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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lite, Lyt(e, n.², a. and adv. Also: litt. [ME. and e.m.E. lite, lit, lyte, also west-midl. and south. ME. lut(e, luyte etc., OE. lyt.Also in various forms in the mod. Eng. dialects of the northwest, west and south-west.]

In Older Sc. only in verse, chiefly of a ‘Chaucerian’ character or subject to ‘Chaucerian’ influence.

1. n. a. Little, not much. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 16.]
[So lyte I couth, Quhen stereles to trauaile I begouth 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 38.
Frendely affectioun … I beir to thy warkis and endyte All thocht … tharin I knaw full lyte 1535 Stewart 60494.
In musick befoir quhairof thair wes bot lyte … [men] richt cunnyng and perfyte … fra sindre partis brocht he

b. A (ane) lyte, also written alyt(e, a little, used adv.: In a small degree, to a slight extent, slightly; (for) a short distance or time. = Litill a. (n.) 11 b, c.For further examples, see Alite adv. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 2.
[A lyte tofore Ib. § 41.
Abaisit tho a lyte Ib. § 161.]
Alyte Louring sche was a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 901.
He lansit out our ane land and drew noght ane lyte [: quhite, delite, nyte], Quhair he suld frastyn his force a1500 Colk. Sow iii. 41.
Quhan it was vptak be manis wit … And set in cas and menissit a lyte [: myte] a1500 Lanc. 1232.
Alyt 1513 Doug. viii. ix. 80.
That I mycht lyf and endur ȝyt a lyte [: respyte] All pane [etc.] 1535 Stewart 28801.
This Adanus thairto tuik heid a lyte [:wyte] 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 766.
Ȝit wyll the deith a lyte withdrawe his darte 15.. Clar. ii. 311.
Clariodus began to smyll a litt [: wyt, = knowledge] Ib. 1168.
Upon the hand he hurt was a lyt [: ane myt]

c. At lyte, ‘at little’, ? in abbreviated form. a1500 Lanc. 143.
For thir sedulis and thir billis are So generall, and ek so schort at lyte

2. adj. a. Little in extent or capacity, narrow, limited, inadequate, slight. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 13.
[To lyte effect Ib. § 120.]
No lyte offense c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 71.
Your aureate tongis both bene all to lyte [: endyte. quhite, etc.] For to compile that paradise complete 1513 Doug. ix. x. 127.
This litill town of Troy … May nocht withhald thé in sik boundis lyte [: tyte] Ib. x. Prol. 91.
Consider thy raison is so febill and lyte, And Hys knawlage profound and infynyte

b. Little in size. 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 3.
Thou bricht Cytherea, Quhilk only schaddowist amang starris lyte [: delyte] Ib. 56.
Thyfury, luf, moderis taucht for dispyte Fyle handis in blud of thar ȝong chyldering lyte Ib. xiii. iv. 33. Ib. xii. Prol. 112.
Sum [flowers] brycht as gold with aureat levys lyte [: quhite] Ib. xiii. ii. 121.
The gredy gled … wachand the chikyns lyte 1580 Hume Promine 89.
Bathing the bony daseis of delite With ane sweit liquour on the leiffis lite

3. adv. To a small extent, little. c1590 Fowler I. 385/237.
Thou demed full lyte of all this fare