A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1610
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Blith, Blyth, a. Also: blithe, blythe, blyith, blaithe; blitht, blytht, blicht, blycht, blyctht. [ME. blith(e, blyth(e, early bliþe, bliðe, OE. Blíðe, ON. Blíðr. The forms in -tht, -cht, are partly due to editorial expansions of the superior t common in MSS.] Happy, glad, in good spirits, cheerful, pleasant.
1. Of persons (in general or for some particular cause).(a) 1375 Barb. viii. 383, 386.
Thai had A lord … so blith … that [thai] had gret caus blith to be 1375 Ib. xvi. 486.
Than Dowglas blithar wes than ere a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxiii. 181.
I wald blith haf bene At thi brydale 1456 Hay I. 249/22.
Efter mete quhen men are full and blithe 1513 Doug. i. vi. 182.
Hyr self vplift to Paphum passyt … joly and blith [L. laeta] 1513 Ib. iv. iv. 57.
Joyus and blith 1600-1610 Melvill 126.
With whom I wald be blaithe to helpe 1604 Craig i. 19/31.
Whose biding made vs blith(b) 1375 Barb. i. 389.
Quhen he wes blyth, he wes lufly a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 1024.
Quhen Petir this herd, he wes blyth a1400 Ib. xxvi. 178.
[He was] blyth in til admonestyng c1420 Wynt. i. 124.
Angelis blyth and brycht c1420 Ib. v. 2224.
He … sulde the blythare be alway That he [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 36/27.
That na man suld … be our blythe c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii. 1001.
All the ost off comforde was the blythar a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 209.
God wait gif scho was blyth to cum c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxiii. 6.
Be blyth in hairt for ony aventure 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 15.
Anchises. … blyth and glaid Lyft eyn … to hevyn c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 83.
Blyith in countenance c1550 Ib. 1223.
Blyith and mirrie a1568 Scott iii. 13.
Be blyth quhen thay ar licht 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 39.
To reioyis and blyith to be a1578 Pitsc. I. 240/3.
The king and his counsall … war verie blyth and reioysed a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS lxxxv. 1 .
In baill be blyth, for that is best a1585 Polwart Flyt. 435.
Ay blyth to begin all barret and baill(c) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 445.
Thu aucht blitht to be a1400 Ib. xxxiii. 620.
In this warld … wes nane Sa blicht a man c1420 Ratis Raving 568.
Hop[e] … can weill mak blycht a1500 Bernardus 309.
Lycht of wyne and blycht a1578 Pitsc. I. 143/9.
Quhilk made the king so blytht that [etc.]
b. Const. of (the cause of gladness). Also with for.1375 Barb. ii. 454.
He wes blyth off that tithing c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 719.
The Troyiens … thar-of war rycht wonder blyth c1420 Wynt. vi. 1016; etc.
This Pape than blyth off this word wes c1450-2 Howlat 87.
Of that bourde I was blythe c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 70/21.
Beand … blytht of thare aduersite c1490 Ib. 239/25.
All gud Scottismen ware rycht blyth of that accordance 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 130.
Our folkis … blyth and glaid Of this kowth surname 1535 Stewart 10510.
So blyth thai wer than of that victorie 1562-3 Winȝet I. 124/16.
That the angelis ar blythe for the weilfair of man a1605 Montg. Misc. P. ix. 21.
Hir … that of my baill is blyth
c. Absol. with that = that … one.a1568 Bannatyne MS 224 a/35.
Quhat may I do bot … byd ay quhill that blycht list to me bute a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS cxxx. 150.
In to my armes swythe Embrasit I that blythe
2. Of the countenance, bearing, spirit, etc.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxviii. 351.
Adryane with blitht faire Sa[i]d [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 611.
The Gregeois … Graunted it, with visage blyth c1420 Wynt. viii. 6579.
The Scottis passyd hame with blyth sembland 1456 Hay II. 127/6.
That makis … blyth hert c1420 Ratis Raving 1265.
This eild … ȝarnis play, and al blycht chere a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1273.
The renk … Salust the bauld berne with ane blith wout 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 56.
With blyth bosum the sam Sal ȝou ressaue 1513 Ib. viii. xii. 14.
Hys blyth browys brent a1550 Tayis B. 59.
A blicht blenk of hir vesage bair 1596 Dalr. I. 163/8.
The Scottis couragious, of a blyth hope
3. Of inanimate things. Also of birds.c1450-2 Howlat 3.
Bemes blythest of ble c1450-2 Ib. 17.
Birdis blythest of ble a1500 Henr. Fab. 1331.
The blossummis blyith c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 222.
Yhe birdis, blyth as bellis a1500 Golagros and Gawane 68.
Bricht letteris of gold, blith vnto blent c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 81.
With bemys blith, bricht as Lucifere c1500-c1512 Id. xxi. 48.
Ene of amiable blyth asure 1513 Doug. i. xi. 28.
At the blith [L. laeta] ȝettis 1535 Stewart 3596.
All the blythar wald the banket be 1570 Satirical Poems xxiv. 60.
I hope … to se ane blyither sicht
4. In comb. with bodyit.c1450-2 Howlat 332.
Kene knychtis … Blyth bodyit and beld
