wilsome
adjEtymology From Middle English wilsum, wilsom, wildsom, probably after Old Norse villusamr (“erroneous, false”), equivalent to will (“wild”) + -some. Cognate with Scots wilsum (“treacherous, wandering”).
wilsome
adjEtymology From Middle English wilsom, equivalent to will (“desire”) + -some.
- "You won't be able to prevail with her, when once she's set upon a thing; " observed Matty. "She was always a wilsome child and now she's a wilful woman; and 'a wilfu' woman,' as the North people say, 'maun hae her ain way.' Ay, you was always a wilsome child, true enough; but as winsome as wilsome, bless your heart! All the more pretty for having a will of your own,—it was so prettily shown, and somehow it came so natural to you to have your own way; it was just yourself, Miss Kate, my darling!"1875 [1854], Mary Cowden Clarke, The Iron Cousin; Or, Mutual Influence, D. Appleton and Company, page 443:
- Derived terms
- wilsomely, wilsomeness