† ˈwitword Obs. Chiefly north.
Also 4 wite-, 4–6 wyt-, 5 wytte-, 6 witt-; 4–5 -worde; 6 wytward.
[OE. witword contract, agreement, f. wit- wit v.1 + word n.; later associated with wit v.2]
A will or testament; also, a covenant (in the scriptural sense): = testament n. 1, 4.
| ? 997 Laws æthelred iii. §3 Landcop & hlafordes ᵹifu..& lahcop & witword & ᵹewitnes, þæt þæt stande, þæt hit nan man ne awende. c 1080 Charter Will. I in Thorpe Charters (1865) 439 Ofer þæm landum ðe Ealdred ærcebiscop hæfð siðþan beᵹitan..on witword oððe on caupland. a 1300 E.E. Psalter xxiv. [xxv.] 10 To sekand his witeword. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 153 Fulfille I salle in dede þe kynges witworde. 1393 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) I. 186 In kase be that this wytword will noght perfurnysche, I will it be abrydged. 1411 26 Pol. Poems x. 101 Man, how darst þou..My wit word wiþ þy mouþ teche, And in þy werkis þou seyst hit nay? 1471 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) III. 180, I will that bothe my ls wyll and my wytword be fulfyld of the hoole that is my propyr guddys at this tyme. 1555 Churchw. Acc., Wigtoft, Linc. (Nichols 1797) 199 Rec. for ye Wytword of Willm Brygthe 1s. |