† smithe Obs.
Forms: 1 smiþþe, smiðþe, 1, 3 smiððe, 3 smiðe, 4 smyþþe, smyþe; 1 smeðe, 5 smeþe.
[OE. smiþþe, smiððe (:—*smiþjōn, f. the stem of smith n. or v.), = OFris. smithe, smitha, MDu. and Flem. smisse, smesse (Du. smidse), OHG. smiththa, smidda; also OFris. smitte, -a (Fris. smitte), MDu. smitte, smit, OHG. smitta, -e, -i (MHG. smitte, G. dial. schmitte), and MLG. smede (LG. smede, smê), OHG. smida (obs. G. smide, schmide, now schmiede). Some of these forms are due to the influence of the word for smith. For the Scand. forms see smithy n.]
= smithy n. 1.
| a 900 tr. Baeda's Hist. v. xv. (1890) 442 He..ᵹewunade in his smiðþan dæᵹes & nihtæs sittan & licgan. c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 64 Gað to smiððan, and fandiað þises goldes. c 1030 Rule St. Benet (Logeman) 23 Smeðe þær we ealle þas ðinc ᵹeornlice wyrcean. a 1225 Ancr. R. 88 Vrom mulne & from cheping, from smiðe,..me tiðinge bringeð. c 1305 St. Dunstan 60 in E.E.P. 36 A priuei smyþþe bi his celle he gan him biseo. |
| fig. a 1225 Ancr. R. 284 Al þes world is Goddes smiððe, uorte smeoðien his icorene. |