Sc. and north. Forms: 4 wesle, wisle, 4–5 vissill, 5 w(h)ystyll, wys(s)yll, whystel, 5–6 wyssil(l, wissle, wishill, quhissel, 5–7 wissil, 7 -ell, wyschell, wirsle, 6–7, 9 wissel, 8 w(h)istle, 8–9 whissle, 9 wissle. [a. MLG. (MDu.) wisselen, wesselen, weslen, corresp. to OFris. wixlia, OS. wehslôn, OHG. wehslôn (MHG. wehseln, wihseln, G. wechseln), ON. vixla:—OTeut. *wiχslōjan, f. wīk- (cf. WEEK sb., WIKE) + suffix -sla-.]
† 1. trans. To exchange for something else. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XII. 580. Mony men of gret valour with speris, macys, and with knyvis, And othir vapnys vissill [v.r. wysyllyt] thair lyvis.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. iv. 92. Heyr is … A forcy spreit … Quhilk reputtis fayr to wyssill, apon sik wys Wyth this honour thou thus pretendis to wyn, This mortale stait and life that we bene in.
a. 1583. Montgomerie, Flyting, 578. Appardon mee, poets, to alter my style, And wissle my verse, for fyling the aire.
b. To exchange (words) with a person.
1571. A. Stewart, Lett., in Bannatyne’s Memorials (Bann. Club), 152. Thow seames in the begyning to schaw thy vnwillingnes to wissil [ed. 1806 wishill] wordis in our querall.
a. 1603[?]. Moysie, Mem. (Bannatyne Club), 131. Some wordis wer wissellit at the first betuix the erle of Mar and lord Lyndsay.
1819. [Alex. Balfour], Campbell, I. xviii. 332. He … sware a gryte aith, that he wad never wissle words wi’ him till he changed his mind.
2. To change (money).
1483. Acta Audit., in Acta Dom. Conc., II. Introd. 130. The some of viij Henre nobles quhilk … Issabell allegit … was wissilit and changit be the said Johne and nocht laid wed.
1666. Despauterii Gramm. Instit., v. (1677), G vij b. Cambio, to wissel or change money.
c. 1700. Kennett, MS. Lansd. 1033, lf. 432 b. Wirsle, to exchange, or change, Northumb. in Wirsle me this half-crown.
1721. Ramsay, Poems, Gloss., Wistle, to exchange (Money).
