▪ I. † ˈwitie, n. Obs.
Forms: 1 wit(e)ᵹa, -iᵹa, (2 witȝe, -eȝa), 2–3 witiȝe, -eȝe, witie, (3 witeie, witti(e, -y).
[OE. w{iacu}t(e)ᵹa, -iᵹa = OHG. wîȥ(ȥ)ago, altered (by association with wîs wise a. and sagen say v.1) to wîssago (MHG. wîssage, -ag), ON. vitke: f. wīt-: see wit v.1]
A prophet. Also adj., prophetic.
| c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxxii. 213 Ne eow..ne ondrædað for nanes monnes wordum, ne for nanes witᵹan gæste. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark i. 2 Suæ awritten is in esaia ðone witᵹo. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 43 Of þas pinan spekeð dauid þe halie witeȝe. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 83 Salemon and alle wise witeȝe. Ibid. 127 Þis childes witiȝe gost. c 1205 Lay. 15877 To þan kinge was ibroht Joram þe witie [c 1275 witty]. a 1225 Juliana 39 Þen muchele witti witeȝe ysaie. |
▪ II. † ˈwitie, v.1 Obs.
In 1 wit(e)ᵹian, 2–3 witeȝen.
[OE. w{iacu}t(e)ᵹian = OFris. w{iacu}tgia (MLG. wittigen), OHG. wîȥagôn (MHG. wîssagen, G. weissagen); f. w{iacu}teᵹa witie n.]
To prophesy.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxvi. 68 Witᵹa us, crist, hua is se ðe ðec of-sloᵹ. c 1000 ælfric Num. xi. 27 Ða hi witeᵹodon on wicstowe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 7 Þis he witeȝede bi drihtene þurh þene halie gast. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 127 Hie witeȝede..of ure louerd ihesu cristes to cume. |
▪ III. † ˈwitie, v.2 Obs.
Forms: 3 witeȝen, -iȝe, -ien, -ye, wete (?), 3–4 witi(e, wytie, 4 -ye, wetye; pa. tense 4 wited.
[OE. *witian, as in bewitian biwitie.]
trans. To keep, guard, protect: = wite v.2
| c 1205 Lay. 2753 Heo biȝeten men þe heom cuðen witen [c 1275 witie]. Ibid. 23738 Þat he..mid his riht honde witeȝe me wið sconde. Ibid. 32155 Þe pape hatte Sergius, he weteð Peteres hus. a 1290 St. Eustace 92 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 213 Wendeþ..godes way, Wytieþ oure soule niȝt and day. c 1290 St. Brendan 299 in S. Eng. Leg. 227 Þat euerech frere of þat him leuez witiez to is soper. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9875 Saladin..let witie þe sepulcre þat no cristine ne com þer. 1340 Ayenb. 122 Þe baylifs þet gouerneþ and wytyeþ þe kingriche. c 1350 Will. Palerne 176 Þis litel barn..couþe..kepe alle here bestes,..& wited hem so wisly. a 1400 Engl. Gilds (1870) 357 And þat seluer..be y-take to sexe godemen..for þe Commune assent, and treweleche wetye, and trewleche spende. |
Hence † ˈwitier, protector, guardian; † ˈwitiing vbl. n., guarding.
| 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 678 [Bacus] wis witiere of win þat alle won bryngus. 13.. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 268 Of vr vife wittes a wel witiynge. |
▪ IV. witie
obs. form of witty.