Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slete, Sleit, n. Also: sleytt. [ME slete (c1300), slet (Chaucer), e.m.E. slyte (1553-4), sleet (1635), prob. repr. OE (Anglian) *slét (< sléatj-), related to MLG slôte (LG slôte, slâte) hail. Cf. Norw. dial. sletta, Dan. slud, Icel. slydda sleet.] Sleet. a1400 Leg. S. xlix 84.
Fel done Slete & snaw a1500 Henr. Fab. 1698.
Birdis … neir slane with snaw and sleit a1500 Henr. Fab. 1835.
Slonkis … maid slidderie with the sleit 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 50.
Scharpe soppys of sleit 1528 Lynd. Dreme 61.
The snaw and sleit … flemit Flora frome euery bank and bus 1528 Lynd. Dreme 95.
Thy [sc. Aurora's] syluer droppis ar turnit in to sleit 1531 Bell. Boece I 139.
Continual schouris of rane and sleit 1531 Bell. Boece I 259.
Ane scharp schoure, sa full of haill and sleit 1533 Bell. Livy I 236/3.
Fell sa hevy tempest with slete and snawis out of the are, that he was empeschet 1570 Sat. P. xv 16.
Schouris Of hailstaines, snaw, and sleit a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 43.
The fyrst day of May … was say ewill … with gryt schowiris of snaw and sleytt 1615 Chron. Perth 16.
The Vatter of Tay be veittis and sleit vaxit so great that [etc.]