Obs. exc. north. dial. Forms: α. 3 cweme, 3–5 queme, 4–5 quem, 5 qwem(e, 6 queeme, 7–8 Sc. quim, 9 Sc. queem. β. north. 5 wheme, 7 wheeme, 7–9 wheam, wheem, 8–9 whim, 9 weam, weme. [ME. cweme, queme, repr. OE. *cwéme (cf. cwéman, cwémnes), or ʓecwéme I-QUEME = ON. kvæm-r (MSw. qväm): cf. OHG. piquâmi (MHG. bequæme, G. bequem = MDu. bequame, Du. bekwaam). The stem kwǽmi- belongs to the ablaut-series of the vb. COME: for the sense cf. Goth gaqimiþ it is fitting, Eng. BECOME v. 7 ff., and L. convenīre.]
† 1. Pleasing, agreeable, acceptable to a person. (In early use with dat. of person.) Obs.
c. 1200. Ormin, 466. He wass … god prest & Godd full cweme.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 63. Þat me is quemere þat unbindeð þe bendes of wiðerfulnesse.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3764. Ðan sulde we … sen Quilc gure sal god quemest ben.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 26559. To deme quic and ded als him es queme.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, l. (Katharine), 29. Quha sacrifice mad till hym quem.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., i. 42. This warke to me is queme.
b. Of pleasing appearance; specious; beautiful, fair; neat, tidy.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 28128. I … sayd my scryft wit wordes queme Þat my syn þe lesse suld seme.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1178. Me payed ful ille to be outfleme … Fro alle þo syȝtez so quykez & queme.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6203. The whelis full wheme, all of white aumber.
c. 1450. Mirour Saluacioun, 2892. A newe grave fulle qweme.
1883. Almondb. & Huddersf. Gloss., Weam, weme,… tidy … ‘A nice little weme packet.’
c. dial. Closed against or protected from the wind, snug; unruffled, smooth.
1674–91. Ray, N.-C. Words, Wheam, wheem, near, close, so as no wind can enter it.
1820. Marmaiden o’ Clyde, in Whitelaw, Bk. Sc. Ballads (1874), 93/2. Whan the year grown auld brings winter cauld We flee till our ha’s sae queem.
1824. Mactaggart, Gallovid. Encycl. (1876), 391. Dream that the ocean’s queem.
2. Fit, fitting, suitable; convenient, handy; near at hand, close. Const. to or dative.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8734. Sai me nu quat yow thinc queme. Ibid., 8809. Þe tre was als mete and quem, Als animan þar-to cuth deme.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5078. [A way] þat to þe marche of Messedone was him mast qweme.
1570. Levins, Manip., 60/15. Queeme, æquus, compar.
1674–91. Ray, N.-C. Words, Wheam, wheem,… very handsome and convenient for one.
1812. T. Wilkinson, Death of Roger, in Gilpin, Poetry Cumberl., 206. How wheem to Matty’s elbow draws his chair.
1882. Lancash. Gloss., Wheem, handy, convenient.
3. Of persons: † a. Friendly or well-disposed (to), intimate (with). Obs.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 20. That he be til us quem that day.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1763. To qwit claym all querels, & be qweme fryndes.
c. 1440. Bone Flor., 145. They lefte a burges feyre and wheme, All ther schyppys for to yeme.
a. 1687. R. McWard, Earnest Contend. for Faith (1723), 262 (Jam.). They shall fall-in, more than ever, into an Intimacy with the Malignant-Enemies to the Work of God, and grow quim and cosh with them.
1731. Plain Reasons Presbyt. Dissent., 53. Quim and cosh with them.
b. Quiet, still, etc.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, v. (John), 324. Sa þu wil þis folk mak quem … I sal sone consent þar-to.
1873. Swaledale Gloss., Wheem, smooth, demure, still, slyly quiet, mock-modest.
1883. Almondb. & Huddersf. Gloss., Weam or Weme, quiet … ‘A weme woman in a house is a jewel.’
† c. Skilled, clever; smart, active. Obs. rare.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 4202. Who is now so qweme or qwaint of his wit, That couthe mesure our might.
1611. Cotgr., Adroit,… Handsome, nimble, wheeme, readie or quicke [etc.].
† 4. As adv. = QUEMELY. Obs. rare.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vi. (Thomas), 180. And ȝe þe bidding ȝeme of þe apostil wel & queme.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. xii. 6. He thristis to the levys of the ȝet, And closit queym the entre.
