▪ I. † diˈmit, v. Obs.
[In Branch I, ad. L. dīmittĕre to send apart, away, or forth, to dismiss, release, put away, let go, lay down (office), renounce, forsake, f. dī-, dis- asunder + mittĕre to send, let go. A doublet (more etymologically formed) of dismit, dismiss: cf. also demit v.2, and dimiss, demise. In Branch II, a variant of demit v.1]
I. 1. trans. To send away, let go, dismiss: = demit v.2 1.
| 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Acts v. 26 So were they contented upon this punishement to dimitte them. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 941/2 Thus Frith..was freely dimitted out of the stockes, and set at libertie. a 1639 Spottiswood Hist. Ch. Scotl. ii. (1677) 50 The Pope..did..dimit the Scottish Commissioners..with great promises of favour. |
2. To lay aside, give up, resign, abdicate: = demit v.2 3.
| 1563 N. Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. xxvii. Wks. 1888 I. 93 Salamon..commanding ws naways to dimit the law of our mother, quhilk is the Kirk. 1637–50 Row Hist. Kirk (1842) 40 That these who haue pluralitie of benefices be compelled to dimitt all except one. 1678 Trans. Crt. Spain ii. 141 It behoved him instantly to dimit his charge of Inquisitour General. |
3. To convey by lease, demise: = demit v.2 4.
| 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 9 That noe persone..haue auctorite..to dymytte or lette to ferme..any londes or tenementis within the lordship. 1541 Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 39 Power and auctoritie..to couenant dimit let or set to ferme..any of the landes. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 122 He may dimitt the land destroied and not inhabite, vntill he be of power to big it againe. |
4. intr. Of a river: To empty itself, debouch.
| 16.. Fountainhall in M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. (1826) 293 The public river of Tweed..which dimits in the sea. |
II. 5. trans. To send, put, or let down, cause to descend, lower: = demit v.1 1.
| 1627–77 Feltham Resolves i. lxix. 105 Like the night..dimitting unwholesom vapours upon all that rest beneath. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 343 When Apollo dimits his perpendicular rayes. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. v. xiii. 253 To teach horses to incline, dimit, and bow downe their bodies. 1671 J. Webster Metallogr. iv. 75 Doth dimit it down into the centre of the Earth. |
b. fig. To abase, let down: = demit v.1 2.
| 1655 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. verse xi. 183/2 He was a man of rare humble spirit, that..could so dimit and humble himself in his adresse to Christ. |
▪ II. dimit
var. demit n.