wee

See also: Wee, WEE, weè, and wêe

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

    From 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

    wee (comparative weer, superlative weest)

    1. (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.
      • 1915, Charles L Graves, Humours of Irish life, pages 241-242:
        Was anyone hurted? Sure, they were just trailin' theirselves off the ground. Ye wud have died larfin'. There's Jimmy Hanlon was never his own man since, and I had me nose broke on me—I find it yet—and some says there was a wee girl from Tanderagee got herself killed.
      • 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.
      • 2026 March 18, Chris Conway talks to Andy Comfort, “The RAIL Interview”, in RAIL, page 32:
        "I suppose my first objective was to try and help a department, which was very much civil servants who are rotating around on a regular basis, to try and understand public transport a wee bit better and try and understand what was required to run a bus and rail network," muses Conway.
    Derived terms
    Translations

    Noun

    wee

    1. A short time or short distance.

    References

    • Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: Tenth Edition (1997)

    Etymology 2

      Onomatopoeic for the sound of urination. The noun derives from the verb.

      Noun

      wee (countable and uncountable, plural wees)

      1. (colloquial, uncountable) Urine.
      2. (colloquial, countable) An act of urination.
        I need to have a wee.
      Synonyms
      Translations

      Verb

      wee (third-person singular simple present wees, present participle weeing, simple past and past participle weed)

      1. (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
      Derived terms
      Translations

      Etymology 3

        See we.

        Pronoun

        wee (personal pronoun)

        1. obsolete emphatic of we

        Etymology 4

          Interjection

          wee

          1. Alternative form of whee.
          2. The squeal of a pig.
            • 1913, Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Pigling Bland:
              Pigling Bland became frightened and cried "Wee, wee, wee! I can't find my way home!"

          See also

          etymologically unrelated terms containing the word "wee"

          Anagrams

          Afar

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /ˈweː/ [ˈweː]
          • Hyphenation: wee

          Verb

          wée (autobenefactive weyité)

          1. (transitive) lack
          2. (transitive) miss
          3. (auxiliary) Used to form the negative of some moods and aspects.

          Conjugation

              Conjugation of wee (irregular)
          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
          Compound tenses
          dependent verb sequential perfective + -m
          simultaneous imperfective + -m
          past perfect affirmative perfective + perfective of én or sugé
          present perfect affirmative perfective + imperfective of én
          future perfect affirmative perfective + prospective of sugé
          past progressive -k converb + imperfective of én or sugé
          present progressive affirmative imperfect + imperfective of én
          future progressive -k converb + prospective of sugé
          immediate future affirmative conjunctive I + imperfective of wée
          imperfect potential I affirmative conjunctive I + imperfective of takké
          imperfect
          potential II           		affirmative imperfective + -m + takké
          negative wée + imperfective of wée + -m + takké
          perfect
          potential           		affirmative perfective + -m + takké
          negative wée + perfective of wée + -m + takké
          present
          conditional II           		affirmative imperfective + object pronoun + tekkék
          negative wée + perfective of wée + object pronoun + tekkék
          perfect
          conditional           		affirmative perfective + imperfective of sugé + -k
          negative perfective + sugé + imperfective of wée -k
          irrealis wée + perfective of xaaxé or raaré

          References

          • 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

          Etymology

          From 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

          • Audio:(file)
          • IPA(key): /ʋeː/
          • Rhymes: -eː

          Adjective

          wee (not comparable)

          1. nauseating

          Declension

          Declension 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

          Derived terms

          Noun

          wee f (plural weeën, diminutive weetje n)

          1. contraction during labour or childbirth
            De weeën beginnen!
            The contractions are starting!
          2. (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

          • (sorrow): o wee, ach en wee, heimwee

          Descendants

          • Afrikaans: wee

          Anagrams

          Kikuyu

          Pronoun

          wee (second person singular)

          1. alternative spelling of we (“you, thou”)

          Middle Dutch

          Etymology

          From Old Dutch *wē, from Proto-West Germanic *wai.

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /weː/

          Interjection

          wêe

          1. woe!

          Descendants

          Adjective

          wêe

          1. unpleasant, painful

          Inflection

          This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

          Descendants

          Noun

          wêe f

          1. pain

          Inflection

          This noun needs an inflection-table template.

          Descendants

          • Dutch: wee
          • Limburgish: wieë

          Further reading

          • “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

          Etymology 1

          Noun

          wee

          1. alternative form of we (“woe”)

          Etymology 2

          Noun

          wee

          1. alternative form of wye (“man, warrior”)

          Scots

          Etymology

          Inherited from Old English wēġ(e), wǣġ (unit of weight).

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /wiː/

          Adjective

          wee (comparative weer, superlative weest)

          1. small, little, tiny

          References

          Yola

          Etymology 1

          From Middle English wiþ, from Old English wiþ.

          Alternative forms

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /wiː/, /wɪ/, /w/, /wuː/

          Preposition

          wee

          1. 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

          Etymology 2

          Pronoun

          wee

          1. 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

          • 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

          Etymology

          Clipping of ìwé. Cognates with Yoruba èyí, Ìkálẹ̀ Yoruba ìyí.

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /wèé/

          Determiner

          wèé

          1. (Ijebu) this
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