wheen

American  

[hween, ween] / ʰwin, win /

adjective

1. few.

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noun

1. a few persons or things.

wheen British  

/ wiːn, hwiːn /

determiner

1. few; some

2. (preceded by a)

   1. a small number of

   2. a good number of

   3. ( as pronoun; functioning as plural )

      a wheen of years

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Etymology

Origin of wheen

1325–75; Middle English (north) quheyn, Old English hwēne, instrumental case of hwōn few, a few

Example Sentences

Dr Chris Robinson, director of the Scots Language Dictionaries project, is unsure how it's possible to debate the referendum without it: "How can anyone discuss politics without a wheen o' blethers?"

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2014

Ye daurna hang us surely for a wheen wizzened speldrings!—O dear—O dear!

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 370, August 1846 by Various

Aye, aye! the warld'll tak' a wheen o' makin' over yet, an' it'll no be you nor me that'll do it.

From Roland Graeme: Knight A Novel of Our Time by Machar, Agnes Maule

I declare, thae sailors are a wheen born deevils for fun and frolic; but they are sic canty chiels, that ane canna help likin them the better for a' their nonsense.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. XX by Leighton, Alexander

“The worthy Dr. Lightfoot”—“mistrysted with a bogle”—“a wheen green trash”—“Jenny, lass, I think I ha’e her”: from that day to this the phrases have been unforgotten.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 16 (of 25) by Stevenson, Robert Louis