Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†DITE, v.
1. To compose, indite. Vbl.n. diting. Obs. since 16th cent. in Eng. but still found in w.Yks. dial.Per. 1753 A. Nicol Poems 53:
My muse now She has not meikle pith, To write this, nor dite this.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 269:
All that I write I dite, I meditate out of my own brain.Ayr. 1832 H. Smith Poet. Misc. 44:
Time's emblem in its flight, Makes writing and diting A weary job for night.
2. To dictate (a lecture) to students. Abd. c.1840 A. Bain Autobiography (1904) 71:
The morning hours, when the assistant officiated, were devoted to dictation, called by the old Scotch phrase, "diting".
