▪ I. † ˈwlite, n. Obs.
[OE. wlite m., beauty, splendour, appearance, form, corresp. to OFris. wlite, OS. wliti sheen, form, ON. litr colour, countenance (see lit n.), Goth. wlits πρόσωπον, ὄψις, µορϕή; also in the compound OE. andwlite, onwlite, beside andwlita (see anleth).]
1. Beauty; splendour.
| c 825 Vesp. Ps. xxv[i]. 8 Ic lufade wlite huses ðines. 971 Blickl. Hom. 115 He [sc. the world] teah men to him þurh his wlite & þurh his fæᵹernesse. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 19 Þe fader is on þe sune on þrie wise, þat on is on westme,..þat oðer is on wlite..swo fair is ure louerd..and þe þridde is on þewe. c 1205 Lay. 2934 Heo wes þa ȝungeste suster, a wliten alre vairest. Ibid. 22844 Kerueð of hire neose & heore wlite ga to lose. a 1250 Owl & Night. 439 Þe lilie mid hire faire wlite Wolcumeþ me. c 1275 Serving Christ 68 in O.E. Misc. 92 Þer wereþ vre wlite in wurmene won. a 1300 E.E. Psalter xliv. 5 Þi wlite and fairehed ilike. |
2. Face, countenance.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxii. 16 Wlit vel onsion monna [Vulg. personam hominum]. a 1225 [see wastum 2]. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2288 Sone he ȝede ut and stille he gret, Ðat al his wlite wurð teres wet. |
Hence † ˈwliti a. [OE. wlitiᵹ], beautiful.
| c 1000 ælfric Gen. vi. 2 Ða ᵹesawon Godes bearn..manna dohtra, ðæt hi wæron wlitiᵹe. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 313 He awundrede him of hire wliti westum. |
▪ II. † wlite, v. Obs.
[? Imitative; cf. OE. writian and writeling.]
intr. To pipe, chirp, warble.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 215 Ȝif he wliteð mid stefne for to liken wimmannen. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xiii. 43 This foules singeth ferly fele, Ant wlyteth on huere wynter [? read wynne] wele. |