knitch Now dial.
(nɪtʃ)
Forms: α. 4 knucche, knohche, knycche, 4–6 knytche, 5 knyche, 6 knoche, 6– knitch. β. 6 nytche, 8– nitch.
[ME. knücche, knycche:—OE. ᵹecnycc(e (occurring in the sense ‘bond’); from same root as LG. knuck(e, Ger. knocke, a bundle of heckled flax. Ultimate etym. obscure: cf. tocnuicte and ᵹecnyht from a vb. cnycc(e)an in Lindisf. Gl.]
A bundle (of wood, hay, corn, etc.) tied together; a sheaf or faggot.
| α [c 950 Durham Ritual (Surtees) 59 From synna usra ᵹicnyccum [L. a peccatorum nostrorum nexibus]. Ibid. 66 Deaðes ᵹicnyccum [L. mortis nexibus].] 13.. XI Pains of Hell 77 in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 253 Ligate per fasciculos..Byndeþ hem in knucchen [MS. knucchenus]. ? 13.. Coer de L. 2985 The ffootmen kast in knohches of hay,..And ffylde the dyke fful upryghte. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xiii. 30 Gedre ȝee to gedre dernels,..and byndeth hem to gidre in knytchis [gloss or smale bundelis]. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. xcvii. (Tollem. MS.), [Flax] bounde in knytches [1535 nytches] and bondeles. 1481 Nottingham Rec. II. 320, xvj. knitche de strey lates. 1519 Churchw. Acc. Stratton in Archæologia XLVI. 207 Paid for strow v knochys jd. 1552 Huloet, Knytche or bownche of woode, fascis. 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 203 Himselfe tooke out of the sheafe or knitch the darts..one by one. 1850 Kingsley Alt. Locke xxviii, If I dared break a hedge for a knitch o' wood, they'd put me in prison. |
| β 1535 [see 1398 in α]. 1725 Lond. Gaz. No. 6447/4 Taking Straws out of a Nitch of Straw. 1823 Examiner 574/1 He was seen to go towards the thicket, for the purpose..of getting a nitch of fern. 1882 West. Morn. News 25 Nov. 4/2 Wanted, 200 Nitches of well-made good reed, for thatching. 1888 Edin. Rev. July 129 Nitch is a faggot of wood which a hedger has..a right to carry away at night. |