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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.

Smite, Smyt(e, v. Also: smytt(e, smitt-, smight, (3rd pers. sing. also ysmytith), (smote). P.t. smat(e, smait, smayt, (smaat), smot(e, smoit, smet(t. P.p. smet, smyt(e, smyt(t)yn, -in, smittin, -en. [ME and e.m.E. smite(n (c1160), smyte(n (c1250), smit, smete (both Cursor M.). P.t. smat (c1160), smat(e (Cursor M.), smot (c1250), smite, smete (both Layamon), etc. P.p. smiten (c1250), smyten (Rolle), smitten (Cursor M.), smyte (Chaucer), smit (a1400), OE smítan.]Common in Doug.

1. tr. To strike, hit (a person, etc.); to administer a blow or blows, to beat; also, to chastise with a blow. Also const. doun.(1) pres. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 8/29.
For scorne thai cled him in to quhyt … Dispituouslie syn did him smyt 1513 Doug. viii iv 119.
Hercules it [sc. a rock] smytis with a mychty towk 1513 Doug. xiii ii 14.
The bustuus swyne … That with thar clovis can the erth smyte 1639 Fugitive Poetry II xv 2/4.
He sall with scepter hard You smyt, and schaik to schivers like a schard 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cxli 5.
Me let the righteouse smytt from love So his reprooffe proceidabsol. a1450 Fifteen Ois 97.
With sitty-satty smittand full sair, With nalis scheirand thi body bairp.t. 1513 Doug. ii x 154.
Thir mony ȝeris I left inprofitabill … sen the fader of goddis … With thunderis blast me smate 1513 Doug. vii iii 89.
Quham … Circes hys spous smate with a goldin wand And in a byrd hym turnyt 1513 Doug. x xii 103.
Acron … Smate with hys helys the grond in maltalent 1513 Doug. xii xii 27.
All thai als … The barmkyn law smait with the rammys fast c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxvii 30.
Thai … tuke a reed and smate his heid(b) 1535 Stewart 53925.
Ane, … with his fist vpoun the face him smet [: met]p.p. 1513 Doug. vii vi 91.
Scho smyttyn with the tawys [sc. like a top] dois rebound 1662 Lamont Diary 151.
The said Alexander … was … smitten with it [sc. the branch of a tree] to the grounde(2) 1513 Doug. vii xii 167 (Sm.).
Jupiter … Esculapius Wyth thunderis dynt … Vnder the erd smat dovn 1513 Doug. xii vi 169.
Quham tho … The quhirland quheill and spedy swyft extre Smate doun to grond

b. To beat (one's breast). 1513 Doug. iv xi 10.
Hir fayr quhite breist … Feil tymys smate scho with hir awyn hand 1513 Doug. iv xii 58.
Smytand [Sm. smyttand] with hir nevis hir breist

c. To clap (one's hands). 1513 Doug. xiii v 13.
Thai smait thar handis and rasyt vp a cry 1650 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 607.
For remedie quherof wee beseiche … you … that you wold cleane your hands of your dishonest gaine, at wiche the Lord will smytte his hands

d. To strike (a horse) with spurs. 1375 Barb. xv 37.
Thai … smate with spuris the hors ?1438 Alex. i 2261. a1500 Lanc. 1064.
The Red knycht with spuris smat the sted

e. To strike (a harp, string) so as to produce musical sounds. Also in fig. context. a1500 Henr. Orph. 546 (Bann.).
Quhen that ressoun and intelligence Smytis vpoun the herp of conscience 1513 Doug. vi x 45.
Orpheus … Now with gymp fyngris doyng stryngis smyte

f. transf. Of God: To chastise as with a blow. a1500 Henr. Fab. 535.
Rychteous God haldand the balandis euin Smytis rycht sair … Adulteraris 1650 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 606.
For the iniquitie of your couetousnes the Lord hath beine wrothe and hath smittin the land

2. To strike, administer a blow (with a weapon), so as to produce injury or death; to kill with a blow; also, to strike (a tree, etc.) with a cutting instrument. Also const. doun, away, to ground (erth).(1) pres. 1535 Stewart 57073.
Thairfoir, I traist, richt weill this tyme, and we … Ma smyte the hird, that all the flok sall fle c1590 Fowler I 383/138.
Of Meliagers force he boastes And howe the bore he smightesp.t. 1375 Barb. vi 136.
He smat the first sa rygorusly vith his spere, … Till he doun to the erd hym bare ?1438 Alex. i 1457.
Pirrus him smot with all his maucht c1420 Wynt. viii 5298.
The knycht … That smate Wilyame the Ramsay Throw owte the hede c1475 Wall. x 385.
Graym … smate that knycht … a litill be neth the eyn 1513 Doug. x vi 63.
Syne smate he Lychas, and hym hes al to torn 1513 Doug. xii ix 14.
Eneas … Smate ane Sucron … A grevous wond he hyt hym in the syde, Throw owt hys rybbys can the stif swerd glide c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxvi 51.
[Peter] smate a seruand of the prince of preestis and cuttit of his eire c1520-c1535 Nisbet John xviii 10.
Petir had a suerde, and drew it out, and smaat the seruand(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1981.
He smot the douchty Gaudifere Throw scheild, haubrek [etc.] ?1438 Alex. i 1177, etc. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2961.
With that ilk dart … That he schot first he smot him(c) a1582 Sir Colling 111.
Smettp.p. 1513 Doug. vi iii 46.
Smyte with the ax dyd rayr the akis hie 1513 Doug. x x 104.
Clar owt our the charyot is he smyte 1513 Doug. xi xiii 42.
Ewmenyus … quhais braid breist bone With a … speir … Throw smyttyn [Ruddim. smyttin] tyte and persyt sone hes sche(2) a1500 Seven S. 1368.
Scho … bad ane ax that he suld ta … And … the lufit tre … dovne smyte 1513 Doug. vi iii 32.
Triton … hym hyntis and dyd smyte Amang the fomy rolkis law adown 1513 Doug. ix xi 73.
Hym smate he down with the cast of a dart 1513 Doug. ix xii heading.
Quhou Turnus the byg Pandarus smat [Ruddim. smate] doun, Lyke a wod lyoun past within the town 1513 Doug. xii v 187.
Mesapus … Dovn from hys stowt cursor … Smait hym(3) 1513 Doug. xii viii 115.
This speir … smait away the creistit toppis hie(4) c1475 Wall. xi 172.
Butles to ground he smat [1570 smoit] him quhar he stud 1513 Doug. xi xiii 36.
Quham first quham last thou smait to erth that day

b. To smyt (doun) ded, to smyt to ded.(1) 1513 Doug. ii vii 17.
Sum Grekis victoris war smyte [Ruddim. smite] ded 1513 Doug. v ix 91 (Sm.).
He … the foull doun brocht, And in the skyis smate hir deid(2) 1513 Doug. ii ix 45.
Pyrrus … Smate hym down ded(3) 1513 Doug. ii x 74.
And bot my myght … Thai hadbene … with thar fays swordis smyte [Sm. smet] to ded

3. To strike (a blow). a1500 Henr. Fab. 790.
Feir this suddane schoit Quhilk smytis sair 1513 Doug. v iii 83.
With mony lasch and dusch The cartaris smate thar horssis 1513 Doug. vi ix 51.
Feil crewell strakis smytyn hard thai sovnd

4. Of a storm, etc.: To strike and kill, injure or destroy; to affect as if by a blow. Also const. doun. b. Of the sea: To dash on (rocks).(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2525.
Sic a tempest … so sore gan smyte That five hundreth war drowned 1513 Doug. iv viii 76.
So that the … branchys … Thar croppys bowis towart the erth … Quhen with the dynt the maister schank is smyte 1513 Doug. xiii vi 228.
Throw thir … flambys … Stude blowt of bestis and of treys bair With huge clamour smyt, dyndillit the ayr(2) c1420 Wynt. v 4404 (W).
A gret erdyn … Smat … houses and touris douneb. 1513 Doug. v xiv 74.
So gan the salt iawpis … smyte The holl rolkis

5. To strike so as to cut in twa (in pecis). Also fig. a1400 Leg. S. xxii 557.
The cuttinge than the prest has tane, & in smal pecis … He smat & wypyt thame in pal … as relykis a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 624.
Sentence … That thai suld smyt hyr nek in twa ?1438 Alex. i 1160.
He the scheld smot euin in tua 1513 Doug. iii x 23.
We smyte the cabill in twane 1513 Doug. ix vii 148.
Lyke as the … flour in fur or sewch, Hys stalk in two smyt newly with the pleuch 1513 Doug. x xii 29 (Sm.).
Palmus hough sennonis [he] smayt in tuayfig. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 804.
Deith with his dart will smyt my hert in two

b. To cut of(f (a limb, etc.) with a blow. 1375 Barb. vi 639.
He … smat the hed of of the tane c1420 Wynt. iii 9 (W).
Ane of his tais … wes smyttyn [C. strikyn] of thaim c1475 Wall. vi 164.
Fra a Sotheroune he smat [1570 smoit] off the rycht hand 1513 Doug. xii vi 173.
Turnus … Smait of his hed clenly with hys brand c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 8.
Peter smytis of Malcus eare

6. To strike (the sea) with oars, to row. 1513 Doug. v xiii 31.
The flote smate fast with arys the flude 1513 Doug. x iv 120.

7. To strike (fire) furth of a stone. 1513 Doug. v xiv 97.
Sum smytis fyre furth of the hard flynt stane

8. transf. Of some cause or event analogous to a blow: To have some violent or disruptive effect; specif., to cause (a person) to fall furth of a ship, or (his feet) to slip up. 1513 Doug. vi v 120.
Thi schip … Spulȝeit of hir graith, and lodysman furth smyte 1513 Doug. x vi 43.
Slyddry glar so from wallys went That oft thar feyt was smyttyn vp on loft

9. transf. or fig. a. To affect, imbue, impress with (shame, etc.); also, once, full of (ferocity).Cf. Smit v. 2 with which there is some ambiguity.(1) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 58.
Artow seke, or smyt with ielousye? 1513 Doug. i viii 36.
Achates half estonyst stude in affray; With feir and ioy smyttin [Ruddim. smytin] baith war thai 1513 Doug. ix v 156.
The Troianys … Smyte with compassioun, brastis furth of terys 1513 Doug. xii iii 108.
With mynd full tryst, wobegone and onsound, Full deip smyttyn with the sorowfull wound 1513 Doug. xiii x 113.
Havand hys mynd smyte With syk promys a1568 Scott xxxiv 16.
Quhat is ȝour lufe bot … Ane pastance vnperfyte To smyte [M. smote] ȝow with the glaikis(2) 1513 Doug. x viii 100.
Turnus smyttyn full of felony A bustuus lance … Leyt gyrd at Pallas

b. To perturb, distress. c1475 Wall. xi 1366.
Thi febyll wordis sall nocht my conscience smyt

10. intr. To strike a blow in senses 1, 2 and 3. Also const. doun. Also fig. b. Const. on (at) (a person). c. transf. or fig. Const. on (in) (a person, etc.). d. Of a ship: To strike on (rocks). e. Of persons: To come togiddir violently, in conflict, to collide, clash.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxi 837.
Thane hyme-self tuk a lome, and smat, & fand quhare the erde was wat ?1438 Alex. ii 10023.
Thare he hewit, dang and smait c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 105.
For oft There as I mynt full sore, I smyte bot soft a1450 Fifteen Ois 43.
Buffat and scurgit at ane pillar, With rude knoppis smytand sair c1475 Wall. iii 363.
‘Smyt on,’ he said, ‘I defy thine actioune’ a1500 Lanc. 3379.
Thar was no habirioune, That may resist his suerd, he smytith so 1513 Doug. v viii 15.
He watis to spy, and smytis in al hys mycht 1513 Doug. v x 61.
Epytides on far a syng gan mak, Smait with a clap [etc.] 1513 Doug. xii xii 85.
He raxis hym, and hevis vp on hie Hys bludy sword, and smait in al hys mayn 1513 Doug. xii xiii 177.
Scho soundis … And in hys scheild can with hyr weyngis smytefig. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2923.
Ane silkin toung, ane hart of crueltie, Smytis more sore than ony schot of arrow(2) a1500 Lanc. 1883.
God … vith the suerd of wengans doun ysmytithb. ?1438 Alex. i 2867.
[He] smot sa hard on Gaudifeir … Bot he brist not his habersoun c1475 Wall. ii 96.
He smat on Willȝham Wallace thair 15.. Clar. ii 33.
They met with awfull swordis scharpe … They smote at uther as bairis wode and keinec. a1450 Fifteen Ois 148.
For the bitter suerd of sit That thou in hert can smyt a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 576 (Asl.).
In lyf contagius we mak contynewans Quhill on our self smyte [Arund. smittis] ferefull jugementd. 1513 Doug. v iv 90.
Hys schip … on the scharp skelleis … Smaite. ?1438 Alex. i 2007.
Togiddir thay smot quhill thair blasounis Thay thirlit ?1438 Alex. i 2325.
Thay smot togidder as tempest

11. To lower or bow the head (sharply). Only in Alex. ?1438 Alex. ii 4766.
Porrus sum deill aschamit was And smait doun [F. encliné] smertly with the face ?1438 Alex. ii 5548.
Arreste than eshamed was And smait doun smartly with the fas