wappenshaw

[ wop-uhn-shaw, wap- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a periodic muster or review of troops or persons under arms, formerly held in certain districts of Scotland to satisfy military chiefs that their men were properly armed and faithful to the local lord or chieftain.

wappenshaw

/ ˈwɒp-; ˈwæpənʃɔː /

noun

(formerly) a muster of men in a particular area in Scotland to show that they were properly armed

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Word History and Origins

Origin of wappenshaw¹

1495–1505; short for wappenshawing (Scots), equivalent to wappen ( Old English wǣpna, genitive plural of wǣp ( e ) n weapon ) + shawing showing ( show, -ing ¹ ); compare Dutch wapenschouwing

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Word History and Origins

Origin of wappenshaw¹

C16: from Northern English wapen, from Old Norse vápn weapon + schaw show

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Example Sentences

The sports of the first day of the great wappenshaw were over.

From Project Gutenberg

wapiti wapperjaw

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