. In various transferred and allusive senses.
a. A twist of paper. b. A heap or bundle (of clothes). c. (See quot.) d. A thin, narrow, filmy, or slight piece, fragment, or portion (of something); a mere shred or ‘slip’ of. e. A small broom; a whisk.
a. 1597. Return fr. Parnass., V. i. 1434. What, you saucye groome, are you bringinge mee such paper wisps?
1800. in Spirit Publ. Jrnls., IV. 264. And soar like a wisp to the tail of his kite.
1861. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, 24. If you have a fire-place, would you cram it up … with a great wisp of brown paper?
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. xiii. The bare-armed Bob, leading the way with a flaming wisp of paper.
b. 1736. Pegge, Kenticisms (E. D. S.), s.v. Wips, ‘The cloaths lie in a whips,’ i. e. tumbl’d in disorder.
1784. trans. Beckford’s Vathek (1786), 106. At last, he was drawn forth, almost smothered, from the wisp of linen.
1810. T. Williamson, E. Ind. Vade-mecum, I. 245. [The clothes are] folded up into whisps, or bundles, of a convenient size.
c. 1787. W. H. Marshall, Rur. Econ. Norfolk (1795), II. 391. Wisp, a rowel, or seton.
d. 1836. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Vauxhall-Gardens. A rusty black neckerchief with a red border, tied in a narrow wisp round his neck.
1836. Mrs. Somerville, Connex. Phys. Sci., xxxvi. (ed. 3), 398. Some [nebulæ] cling to stars like wisps of cloud.
1848. Thackeray, Our Street, 14. She had a large casque with a red horse-hair plume (I thought it had been a wisp of her brother’s beard at first).
1883. R. Riordan, in Century Mag., XXVI. Sept., 719/1. Its walls and its shelved roof are tufted with ferns and brambles and wisps of delicate long grass.
1883. Stevenson, Silverado Sq., 22. That great mountain … weaving vapours, wisp after wisp growing, trembling, fleeting, and fading in the blue.
1889. Conan Doyle, Micah Clarke, xii. As we approached this lonely gibbet, we saw that a dried-up wisp of a thing … was dangling from the centre of it.
1893. Stevenson, Catriona, xxviii. The sun had gone down, a little wisp of a new moon was following it.
1919. E. Candler, in Blackw. Mag., Aug., 244/1. Dawson pointed to a thin wisp of smoke on the horizon.
e. 1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Wisp, a besom, a small broom.
1908. Rider Haggard, Ghost Kings, xv. 209. A fly wisp made of the tip of an elephant’s tail shrunk on to a handle of rhinoceros horn.
6. Comb., as wisp-like adj.; wisp bacillus (see quot. 1916); wisp-light, a will-o’-the-wisp; † wisp-steel, steel sold in wisps.
1915. Lancet, 18 Sept., 639/1. There is a gross infection with the non-sporing bacteria of fæcal origin—e.g., streptococci, B. proteus, *‘wisp’ bacilli, &c. Ibid. (1916), 8 Jan., 75/1. The so-called ‘wisp bacillus’ … is the B. ramosus or a member of its group.
a. 1847. Eliza Cook, To the Spirit of Song, iv. When *wisp-lights dance on the moor and fen.
1883. Saville-Kent, in Fisheries Bahamas, 36. A twisted *wisp-like bundle of long silicious spicules.
1612. *wisp steill [see sense 4 a].
1617. Rates of Marchandizes, L 2. Steele vocat. Long-steele, Wisp-steele [etc.].
1657. Acts Interregn. (1911), II. 1220. Steel called Steel Wisp or Long.
