The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #103549   Message #2110703
Posted By: IanC
25-Jul-07 - 04:47 AM
Thread Name: Folklore: Widdershins - superstitions
Subject: RE: Folklore: Widdershins - superstitions
From the OED:

widdershins
/widdrshinz/ (also withershins)

• adverb chiefly Scottish in a direction contrary to the sun's course (or anticlockwise), considered as unlucky.

— ORIGIN High German widersinnes, from wider 'against' + sin 'direction'.

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