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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.

Flete, Fleit, v. Also: fleyt, fleet(e. P.t. flet, fleit, fletit. [ME. fleete, flete, early fleoten, OE. fléotan.]

1. intr. To float on water.(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 630.
The thingis that thar fletand war Thai tuk a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 82.
Hyre barnes … ware fletand On a burd 1456 Hay I. 16/16.
We have in the faith thre maner of schippis fletand 1513 Doug. viii. ii. 61.
The pantit carvellis fletyng throu the flude 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. liii.
The see tangle … sa lang as it fletis [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy I. 86/5.
Mony of thare wapynnys … come fletand doun the ryvere of Tyber 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7336.
My schip … Is alreddy now fleting on the fame c1590 Fowler I. 45/231.
Glaucus fleting on the wawes(b) a1500 Seven S. 2591.
The child in to the se couth fleyt 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 199.
For … pipes and ij punschioun quhilk wer hed to the schip to caus hir to fleit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1459.
The Ark … The quhilk lay fleittand on the flude 1560 Rolland Seven S. 335/13.
Quhen the Inglis floit beside Inchekeith did fleit Vpon the sey c1590 Fowler I. 54/166.
Whither I sink or yit I fleit c1650 Spalding II. 347.
When scho [a ship] began to fleit, scho drawis nar the schoirfig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 51.
Quhen men dois fleit in joy maist far Sone cumis wo, or thay be war(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 509.
Or it flet fra the lande … The coble be-guth to synke c1475 Wall. v. 268.
Hors and man bathe flet the wattir doune Ib. vii. 847.
The Irland folk … On craggis clam, and sum in wattir flett c1515 Asl. MS. I. 206/25.
Alexander … raid in the watter of Dowere quhill his hors fletit with him 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 89.
Part drownit, part to the roche fleit or swam Id. Æn. i. iii. 44.
The Troianys armour, tabillis, and othir geir Flet on the wallis 1533 Boece ix. xiv. 321.
Eb … in ane small bote fra Humbir … fletit to the sey

2. intr. Of water, etc.: To flow.In later use commonly combined with flow. ?1438 Alex. i. 292.
Quhill … my blud into great fusoun Be fletand on my arsoun c1420 Wynt. i. 399 (W).
Our fyrthe and feild flet the flude a1500 Henr. III. 147/46.
Upon the erd na drop couth fleit 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. viii.
Ȝone is the fontane … Quhairfra the well of Helicon dois fleit 1533 Boece iv. xv. 149.
Betwix the wod foresaid and Athole fletis the flude richt depe and stark 1596 Dalr. I. 33/11.
Lyke a battell amang the surges of the maine sey fleiting and flowing thairout 1587-99 Hume ii. 116.
Why the raging Ocean seas dois onely fleit and flow a 1627 Craig v. 10.
Let her fleete, let her flow

b. To flow with moisture, to be wet. Const. in, of. Also fig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 15.
All in balme did branche and leveis fleit Ib. xlviii. 49.
Grene levis doing of dew doun fleit 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 137.
Ilk burgioun, … dyd in dulce humouris fleyt 1535 Stewart 3679.
In burnis of blude thair facis all did fleitfig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 70.
Tullius quhais lippis sueit Off rethorik did in till termes fleit 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 69.
Thy sawys in sic eloquence doith fleit 1535 Stewart 11605.
Thair goldin tounges in rethoric did fleit a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxv. 8.
That, throu ȝour heuinlie liqour sueit, My pen in rhetorik may fleit

c. To come in large numbers. 1596 Dalr. II. 403/5.
Heirefter cumis flowing and fleeting vnto thame … troupis of the commoun peple 1638 Bk. Pasquils 29.
Huge troups from all quarters came fleeting