wappenshaw

American  

[wop-uhn-shaw, wap-] / ˈwɒp ənˌʃɔ, ˈwæp- /

Often wappenshawing

noun

1. 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.

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wappenshaw British  

/ ˈwɒp-, ˈwæpənʃɔː /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of wappenshaw

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

Example Sentences

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

From The Black Douglas by Richards, Frank

And when things were nearly at the worst, Yule restored the spirits of his local escort by improvising a wappenshaw, with a Sheffield gardener's knife, which he happened to have with him, for prize!

From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Yule, Henry

This night of the wappenshaw the lofty grey walls were hung with gaily coloured tapestries draped from the overhanging gallery of wood which ran round the top of the castle.

From The Black Douglas by Richards, Frank