wheen

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English *wheen, quhein (also hwan, hwon, quhon), from Old English hwēne, hwǣne (“somewhat, a little”), instrumental form of Old English hwōn (“little, few, a little, trifle, somewhat, a little while”).

Noun

wheen (plural wheens)

  1. (Britain dialectal) A little; a small number.
  2. (Britain dialectal, Scotland, Northern Ireland) A quantity; a goodly number.
    • 1815, Walter Scott, Guy Mannering:
      I have six terriers at hame, forbye twa couple of slow-hunds, five grews, and a wheen other dogs.

References
  • wheen in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
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