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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
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Spit, v. Also: spyt, spitt, sput. P.t. also spitte, spyt, spet(t)it, spat(t. P.p. also spittin. [ME and e.m.E. spit (Ancr. R.), spitt(en (a1225), spet(en (a1250), spitte (Chaucer), spyttyn (Prompt. Parv.), OE spittan, spǽtan. Cf. MSw., Norw. dial. spytta, Da. spytte, ON, Icel. spýta.]

1. intr. To spit, as an expression of contempt, anger, etc., chiefly, in (to, in till) a person's face, at or on a person, also for scorn, contempt, etc., into the earth.Chiefly with reference to the Jews spitting at Christ before the crucifixion.The Pitsc. quot. may belong in 2 as an instance of spitting accidentally while uttering something in anger.(1) pres. a1400 Leg. S. xlvi 199.
Sume in-[to] his face vald spyt, & vthir sum [kest] richt ful dryt a1450 Fifteen Ois 96.
O Jesu Crist … Quhen thi innomes thé nocht menit, … And spitting in thy face couth spout ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 69.
Thai fell tratouris ran about ȝour precius body lik wolffis, … spitand and spewand in ȝour blist bludy facep.t. a1400 Leg. S. i 659.
Paganis and Jowis … Buffit thame [sc. the disciples] dispituisly, And spyt in thare facis(b) c1420 Wynt. v 4002.
A byschop that tyme callyd Donate Tuk a dragowne, that fellowne was, And spyttyt ewyn in till hys face a1500 Bk. Chess 304.
Throw werraye ire he spittit in his face c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 7/18.
Thay spittit in his visage fayr Arundel MS 256/27.
Into thi visage spittit, And for derisioun, ‘King of Jowis,’ thai cryit(c) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 447.
Sum on the cheik, sum on the wissage baire, Spat in his face, filit his cristall eyne a1578 Pitsc. II 60/29.
[He] spat at Mr. George face, sayand, ‘quhat ansueris thow to those thingis, thow ranigat tratour theif’(2) 1460 Hay Alex. 768.
King Nicolas than … spittit at King Alexander on fer c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxvii 30.
Thai spittit on Him and tuke a reed and smate His heid 1551 Hamilton Cat. 156.
For our salvatioun He was content to be maid nakit, to be scornit, to be spittit on … crownit with thornis … and finally to dee 1588 King Cat. 26a.
Behald the Lamb without spott … quha being buffeted, spittin on, and vrangeously evel spoken of, oppened nocht his mouthefig. 1562-3 Winȝet I 108/6.
Think ȝe nocht that this maist barber ruidnes, … wald be spittit at be a Jow or an Ethnik(3) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 396.
I did him dispise; I spittit quhen I saw That super spendit evill spreit spulȝeit of all vertu(4) 1513 Doug. i Prol. 150.
Hys ornate goldyn versis … I spittit [Ruddim. spitte] for dispyte to se swa spilt With sych a wyght a1578 Pitsc. II 67/20.
Then the bischoppis schuik thair heiddis and spittit into the eird and quhat he meinit in this matter forder thay wald not heir

2. To spit, eject saliva from one's mouth. Also proverb. or quasi-proverb.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 156/177.
For sair syne he did spitt And he about the Devillis nek Did spew agane ane quart of blek, Thus knychtly he him quitt c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark vii 33.
Thai bring to him a man deef and dommbe, … He tuke him aside … and puttit his fingris in his eeris, and He spetit, and tuichet his tung c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 140b/26.
Thay host thay spew thay spitt As thay war woid out of witt(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark viii 23.
Quhen He had takin the blind mannis hand, he led him out of the street; and spettit into his een c1520-c1535 Nisbet John ix 6.
He spittit into the erd, and made clay of the spettill, and anoyntit the clay on his een 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 106.
The said Johne haveing sought yow … took yow into his seller and ye spitit amongst the aill 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 418.
These words the charmer speaks holding his two thumbs to his mouth still spitting on them, and then with both thumbs stroaks the sore, which dayly mends thereafter(3) proverb. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7549.
Gif … In the same vice he is gyltie him sell … He smottis him self as he dois his nichtbour Alwayis vpon his awin blanket he spittis a1568 Wedderburn in Bann. MS 279a/38.
Ane awld proverb … Quhilk … said … na man sould spitt aganis the wynd In dreid it cum on him that did it spitt a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1373.
Spit or ye loup, or luke or ye loup

3. tr. To spit (saliva, blood, etc.). a1500 Bk. Chess 308.
Pacientlie he colorit all the caise As nocht bene said nor spittit in his face c1500 Rowll Cursing 218 (M).
Thir forsaid dewillis … haue … dyuers faceis repleit of ire Spittand vennum and sparkis of fyre c1500 Interl. Droich 53.
The hevin reirdit quhen scho wald rift … Scho spatt Lochlomound with hir lippis a1568 Wedderburn in Bann. MS 279a/38 (see 2 (3) above). 1587-99 Hume 72/145.
My breast was brusd … I partely spitted bloud 1641 Mure Caledons Complaint 165.
Spite venome still, still vomit blasphemies 1667 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II 311.
He hes ever since lyen bedfast, womitting and sputting blood