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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wit(e, Wyt(e, v. Also: wyit(e, vyit, wytt, veit, wait. Pres. also wyttis. P.t. wytit. P.p. wyted, wite. [ME and e.m.E. wite(n (c1200), witte, wijt (both Cursor M.), wyte(n (Chaucer), wit (c1400), wiyte (c1430), OE wítan, MLG, MDu. witen.] tr. a. To blame or reproach (a person) in respect of harm done, to lay the blame on (someone). Also absol. Also const. that he or she did harm, to do harm or of the harm done. b. reflex.c. With a thing as object. Also const. as a above. d. predic.Also with omission of the verb to be. e. absol.f. proverb.a. (1) c1420 Ratis R. 828.
Thow can fynd name for to wyte 1460 Hay Alex. 35.
Thow sall be wite nothing 1490 Irland Mir. II 141/15.
Sene this was destany and ordand for ȝou that ȝe suld nocht wyt me 1513 Doug. xii iii 75.
Wyte [Ruddim. wite] me not bot I thé warnyt haue 1567 G. Ball. 190.
The ignorant peple … wat nocht quhome to wyte a1585 Maitl. Q. 109/36.
Albeit I wis I wait nane will me wyte a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 723 (W).
That he may wite bot you, The first tyme that he fell 1594 Maxwell Mem. II 28.
Wyte me gif [etc.] 1600 Crim. Trials II 133.
Gif thair be ony difference betuix the principall and the extract, wyte the extracter 1603 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 55.
I can nocht wyte my Lord off Mar c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 5b.
Ye have taine this burthene one yow willinglie & quher yow find the weight of it wyte no man but your selffis 1644 Law Memor. lxii.
Whereon Christian said, ‘that if ought ailled hir thereafter, she should wyt you’absol. a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 630.
Bot ȝet durst thai nocht do it, Fore dout that thare prioure suld wit(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 83.
Hyre fadir can hir wit Gretly that scho lefit his ryt c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxiv 20.
Sic is thair weird, thairfoir quha sould thame wyte To serue thair beistlie lust a1568 Scott xi 51.
To lufe ȝour ladeis quho can wyt ȝow? a1585 Polwart Flyt. 23 (H).
Gooke, wyte me not to garre thé grete 1590-1 Bruce Eleven Serm. 63.
I cannot wite them to think sa of faith 1594 Cal. Sc. P. XI 355.
[Seeing we must believe some church, who can] wyte [us according to our creed to believe the Holy Catholic Church rather than theirs] a1605 Montg. Sonn. lxiv 5.
I war to wyt, the bureit to bakbyte(3) 1375 Barb. vii 628.
Amang thaim … Thar rais debate … Ilkan wytt [C. vith] other off thar myschance 1533 Gau 12/16.
Thay that witis the dewil or ony oder creatur of thair aduersite 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 3.
Adam, we may thé wyit of this mischance 1567 G. Ball. 190.
Quhome suld we wyte of this dispyte 1590 Letter of James VI in Taylor Hist. Scotland II 337.
When the gudeman is away he cannot be wyted of the disorders in the house 1613 Elgin Rec. II 136.
Androw Wanes said he wytit Elspet Cuming of his disseis(b) 1533 Gau 90/24.
Veitb. 1490 Irland Mir. II 73/13.
Wyt thai self and nocht Him c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 126.
Wyte thy self, thow nald Venus obey a1568 Scott xx 14.
Of thyne adversitie Wyt thy self 1590 Welwod 65.
In that caise let the outredder wyte him self because [etc.] 1638 Henderson Serm. 185.
So we may only wyte ourselves if the Gospel be removed, & not lay the wyte on others a1651 Calderwood V 761.
If the Assemblie would not embrace the benefite, lett them wyte themselves(b) 1600-1610 Melvill 462.
Let them wait them selves giff graitter povertie and contempt cam upon the kirkc. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xviii 612.
Myn hard fortone can I wyt, Bannand the tyme that I was borne a1500 Bernardus 360.
Forsum nocht thi weilefar … Syn wyt fortowne and thow thi selffe gilty 1535 Stewart 29232.
Penda richt soir blamis and witis Thair negligence 1549 Compl. 64/27.
Allace I vyit ȝour tua fayr ene 1570 Sat. P. xx 7.
Desyring all, … Not for to wyte my rude indyte a1585 Maitl. Q. 140/8.
Accuse not me bot wyite the wicked tyme a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxxviii 1, 3, 4 etc.
I wyt myne ee for vieuing of my wo … I wyt my senses vhilks dissavit me so I wyt acquentance [etc.](2) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 238 (Asl.).
Of covatis I wyte the rafand rage … That wysemen thus ar bund in thi bondage a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 739 (L).
He wyttis [W. wytis, Wr. wyted] will To be maist [cause] of his myscheife(3) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 234.
Constantyne, We may wyit thy possessioun poysonabyll Off all our gret punysioun c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 197.
Thay say it is fals destenie And wyitis fortoun of thair misgouernanced. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 90.
Nothing thay to wyte 1456 Hay I 182/16.
And sen he has tane sauf condyt of him that na power has, … him self is to wite a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 134.
O fals Cupide, is nane to wyte bot thow 1535 Stewart 36417.
Ȝe wald nocht sa thairof I war to wyit 1572 Sempill in Sat. P. xxx 77.
For na offence culd thow be forsit to flyte Aganis thy seruandis, thocht thay wer to wytee. a1568 Bann. MS 256b/2.
No delyte I haif of ladeis fair I wyte, I flyte, all in dispyte that evir I leird that lairf. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS 102.
All thingis wytis that weill not fairis a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1687.
Wyne and women I may wite a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1176.
Manie man wytes his wyf of his awin wanthrift