▪ I. † nait, n. north. and Sc. Obs. rare.
Also 4 naite, 6 nate.
[a. ON. neyte, neyti (Norw. nöyte, MSw. -nöte) use, etc.: related to neyta nait v.1]
a. Use, profit, advantage. b. Use, end, purpose.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22883 Agh we þer-on to seke resun Hu he dos alkin thing to nait. Ibid. 24746 Þof mans wijt [= wit] be neuer sa strait, Sco mai well bring it vnto nait. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 61, I defend that we fall in any fechtine; I had mekill mair nait sum freindschip to find. 1513 Douglas æneis iv. xii. 10 Furth scho drew the Troiane swerd, fute hait, A wappin was neuir wrocht for sic a nate. |
▪ II. † nait, a. north. and Sc. Obs. rare.
Also 5 nayet.
[a. ON. neyt-r fit for use, good: related to prec. and next.]
Useful, good at need.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 1038 Nestor, a noble man, naitest in werre. Ibid. 3878 Non was so noble, ne of nait strenght, As Ector. [Also 8211, etc.] 1513 Douglas æneis xii. vii. 47 This Iapis sage..wyth his nait handis tway Begouth for till exem, and till assay The wond. |
▪ III. † nait, v.1 Obs.
Also 4–5 naite, nayt(e, 5 (7, 9 dial.) nate.
[a. ON. neyta (Norw. nöyta, Sw. nöta):—*nautjan, f. *naut- (cf. naut cattle, nowt, nautr gift, companion), ablaut var. of *neut-, whence Goth. niutan, ON. njóta (Sw. njuta), OE. néotan to enjoy.]
1. trans. To make use of, to use.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 531 Vche fowle [took] to þe flyht þat fyþerez myȝt serue, Vche fysch to þe flod þat fynne couþe nayte. a 1400 Sir Perc. 185 Other gudez would scho nonne nayte; But with hir tuke a tryppe of gayte. c 1400 Destr. Troy 6031 All necessaries for þe night, þat þai naite shuld. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxiii. 62 Loke that we haue that we shuld nate, For to hald this shrew strate. 1677 Nicolson Gloss. in Trans. R. Soc. Lit. (1870) IX. 316 Nate, to use. 1807 Stagg Poems 48 Then brouce about nor tek sec preesin, To nate your awn. |
b. To go over, recite, repeat. rare.
| 13.. S. Erkenwolde 119 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 268 Ser Erkenwolde..welneghe al þe nyȝt hade naityd [MS. nattyd] his houres. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 65 Loude crye was þer kest of clerkez & oþer, Nowel nayted o-newe, neuened ful ofte. |
2. refl. To exert oneself. rare.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 2518 For Alexander all-ways..Naytis him-selfe in ilke nede, & so his name rysis. Ibid. 2968 [He] naytis him to ryse, Buskis him vp at a braide. |
▪ IV. † nait, v.2 Obs. rare.
[a. ON. neita, f. nei nay adv.]
trans. To refuse, deny.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. met. i. 1 (Camb. MS.), With how deef an Ere deth cruwel torneth a-wey fro wrecches and nayteth to closyn wepynge eyen. c 1386 ― Pars. T. ¶939 Ne he shal nat nayte ne denye his synne. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 77 As it schal be ȝeuen to him that is callid.., so it schal be naytid him þat offreþ himsilf. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 351/1 Naytyn, or denyyn, nego, abnego, denego. |