wee
English
editPronunciation
edit- enPR: wē, IPA(key): /wiː/
Audio (US): (file) - Rhymes: -iː
- Homophones: oui, we, Wii; whee (wine–whine merger)
Etymology 1
editFrom Middle English wey, weygh, wegh, weȝe, wæȝe (“little bit”), from Old English wǣġ, wǣġe (“weight”), from Proto-West Germanic *wāgu, from Proto-Germanic *wēgō (“scales, weight”) and *wēgǭ (“weight”), related to Middle English weġan (“to move, weigh”) (15c).
Adjective
editwee (comparative weer, superlative weest)
- (Scotland, Ireland, Northern England, New Zealand, Ottawa Valley, Mid-Ulster) Small, little.
- You looked a little cold, so I lit a wee fire.
- 1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 275:
- The beat of its wee heart held against her own, sent her intense maternity surging like the spring sap in a young tree.
- 2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin, published 2009, page 73:
- I had not seen a wee boy do it like that before. He was weer than me and his swimming was just like splashing about.
Derived terms
editTranslations
edit
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Noun
editwee
References
edit- Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: Tenth Edition (1997)
Etymology 2
editOnomatopoeic for the sound of urination. The noun derives from the verb.
Noun
editwee (countable and uncountable, plural wees)
- (colloquial, uncountable) Urine.
- (colloquial, countable) An act of urination.
- I need to have a wee.
Synonyms
edit- (all senses): wee-wee
- (urine): See Thesaurus:urine
- (urination): See Thesaurus:urination
Translations
edit
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Verb
editwee (third-person singular simple present wees, present participle weeing, simple past and past participle weed)
- (UK, colloquial) To urinate.
- I need to wee! I can't hold it any longer!
- 2011 March 15, Tom Armstrong, Marvin (comic):
- When I was young, I was up every night until the wee hours. Now I'm up every hour at night to wee.
Synonyms
edit- wee-wee, see also Thesaurus:urinate
Derived terms
editTranslations
edit
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Etymology 3
edit- see we
Pronoun
editwee (personal pronoun)
- obsolete emphatic of we
- 1645, John Milton, Tetrachordon:
- Yet lest wee should be Capernaitans, as wee are told there that the flesh profiteth nothing, so wee are told heer, if we be not as deaf as adders, that this union of the flesh proceeds from the union of a fit help and solace.
See also
editAnagrams
editAfar
editPronunciation
editVerb
editwée (autobenefactive weyité)
- (transitive) lack
- (transitive) miss
- (auxiliary) Used to form the negative of some moods and aspects.
Conjugation
editConjugation of wee (irregular) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1st singular | 2nd singular | 3rd singular | 1st plural | 2nd plural | 3rd plural | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
m | f | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
perfective | V-affirmative | wéeh | waytéh | wéeh | waytéh | waynéh | wayteeníh | weeníh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N-affirmative | wée | wayté | wée | wayté | wayné | waytén | wéen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | máwanniyo | máwannito | máwanna | máwanna | máwannino | máwanniton | máwannon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
imperfective | V-affirmative | wáah | waytáh | wáah | waytáh | waynáh | waytaanáh | waanáh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N-affirmative | wáa | waytá | wáa | waytá | waytán | wáan | máwaa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | máwayta | máwaa | máwayta | máwayna | máwaytan | máwaan | wéeliyoh, wéeyyoh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
prospective | V-affirmative | wéelitoh, wéettoh | wéeleh | wéeleh | wéelinoh, wéennoh | wéelitoonuh, wéettoonuh | wéeloonuh | wéeliyo, wéeyyo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N-affirmative | wéelito, wéetto | wéele | wéele | wéelino, wéenno | wéeliton, wéetton | wéelon | wáyuh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
conjunctive I | V-affirmative | wáytuh | wáyuh | wáytuh | wáynuh | waytóonuh | wóonuh | wáyu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N-affirmative | wáytu | wáyu | wáytu | wáynu | wáytoonu | wóonu | wée wáyuh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | wée wáytuh | wée wáyuh | wée wáytuh | wée wáynuh | wée waytóonuh | wée wóonuh | wáankeh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
conjunctive II | V-affirmative | waytánkeh | wáankeh | waytánkeh | waynánkeh | waytaanánkeh | waanánkeh | wáanke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N-affirmative | waytánke | wáanke | waytánke | waynánke | waytaanánke | waanánke | wée wáankeh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | wée waytánkeh | wée wáankeh | wée waytánkeh | wée waynánkeh | wée waytaanánkeh | wée waanánkeh | wáay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
jussive | affirmative | wáytay | wáay | wáytay | wáynay | waytóonay | wóonay | wée wáay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | wée wáytay | wée wáay | wée wáytay | wée wáynay | wée waytóonay | wée wóonay | wanniyóy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
past conditional |
affirmative | wannitóy | wannáy | wannáy | wanninóy | wannitóonuy | wanninóonuy | wée wóonay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | wée wanniyóy | wée wannitóy | wée wannáy | wée wannáy | wée wanninóy | wée wannitóonuy | wée wanninóonuy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
present conditional I |
affirmative | wéek | wayték | wéek | wayték | waynék | wayteeník | weeník | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | wée wéek | wée wayték | wée wéek | wée wayték | wée waynék | wée wayteeník | wée weeník | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
consultative | affirmative | wayóo | waynóo | imperative | affirmative | wáy | wáya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
negative | mawayóo | mawaynóo | negative | máwan | máwana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
-h converb | -i form | -k converb | -in(n)uh converb | -innuk converb | infinitive | indefinite participle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
V-focus | N-focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
wáah | wáyi | wáak | wayínnuh | wayínnuk | wayíyya | wannáanih | wannáan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
edit- E. M. Parker, R. J. Hayward (1985) “wee”, in An Afar-English-French dictionary (with Grammatical Notes in English), University of London, →ISBN
- Mohamed Hassan Kamil (2015) L’afar: description grammaticale d’une langue couchitique (Djibouti, Erythrée et Ethiopie)[1], Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis)
Dutch
editEtymology
editFrom Old Dutch *wē, from Proto-West Germanic *wai, from Proto-Germanic *wai.
Compare Old English wā (English woe), Old High German wē (German weh), Old Norse vei.
Pronunciation
editAdjective
editwee (not comparable)
Inflection
editDeclension of wee | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | wee | |||
inflected | weeë | |||
comparative | — | |||
positive | ||||
predicative/adverbial | wee | |||
indefinite | m./f. sing. | weeë | ||
n. sing. | wee | |||
plural | weeë | |||
definite | weeë | |||
partitive | wees |
Noun
editwee f (plural weeën, diminutive weetje n)
- contraction during labour or childbirth
- De weeën beginnen!
- The contractions are starting!
- (archaic) sorrow, sadness, pain, woe (used in interjections of despair or annoyance)
- O wee, wat zal er van ons worden.
- Oh woe, what shall become of us.
Derived terms
edit- (sorrow): o wee, ach en wee, heimwee
Anagrams
editKikuyu
editPronoun
editwee (second person singular)
- Alternative spelling of we (“you, thou”)
Middle Dutch
editEtymology
editFrom Old Dutch *wē, from Proto-West Germanic *wai.
Pronunciation
editInterjection
editwêe
- woe!
Descendants
edit- Dutch: wee
Adjective
editwêe
Inflection
editThis adjective needs an inflection-table template.
Descendants
edit- Dutch: wee
Noun
editwêe f
Inflection
editThis noun needs an inflection-table template.
Descendants
editFurther reading
edit- “wee”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “wee (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
Middle English
editNoun
editwee
- Alternative form of we (“woe”)
Scots
editEtymology
editInherited from Old English wēġ(e), wǣġ (unit of weight).
Pronunciation
editAdjective
editwee (comparative weer, superlative weest)
References
edit- “wee, n.1, adj., adv.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 24 May 2024, reproduced from W[illiam] Grant and D[avid] D. Murison, editors, The Scottish National Dictionary, Edinburgh: Scottish National Dictionary Association, 1931–1976, →OCLC.
Yola
editEtymology 1
editFrom Middle English wiþ, from Old English wiþ.
Alternative forms
editPronunciation
editPreposition
editwee
- with
- 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 2, page 94:
- Wee aar lhaung vlealès an pikkès, to waaite apan a breede.
- With their long flails and picks, to wait upon the bride.
- 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 94:
- Aar was lhaung kaayle an nettles, ee-mixt wee prasaugh buee,
- There was long kale and nettles, mingled with yellow-weed,
- 1867, “VERSES IN ANSWER TO THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 98:
- Tibbès an crockès wee drink war ee-felt.
- [Tubs and crocks were filled with drink.]
- 1867, “VERSES IN ANSWER TO THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 2, page 100:
- Craneen t' thee wee aam, thee luggès shell aake.
- Choking to thee with them. Thy ears shall ache.
- 1867, “VERSES IN ANSWER TO THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 100:
- Risheenearès! Leth aam gaame wee aar barish-amang,
- Snack-eaters! let them game, with their barley-mung.
Derived terms
editEtymology 2
editPronoun
editwee
- Alternative form of wough (“we”)
- 1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 59:
- Note will wee dra aaght to-die?
- I don't know will we draw any to-day?
- 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114, lines 1-3:
- Wee, Vassalès o' 'His Most Gracious Majesty,' Wilyame ee Vourthe,
- We, the subjects of his Most Gracious Majesty, William IV.,
- 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114, lines 14-15:
- Mang ourzels——var wee dwytheth an Irelonde az ure generale haime——
- Unto ourselves——for we look on Ireland to be our common country——
- 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 116, lines 8-9:
- wee hert ee zough o'ye colure o' pace na name o' Mulgrave.
- we heard the distant sound of the wings of the dove of peace, in the word Mulgrave.
References
edit- Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 77
Yoruba
editEtymology
editClipping of ìwé. Cognates with Yoruba èyí, Ìkálẹ̀ Yoruba ìyí
Pronunciation
editDeterminer
editwèé
Related terms
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