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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.

Delyt(e, Delit(e, n. Also: dellyte, delyite, de-, dilyit(t; delitt, dellit. [ME. delyt(e, delit(e, etc., OF. delit. See also Delicht.]

1. The fact or condition of having lively pleasure or enjoyment in something.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1016.
Quhy he that fische … For his delit had etene thane Ib. xlvi. 218.
Quhar-in his sufferane delit ves c1400 Troy-bk. i. 273.
As cornys, treys, … [grow] To mannys delitt(b) a1400 Leg. S. i. 160.
Of Ihesu Criste … Quhowme he prechyt with delyte Ib. xxviii. 710.
A dow … , that to se was delyt c1420 Wynt. ii. 882.
Swa suld I dulle hale yhowre delyte Ib. v. 4329; etc.
He … ay to plesans and delyte Made in metyre mete his dyte c1460 Wisd. Sol. 395.
Now wyll I pas and flow in all welthfulenes & delyt a1500 Henr. III. 173/52.
Gylle is now gyd, and vane lust is delyte c1500 Fyve Bestes 133.
To luke on him It did me sic delyte c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 10.
Your … tongis aureate Bene to oure eris cause of grete delyte Ib. xxv. 7.
To ȝow of Striuilling in distres, Quhair nowdir plesance nor delyt is 15.. Clar. ii. 367.
Illustar lillie, and leime of my delyt c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6109.
That maner of delyte, Quhilk passit naturall reasoun to indyte 1570 Maitl. F. xxix. 64.
I luif delyt and wrappit am in wo c1590 J. Stewart 157/1.
Luif is ane aigre douce delyt and greif(c) a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxxvii. 107.
Sen dowlfull dolour and delyit ilk ane with vthair fast ar bound Ib. clxxix. 104.
With small plesour is meikill pane And dowblie dowll with small dilyit

b. Physical enjoyment; usually with adjs., as fleschly, foul, hait, etc. a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 47.
It that diseseful ware As to this fleschly delyt Ib. xxxi. 313.
To syn with him … In lustful delyt of flesch c1420 Wynt. ii. 1411.
[To] ly with thame in ful delite That thai mycht stanche thair appetit Ib. 1492; etc.
Quhat tyme at thaire appetyte, Thame movyd in lust and in delyte a1500 Henr. Fab. 50.
Ane man … Quhilk lufis ay carnall and foull delyte c1500 Fyve Bestis 47.
Quhen the saull affermes the delyte Off the foule flesche lust & appetit 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 4.
Fosteraris of byrnyng, carnail, hait delyte c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1324.
Vsyng thare luste abhominabyll … Ay followyng thare foull delyte

2. In phrases with verbs, esp. to have or tak delyte (also in delyte); to set (one's) delyte.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i. 644.
He had na delit Bot in Ihesu Cristis croice Ib. xxvii. 298.
In gud thowis to haf delyt c1420 Wynt. vii. 861.
This Kyng Dawy had gret delyte Kyrkys and abbays till wysyt c1475 Wall. viii. 1626.
The nobill king … Had gret delyte [= desire] this Wallace for to se a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 316.
A man takis leth quhar he had air delyte c1500 Crying of Play 127.
Neuer in land quhar Erische was vsit To duell had I delyte 1513 Doug. i. xii. 18.
Bot sen thou hast sic plesour and delyte To knaw our chancis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 833.
Off twycheyng als thay had delyte Off vtheris bodeis 1596 Dalr. I. 45/13.
A certane herb … in quhilke … the swan hes sa gret delyte(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 74.
Man may tak in his lady sic delyt Him to forȝet [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I. 199.
[He] tuke sic delite in singaris, sportouris, and menstralis 1549 Compl. 43/23.
Kyngis and princis tuke mair delyit on the feildis and forrestis 1567 Sat. P. vii. 9.
Quha in vertew and manheid tuik delyte a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 87.
Thay tak delyt in nedill wark(3) c1420 Wynt. i. 277.
Syne he tuk in tyll delyte To sett [letters] togyddyr Ib. vii. 663.
Fra theyne he had in gret delyt Haly placys till wysyte 1596 Dalr. II. 438/24.
Horseflesche tha had in delyt and gret pleasure(4) c1420 Wynt. i. 7.
Thai that set hale thare delyte Gest or story for to wryte a1500 Henr. Fab. 595.
Flatteraris … To loif and le that settis thair haill delyte Id. Orph. 433.
Quhilis to resoun it castis the delyte 1535 Stewart 33196.
In venerie putting thair haill delyte 1567 G. Ball. 95.
Into the Lord put all thy haill delyte

3. With a and pl. An instance, source, or object of pleasure or enjoyment. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 450.
Mene that eilde hade ourdrevyne, That war fra delitis gevyne c1420 Wynt. iii. 909.
Ay in a delyt wes he Men towrmentid in payne to se 1456 Hay I. 49/18.
It was the flour of the citeis of Spayne … bathe of folk, and riches, and delytis Ib. 170/16; etc.
Gif the Inglishmen be enclynyt to the syn of the flesche, … and geve thame to that delyte a1500 Henr. Orph. 353.
My lady leile and my delite a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 43.
Set he his plesans previt … In honour, riches, delytis, and renovne c1515 Asl. MS. I. 322/27.
Lo, Alexander, ȝisterday fed with all delytis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1137.
In quhat countre Did leif Adam, efter that he Was banesit frome that delyte? a1568 Scott xvii. 29.
Addew, my dule and my delyte a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlvii. 7.
Adeu, … my lyking and delyt 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 70.
Wordie King David, Iehovah's Godis delyitt

4. The quality of causing pleasure. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 77/12.
The thrid opinioun is … that paradice is a bodely and corporale place of delit c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 23.
Scho wes ane morsall of delyte Ib. xlviii. 145.
Conciddering that no flour is so perfyt, So full of vertew, plesans and delyt 1535 Stewart 12332.
Diamantis deir, mony dantie of delyte a1568 Bann. MS. 219 a/9.
Hir cristall ene all forgit with delyt 1567 G. Ball. 92.
Full my coupe thow hes maid, With mony dischis of delyte a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 34.
Roise of renoun and dasie of delyte