▪ I. † saught, n. Obs. (since 14th c. only Sc. and north.).
Forms: 1 seht, seaht, 3 sæht(e, saht(e, seaht(e, seht(e, saihte, seihte, (seþte), sauht, 3–5 saght, 4 saȝt(e, sahut, saughte, 5 sauȝt, 8 north. saft, 6–9 saught, 7 saucht.
[Late OE. seht, seaht masc., prob. a. ON. *sæht, *saht fem. (OIcel. sǽtt, sátt):—earlier *sahti-z, f. OTeut. *sah- perh. identical with L. sac- in sancīre to hallow, make binding (a treaty, etc.), sacer sacred.
The forms with a and au directly represent the ON. word.]
1. An agreement, covenant.
| 1038–50 in Kemble Codex Dipl. (1846) IV. 118 Se seht ðe Godwine eorl worhte betweðnan ðam arcebisceop & ðam hirede æt sancte Augustine & Leofwine preoste. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1091, On þisum sehte wearð eac Eadgar eþeling wið þone cyng ᵹe sæhtlad. |
2. Agreement, freedom from strife, peace. Frequent in the phrase (to be) at saught.
| c 1100 in Bæda's Hist. iv. xxii. [xxi.] ad fin. (Camb. MS.), Sib wæs syððan seaht & sib [earlier texts Ðære sibbe wære] mycelre tide æft þon betwyh ða ylcan cyningas & heora rice awunode. 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1140, & sib & sæhte sculde ben betwyx heom & on al Engle land. c 1205 Lay. 2139 Þa luueden heom þeos leoden mid sibben & mid sahten. a 1225 Ancr. R. 250 God lihte to eorðe uorte makien þreouold seihte—bitweonen mon & mon [etc.]. c 1275 Serving Christ 1 in O.E. Misc. 90 Hwi ne serue we crist and secheþ his sauht. a 1300 Cursor M. 3964 Iacob þan sent him of his aght Giftes large, al for þe saght. 1460 Lybeaus Disc. 1030 They ryden forth all yn saght. 1603 Philotus cxliii, The feind wald faine man be your wyfe, Can neuer sit in saucht. 1768 Ross Helenore 27 For as her mind began to be at saught. Ibid. 29 'Tis true, she had of warlds gear a fraught: But what was that to peace an' saught at hame. 1781 J. Hutton Tour to Caves Gloss., Saft, heart's ease, as to be at saft, to be easy and contented, also reconciled. 1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ball. I. 207 O gin wi' thee, regretted maid! I in the mools at saught were laid. |
▪ II. † saught, a. Obs.
Forms: 1 seht, sæht, 2–3 seht, saht, 3 Ormin sahhte, 3 sæht(e, sauchte, swahte, 3–4 sauht(e, 3–5 saght(e, 4 sawht, sawght, saught(e, (sayct), 4–5 sauȝt(e, saȝt, 5 sawcht, 4–6 Sc. saucht.
[Late OE. seht, sæht, prob. a. ON. *saht-r (OIcel. sáttr):—OTeut. type *sahto-, a passive pple. f. *sah-: see saught n.]
In agreement, free from strife, at peace, reconciled.
| 956 in Birch Cartul. Sax. III. 172 And sæ bisceop Stigandæ and sæ hiræd on ealdan mynstræ him þæs ᵹætiþodon wið scwlcon ᵹersumen swylce hi þa sehtte wæron. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 15 And eour eyþer sunegað bi-foran drihtan and ec leter ȝe beoð sahte. c 1200 Ormin 5731 Þe seoffnde seollþess ædiȝleȝȝc Iss griþþ i manness herrte,..Swa þatt hiss bodiȝ wiþþ hiss gast Sammtale & sahhte wurrþe. a 1272 Luue Ron 134 in O.E. Misc. 97 Alle heo schule wyþ engles pleye some and sauhte in heouene lyhte. a 1300 Cursor M. 3540 Þou and i er selden saght, Abute our forbirth er we wrath. c 1320 Cast. Love 552 And Pees and Riht cussen and be sauȝt and some. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 300 Qwhen the king ves thus vith him saucht. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 371 Of this point ye have me tawht, Toward miself the betre sawht I thenke be, whil that I live. Ibid. III. 313 The wyndy Storm began to skarse,..The Schipman..Whan that he sih the wyndes saghte, Towardes Tharse his cours he straghte. c 1450 Myrc Festial 26 Scho beþoght hur how þat chyldern don no vengeans, but lyghtly ben saȝt, þogh þay ben wrothe. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. vii. 48 Now lat ws change scheildis, sene we bene saucht. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xiii. 179 We trowit from thence thay suld haif sittin saucht, And suld haif tyrit of all thair tyrannie. |
▪ III. † saught, v. Obs.
Forms: 1 sehtan, ᵹesehtian, 2–5 sauȝt(e, 3 sæhte, seyte, 4 saght, 3–4 sauhte, sahut, saȝt, 4–5 saucht, 5 saughte.
[Late OE. sehtan, ᵹe-sehtian, f. seht saught n. Cf. ON. *sæhta (OIcel. sǽtta).]
1. trans. To bring to peace, reconcile.
| c 1000 in Thorpe Ags. Laws II. 304 Cristenum cyninge ᵹebyreð..þæt he..eall cristen folc sibbie & sehte mid rihtre laᵹe. Ibid. 312. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1101, Ac þa heafod men heom betwenan foran & þa broðra ᵹesehtodan on þa ᵹerad. c 1250 Hymn Virg. 40 in Trin. Coll. Hom. App. 256 Help me to mi liues ende & make me wið þin sone isauȝt. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11008 Hii broȝte him þer to To makie a porueance..þut lond uor to seyte. c 1320 Cast. Love 933 Godes sone, Þ{supt} fro heuene to eorþe wolde come To sauȝte his sustren. a 1400 Hymns Virg. 108 Loke þou assay, To sauȝten hem þenne at on assent. |
2. intr. To become reconciled.
| a 1375 Cursor M. 3964 (Fairf.) Iacob sende him of his aȝt giftes large wiþ him to saȝt [Gött. to sahut; Cott. al for þe saght]. c 1400 Gamelyn 150 Graunte me my bone Of thing I wil thee aske and we schul saughte sone. c 1450 Holland Howlat 844 Thai forthocht that thai faucht, Kissit samyn and saucht. |
Hence † ˈsaughting vbl. n.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 17198 And blith o saghting þou me bedis. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints I. (Katerine) 921 Wald þu..ask forgiffnes of þi syne, yheit mycht þu sauchtyng with hym wine. a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 573 Wraþþe gedereþ gret hate, Loue norisscheþ sauȝtynge. |
▪ IV. saught
obs. pa. tense and pple. of seek.