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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Flit, Flyt, v. Also: flitt, flet, fleitt. [ME. flytt(e, flitt(e, ON. flytja.]

1. tr. To convey, remove, or shift (a person or thing) from one place to another. 1375 Barb. iii. 420.
[The boat] sa litill wes, that it Mycht our the wattir bot thresum flyt a1400 Leg. S. xliv. 253.
To helpe thame come a thousand men … to flyt hire furth one the way c1420 Wynt. vii. 781.
A towne … Wes flyttyd owt off that ilke plas Quhare it foundyt and byggyt was 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 373.
To the men that flittit the bastailȝe fra the Freris to the Tolbuth of Abirdene, and flittit the burdis 1512 Reg. Privy S. I. 359/2.
A licence … to flit the pend of the said Frere Wynd 1557 Inverness B. Rec. I. 14.
His guidis wes flettit of the grund befor the proclamation of the ost 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 623.
To twa warkmen for … flitting the skaffald … out of the kirk 1603 Misc. Maitl. C. II. 150.
Ane boit … for fletting ony of my Lordis adois c1650 Spalding II. 426.
Quhairvpone Argile flittis his camp tua myllis fra Fyvie to Crechie 1698 Ann. Banff II. 176.
For flitting the schoole, 18 s.fig. a1400 Leg. S. xliv. 278.
Thane gert he caste on hire … of necting a gret quantyte, … Thar-with for to flit hyre thocht 1535 Stewart 48074.
Quhen scho list hir fauour for to flittabsol. 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 104 b.
[To have] thair boitis … to serue, flitt, and fwir in my Lordis seruice

2. tr. and refl. To remove (persons and possessions) from a place of occupancy or residence. Usu. flit and remove.(1) c1575 Balfour Pract. 106.
Scho may not flit nor remove the tenentis, occupiaris of the samin 1588 Grant Chart. (Reg. H.).
The saidis … confessis … thame selfis, … lauchfullie and ordourlie flittit and remowit fra the town … of Vestir Camedall c1650 Spalding I. 134.
The laird of Pitfoddillis … flitit out of Old Abirdein his haill familie and goodis(2) 1578 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 122.
To flit and remowe tham selfis, seruandis and guddis, furtht and fra the said Greit Orchart and garding yardis 1615 Red Bk. Grandtully I. xxvi.
To flitt and remoue himself, his wyfe, bairnis, and servandis, familie guids and geir, furth and fra the said place of Murthlie c1650 Spalding I. 149.
The Marquess … leaves directioun to his seruandis to flit and remove thame selfis, goodis, and geir efter him to Strathbogie

3. intr. To depart from a place; to go elsewhere. a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii. 574.
That scho mycht purches sum remede To flit in-to sume wthir stede c1475 Wall. vii. 1066.
Till Abyrdeyn … thai pas, Quhar Inglismen besyly flittand was a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 231.
Ȝe schrenk nocht to trespas, Fra this fals warld as we suld never mare flit 1567 G. Ball. 102.
And for thair fault till hell sune sall thay flit 1581 Sat. P. xliii. 140.
Was he not … Ane of the first that maid the freiris to flit? 1596 Dalr. I. 71/17.
He began to think how to flitt from Ægipte

b. spec. To leave one's place of residence or occupancy. Freq. with remove.(1) a1500 Bernardus 381.
The fadyr beande dede, Oft sys the sone flittys to fremyt sted a1500 Henr. Fab. 2740.
To mak him fane To flit, or pay his gressome new agane 1540 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 99.
Gyf thay refuse, to warne thame to flyt at Mertymes nixt to cum 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 293.
The pairtie in Leith … causit the haill inhabitaris of the Cannogait to flit and come to Leith 1600-1610 Melvill 257.
That Witsonday … was the twolt tyme I haid flitted sen my mariage 1663 Inverness Presb. 302.
Things that looked lyk sorcerie quhich were found after she flitted, in the hous out of quhich she flitted 1697 Foulis Acc. Bk. 213.
To John Broune, gardiner at Woodhall, when we flitted(2) 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 198.
To tak congnicione gif that the saidis frow and Robert wer … nocht lauchfully warnit … to remufe & flitt tharfra 1549 Prot. Bk. J. Crawford 27 b.
He warnit Robert Merschell to ramvf & flyt out of his maleyng 1582 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 768.
We decern … tham to flit and remoif thairfra with the mylnis and pertinentis thairof 1645 Irvine Mun. II. 62.
Lyckas they obleis thame to flitt and remove fra the said myln 1680 Echt-Forbes Chart. 148.
She shall be obliedged to flitt, red, and remove, and leave the same [maines] voyd and patent to my heires of taylȝy

c. (In phrases or absol.) To depart from this life; to die. a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxiv. 13.
For quhen we of this cuntre flit, Haue we nocht all alyk of it? 1605 Edinb. Test. XL. 14 b.
I man anes depart and flit out of this present warld 1638 Baillie I. 109.
I went and saw your mother, where I fand that your father was flitted; … ye and I could not wish to die with more faith

4. To change in state, condition, or mind; to be changeable or unstable. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 26.
Office dois flit, and courtis dois varie Ib. lxvi. 95.
Of this fals failȝeand warld I tyre, That ever more flytis lyk ane phane 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 81.
Lo, from all grace quhou to myscheif thai flyt 1573 Sat. P. xl. 42.
Riches and rent we ken dois not abyde, Bot flittis and fochis ever to and fra a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxi. 58.
If ȝe be constant, I sall neuer change; If ȝe be fickle, I am forc't to flitt