▪ I. couth, pa. pple. and a. (n.) Obs. or only Sc. exc. in sense 6 b.
(kʊːθ)
Forms: 1 c{uacu}þ, 2–4 cuð, cud, 3 cuþ, kuð, 3–4 couþ, 4 cuth, cuþe, couþe, kouþ, cowthe, couht, coud, kowd, 4–6 couthe, kouth(e, 5 cowþe, 6 kowth, 3– couth.
[OE. c{uacu}ð, pa. pple. of the vb. cunn-an can, corresp. to OS. cûth, cuð, OHG. kund, chund, chunt (MHG. kunt, Ger. kund), Goth. kund-s known.]
† 1. pa. pple. passing into adj. Known. Obs. (See also name-couth.)
| a 1000 Riddles lxxxix. 1 (Gr.) Ic eom..eorlum cuð. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 114/279 Þat word was sone wide couth. a 1300 Cursor M. 22140 (Cott.) Fra north to soth, He sal do mak his sarmun cuth. 1382 Wyclif 1 Cor. xiv. 7 How schal it be kowd that is songun? c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶692 This name of thraldom was neuere erst kowth. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. v, As it is kouthe as well nigh as ferre. c 1450 St. Cuthbert 5511 Þare was þe kirk of tynemouth Of cuthbert right to all' men couth. 1613 R. C. Table Alph. (ed. 3) Couth, knowne. |
† 2. adj. As a quality of things: Known; well-known, familiar. Obs. Cf. the negative uncouth.
| a 1000 Daniel 692 Ðæt wæs þara fæstna folcum cuþost. a 1225 Ancr. R. 204 Heo beoð, more herm is, to monie al to kuðe. c 1300 St. Margarete 65 Mi cunrede he seide is couþ. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 578 To be keture y-kid þan any kouþ peple. 1513 Douglas æneis iii. ii. 131 This couth surname. |
† 3. Of persons: Well-known, familiar. Obs.
| c 1000 Ags. Ps. lxxxvii[i]. 8 Feor ðu me dydest freondas cuþe. c 1205 Lay. 2446 Alle þat cuðe folk. a 1300 Cursor M. 24721 (Gött.) Þat blithful brid..þat þu sua cuth was till. c 1450 Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 249 Euery man boþe fremyd and kouth. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 270 Sen tha till him most kyndlie war and couth. |
† 4. Noted, renowned, famed. Obs.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Exod. 230 Cuþes werodes. c 1200 Ormin 9240 Sannt Johan i wessteland Wass wurrþenn cuþ þatt time. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2666 Wið faigered and strengthe kuð. c 1350 Will. Palerne 5053 Comli castelles and couþ and cuntres wide. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2638 My fader was a philisofer..& his nome kouthe. 1557 Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 105 Deserts of Nymphs, that auncient Poets showe, Ar not so kouth as hers. |
† 5. Acquainted, familiar. (with, of, or dative.)
| a 1225 Juliana 22 Ȝef þu cneowe ant were cuð wið þe king. c 1275 Luue Ron 104 in O.E. Misc. 96 Mayde to þe he send his schonde And wilneþ for to beo þe cuþ. a 1300 Cursor M. 24711 (Cott.) Crist made þe cuth of his consail, And priuest of his kin. c 1450 St. Cuthbert 842 Þare was thre clerkes of þe southe Of england, with þe bischop couthe. |
6. a. Kind, affable, agreeable, pleasant: said of persons and their actions; = couthie 1. Sc.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 3659 Wiþ clipping and kesseng and alle couþe dedes. c 1450 Henryson Mor. Fab. 46, I was faine Of that couth word and of his companie. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 225 Comly lady good and couthe. 1728 Ramsay 1st Answ. to Somerville 76 Nor will North Britain yield for fouth Of ilka thing, and fellows couth To ony but her sister South. |
b. [Back-formation f. uncouth a.] Used as a deliberate antonym of uncouth a. 6: cultured, well-mannered, etc. Also absol.
| 1896 Beerbohm in Pageant 230 The couth solemnity of his [Pater's] mind. 1956 L. McIntosh Oxford Folly 55, I think I'd make a jolly good waitress. It's rather a couth thing to do, really. 1963 Guardian 28 Mar. 9/1 Modern idiom and slang is used with reckless abandon and the couth and uncouth punch each other about the ears with unrelenting monotony. 1965 J. Philips Twisted People i. iv. 77 Didn't I say it polite? Mr. Delafield always says I'm not couth. 1968 Queens's Coll. (Oxf.) Rec. 12 The Waynflete building..is a scaleless slab of uncouth outline which academically couth details (inscription in Roman letters on the cornice, etc.) do not redeem. |
7. Comfortable, snug, cosy; = couthie 2. Sc.
| a 1749 Sir J. Clerk The Miller, His house was warm and couth And room in it to hold me. 1788 R. Galloway Poems 182 (Jam.) A mankie gown..Did mak them very braw, and unco couth. |
† 8. absol. = Acquaintances. Obs.
| c 1000 Ags. Ps. lxxxvii. 18 Mine cuðe [notos meos]. a 1300 E.E. Psalter lxxxvii[i]. 9 Fer made þou mi kouth [Wyclif my knowen] fra me. a 1400 Octouian 792 Loke boy, ne be naught betrayd Of kouth ne strange. |
▪ II. † couth, adv. Obs.
1 c{uacu}þe, 4–5 couthe, etc.
[OE. c{uacu}þe, adv. from c{uacu}þ: see prec.]
Clearly, manifestly; familiarly.
| c 1000 Ags. Ps. lxxxviii[i]. 3 Ic minum ᵹecorenum cuðe ᵹesette. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame ii. 249 Loo this sentence ys knowen kouthe Of every Philosophres mouthe. c 1450 Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 254 A blisful bryd..Cowþe ykid in euery cost. |
▪ III. † couth, n. Obs.
[app. f. couth ppl. a.]
1. ? Known quality, renown.
| c 1460 Launfal 624 in Ritson Metr. Rom. I. 197 Syr Launfal schud be stward of halle, For to agye hys gestes alle, For cowthe of largesse. |
2. ? Friendliness, kindness; = couthiness.
| a 1806 in Jamieson Pop. Ball I. 125 O, blessins on thy couth, lord John; Weel's me to see this day. |
▪ IV. couth(e
obs. f. could, pa. tense of can v.1