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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
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Smith(e, Smyth(t, n. Also: smythe, smyith, smyt, smeth(e, smeith, smeyth(e, smieth(e. [ME and e.m.E. smyth(e (Cursor M.), smith (Gower), early ME, also, smiðe (a1200), smyþe (c1275), OE smið. Cf. OFris. smeth, MDu. smit, smet, ON smiðr.]In early use in place names and as a (part of a) surname. 11… Reg. Dunferm. 5.
Smithetun 1321 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 46.
Terram de Smythishalch 1327 Reg. Neubotle in Orig. Par. I 165.
[His lands of the] Smethwod 1329–71 Robertson's Index to the Charters in Orig. Par. I 235.
Smeithfield 1373 Reg. Great S. (1814) 109/1.
Smetheston 1489–90 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 322.
De terra Smythtwaster 1635 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 515.
Hew Gordone of Smythstoune — 1362 Exch. R. II 98.
Ricardo Smethsoun 1442 Liber Melros II 551.
Thomam Smyth 1523 Treas. Acc. V 231.
Auld Johnne Smithis forge at the ovir bow 1526 Treas. Acc. V 276.
Johnne Smytht, jak makar

1. One who works metal, specif. a worker in one of the many trades involving metal (see 1st quot. in 2 below).For a perspective on the range of tasks undertaken, see quots., see, also, M. Works Acc. (ed.) I xli.For many further examples see esp. Treas. Acc. IV-XI and M. Works Acc. (ed.) indexes.Also as the second element in a number of compounds, q.v. Blaksmyth n., Goldsmyth n., Loksmith n., etc. Cf. also Forgear(e n. 1, Ham(m)erman n.(1) c1420 Wynt. iii 923.
This smyth … made … a bull off bras 1456 Hay II 18/22.
For sik knychtis ar mare villaynis na is outhir smythe, wrycht, or masoun, that dois thair craft, as thai ar techit 1460 Hay Alex. 3015.
All the smythis schupe thame to mak harnes c1475 Wall. vi 411.
He gert a smyth, with his turkas … Pow out his eyne 1498–9 Acta Conc. II 298.
Werklewmys pertenyng to a smyth 1501 Treas. Acc. II 107.
To ane smyth to pas to Dunbar to tak the mesure of certane windois the King commandit to mak thare of irne, v s. 1507 Treas. Acc. IV 86.
For certane irne graith to the quinta essencia, maid be the smyth of Cambuskinneth c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 169/56.
The smyth swoir be rude and raip c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxiii 67. 1515 Treas. Acc. V 24.
To the smytht that wrocht and mendit the maisonis irnis 1527 Treas. Acc. V 322. 1533 Bell. Livy I 94/21 (see Munitio(u)n(e n. 2 a). 1535 Stewart 2941.
He hes gart seik … Of euerilk craft for part that wes cunnand, Bayth smyth and wricht … Leichis, lawmen [etc.] 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 404. 1549 Compl. 10/31.
Smythis & forgearis of yrn ande steil 1549 Compl. 28/12.
The yrn that hes beene filit be the forgear or be ane smytht 1562 Knox Ressoning 172. 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579) 33.
Faber ferrarius, ane smyith 1591–2 Exch. R. XXII 196. 1598 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 178b.
The smyth persewis the … millar … for leying of the mill irnis for j firlot meill ilk ȝeir 1622-6 Bisset II 239/18. 1640 Dumfries Treas. Acc. 9.
To … smythes for hendwork 1641 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 59. 1677 Fawside Coal Compt 14.
It. to the smith in Fawside £2 9 s.(b) 1477 Edinb. B. Rec. I 35.
Irne werk belanging cutleris, smethys, lorymaris, lokmakaris, and all sic werkmen 1478 Acts II 119/2.
Becaus that ignorant smethis throw ignorance & drunkynnes spillis & crukis mennis hors throw schoyne in the quyk 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 2.
For cring [= carrying] the anker to the smeth 6 d. 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 7.
For nelles to the smeth(c) 1600 Glasgow B. Rec. I 203 (see 2 attrib., this may, however, be an example of Smiddy n. (e)).
Smeythes 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 8.
To Joⁿ Grey the smeith(2) 1455 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 392.
Johannis Mur smyth 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 519.
To vj cariage hors with irne and colis to Barcar, smyth, and to turs his werklumys 1529 Treas. Acc. V 371.
To Johne Sparty smith for sex hundreth lxix hors schone to the kingis hors 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 38.
To William Hill smyth for xxviii poyntis pikkis scharping 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 80.
Thomas Craufurd smyth to the upsetting and wirkin at the tua west roundis and bringing to of the syle and skaffalting 1536 Treas. Acc. VI 279.
To William Hill smytht for bandis and lok and twa keyis to ane coffer 1538–9 Treas. Acc. VII 150 (see Landel(l n.). 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 335.
To Williame Purves knokmaker and smytht 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 499.
Johnne Bikcartoun smytht and culveryngmakar 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. V 69.
To Alexr. Reid, smytht, for tua pair of scheckills to the witches in the stepill, 1 lib. 12 s. 1613 Soc. Ant. X 222.
To James Layng, smytht, for boutis, carvall naillis, ringis and vther iron work 1639 Glasgow B. Rec. I 402.
[Warrant for payment to] Robert Wilsoun smythe for 29 scoir and 2 suanis fetheris 1640 Elgin Rec. I 268.
Robert Wmfray, smyth in Elgin, becom actit to hold vp the knok of Elgin in irone wark(b) 1532 Treas. Acc. VI 31.
Comptit with Johnne Sprettie smyt and payt to him for schone … to the kingis hors 1559 Misc. New Spald. C. I 67.
Cut, David (smyt) 1576 Glasgow B. Rec. (MC) 63.
Johne Barrie smy^t for … [a] cutlar quheil

b. In special combinations: Smyth ordinare, ordinar smyth (Ordinar adj. 1 c); maister smith (Maister n. 15). 1557 Reg. Privy S. V i 41/1.
Lettir maid to Johnne Bickertoun makand him ane of oure soverane ladeis gunnaris and smythis ordinare and gevand to him the offices thairof for all the dayis of his lyfe 1566 Reg. Privy S. V ii 211/2 (see c below).
Ordinar smyth — 1561 Reg. Privy S. V i 197/2.
Oure soverane ladeis maister smyth within the castell of Dunbar 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 684/1.
Johnne Bicartoun … maister smyth and gunnar 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 108.
To Abraham Hammiltoun maister smyth for schoing quheillis in the castell 1648 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 172.
[John Scot dismissed from the craft for] working all sorts of works [as the] tounes master smith

c. attrib. and comb. With corn; housis and croft; lorimer; craft, trade, wark. 1668 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 12 Dec.
To Andrew Carnoquhen smith ten peeks of corn for this yeir and uther bypast yeirs smith corn — 1515 Edgerston Writs (Reg. H.).
All & haill half landis of Westir Rariche … exceptand the smytht, cordiner, … & fischeres housis & croft — 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II 150.
Allexander Weyland, smyth lorimer — 1566 Reg. Privy S. V ii 211/2.
To David Smyth makand him ordinar smyth to serve and remane within the castell of Striviling, and gevand to him the office of the smythcraft thairof 1625 Edinb. Test. LIII 139b.
To Thomas Porteous lokesmithe for smith craft xl li. — 1694 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 273.
Bot onlie to dress suordis mak shalders mak scheathes and scharp bygginets and nae other work of smith trade not belonging to his science — 1591 Soc. Ant. VII 533.
The Madin mendit, for wryghtwark and smythwark xv s. — 1664 Maxwell Mem. 342.
Gawane Parke, hammerman, … bindis himself to work all smith work necessarie about the iron chyne of the hors milne 1674 Cunningham Diary 38.
For smith work about our horse shoo's and maill 1705 Misc. Maitl. C. II 261.
A profitable project of making engines for facilitating of smith work

d. possess. With count, studdie, shop. 1611–12 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 338.
Thomas Jerdone smythes count 1664 Dumbarton B. Rec. 84.
The danger of fyre, from the incomodiousness of the smithis shops 1666 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 147.
A paire of bellizes and a smyths studdie

e. transf. or fig. a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxx 13.
The smeikie smeithis cairs not his passit trauel

2. specif. The incorporated craft or trade of smiths, more usu. called the hammermen (Ham(m)erman n.). Also attrib. with craft, traid. 1731 Conv. Burghs V 528.
The petition of James Smith, deacon of the incorporation of smyths of the burgh of Dumfermling … craving that the convention would … declair that under the denomination of smyths were comprehended blacksmyths, coppersmyths, peutherers, saidlers, locksmyths, cutlers, lorimers or spurriers, gunsmyths, whiteiron smyths, sword slippers and belt makers(a) 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I 9 (see Ham(m)erman n. b). 1516 Edinb. Hammermen (ed.) 63.
For iiij lb. of iron of the smythis ekit to the greit rod x d. 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I 449.
Tha sall pas, ilk craft … in this ordour … and nixt the sacrament, passis all the smithis and hammyrmen 1553 Mill Mediæv. Plays 128.
The dekyn and haill craft of the smythis wer convickit [etc.](b) 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 49.
James Broun, deken for the smethes(c) 1650 Glasgow B. Rec. II 184.
The craftis to give in band … the smiethes 2000 merkis, the weivars [etc.](d) 1537 Soc. Ant. II 398.
The baxteris mawtmen … smyts … and all other craftisattrib. 1600 Glasgow B. Rec. I 203.
The … counsale dischargeis the deikin and quarter-masteris of the smyth craft fra ony visiting of the smeythes in Bonnokburne 1646 Irvine Mun. II 64.
The smyth craft includane … the haill hemmirmen thairintill 1662 Lanark B. Rec. 189.
The smith traid … still continewit in use of chuising of thair deacone