waggadash

English

Alternative forms

• wagadash

Etymology

From Japanese 脇差 (wakizashi).

Noun

waggadash (plural waggadashes)

1. (archaic) A wakizashi.
   • 1758, Tobias George Smollett, The Critical Review, Or, Annals of Literature - Volume 6, page 108:

     Their disposition, according to the quality of their arms, is thus: first of all march their shot, that is, calievers, for muskets they have none, neither will they use any; then follow pikes, then cattans and targets, bows and arrows, waggadashes or hooks, and lastly, calievers again close the march ; and among all these they, have no colours, drums, trumpets, nor any sort of warlike music.

   • 1813, Robert Kerr, A General History of Voyages and Travels:

     Towards evening, the king of Jedo sent me two suits of varnished armour, as a present to our king ; and sent likewise for myself a tatch and a waggadash, the former being a long sword which is only worn in Japan by soldiers of the highest rank, and the latter being a singular weapon resembling a Welsh hook.

   • 1902, Transactions and Proceedings of the Japan Society, London:

     […] and enumerated various personal belongings, amongst others his Japanese weapons—his “cattans” and his “waggadash.”

   • 2004, Gregory Irvine, A guide to Japanese art collections in the UK, page 13:

     He returned bearing gifts from the shogun for King James. These included two suits of armour, a katana and a waggadash (wakizashi) for himself.