wit

▪ I. wit, n.
    (wɪt)
    Forms: 1– wit, 3–6 wyt, 3 (Orm.), 4–8 witt, 4–6 wytt, wyte, 4–7 witte, wytte, (4 wiit, wijt, whit, 4, 6 wite, Sc. vit, vyt, 5 whytt, wette, 6 Sc. wott, 7 weet).
    [OE. wit neut., more commonly ᵹewit(t i-wit n., corresp. to OFris. wit, OS., (M)LG. wit, OHG. wizzi (MHG. witz(e, G. witz), ON. vit (Sw. vet, Da. vid), Goth. un-witi ἀϕροσύνη, ἀγνοία: f. wit- (see wit v.¹).]
    I. Denoting a faculty (or the person possessing it).
    † 1. The seat of consciousness or thought, the mind: sometimes connoting one of its functions, as memory or attention. Obs.

a 1000 Boeth. Metr. viii. 45 Ðeos ᵹitsunc hafað gumena ᵹehwelces mod amerred,..ac hit on witte weallende byrnð. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 71 Ȝif us eni ufel bitit Þonke we gode in ure wit. a 1300 Cursor M. 324 First in his witte he all purueid His werc. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machor) 338 [He] in his hart wele held It, Ay retentywe he had a wyt. a 1400 N.T. (Paues) Eph. iv. 17 Mysbylefed men, þat walkeþ in vanyte of hure wyt. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. iv. 295 His ouer greet trust which in his witt he bisettid upon hem. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. i. 67 And sammyn prent thir sawis in thy wyt. 1548–9 Bk. Com. Prayer, Ordering of Priests, O holy ghoste into oure wittes, sende downe thyne heauenly lyght. 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 35 A! stay a while! see a short wit: by my trooth I had almost forgot. 1612 Bacon Ess., Studies (Arb.) 13 If a mans wit be wandring, let him study the Mathematiks. a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) I. 110 Our Catholicke General did now examen the secret retirements of his witte, to be enformed what best to doe in this extreamitie.

    2. a. The faculty of thinking and reasoning in general; mental capacity, understanding, intellect, reason. arch. (now esp. in phr. the wit of man = human understanding).
    For the corresponding pregnant uses see 5 and 6.

Beowulf 589 Þæs þu in helle scealt werhðo dreoᵹan, þeah þin wit duᵹe. c 1230 Hali Meid. (1922) 21 Hwil þi wit atstond & chastieð þi wil..ne harmeð hit te nawiht. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9389 Is brayn & wit is so feble, þat þer nis of him no drede. c 1305 St. Kenelm 220 in E.E.P. (1862) 53 A dombe best wiþoute witte. c 1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. (MS. B) 343 My lyue, my lymmes þou has me lent, My right witt þou has me sent. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 266 Kynde witte me telleth, It is wikked to wage ȝow. c 1400 Pety Job 184 in 26 Pol. Poems 127 To gouerne me thow yaue me wyt. c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 481 To mychty God,..sen I had wit off man, Befor my werk, to ȝeild me I began. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. xiv. 20 Brethren be not children in witte. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 193 He was verie pregnant and had an excellent wyt. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iv. i. 211, I had a dreame, past the wit of man, to say, what dreame it was. 1665 Glanvill Scepsis Sci. 99 A good will, help'd by a good wit, can find Truth any where. 1675 Baxter Cath. Theol. ii. viii. 167 God were not God, if mans shallow wit could comprehend him. 1732 Pope Epitaph Gay, Of Manners gentle, of Affections mild; In Wit, a Man; Simplicity, a Child. 1842 R. S. Wilberforce Rutilius & Lucius 139 We profess not to discover the truth by our own wit. 1879 M{supc}Carthy Own Times xx. II. 98 The wit of man could suggest nothing satisfactory. 1879 E. Arnold Lt. Asia viii. 232 Shun drugs and drinks which work the wit abuse.

    b. In plural, in reference to a number of persons.

a 1300 Cursor M. 23759 Crist[es] help sal be us ner, His helpes and vr wittes eke. 1463 Bury Wills (Camden) 27 To fynde remydyes and weyes as by there wittes may be fowunde moost sewr. 1526 Tindale Luke xxiv. 45 Then openned he their wyttes, that they myght vnderstond the scriptures. 1591 Savile Tacitus, Agricola 242 That militare wittes are not refined to that sharpenesse and suttelty, that is practised in..courtes of iustice. 1664 Power Exp. Philos. Pref. b 2, Herein we can see what the illustrious wits of the Atomical and Corpuscularian Philosophers durst but imagine. 1700 T. Brown tr. Fresny's Amusem. 7 Some Men can never be brought to write correctly in this Age, till they have formed their Wits upon the Ancients.

    c. Often denoting indifferently the faculty or the person possessing it, and hence sometimes used definitely for the person in respect of this faculty. Almost always in plural, of a number of persons, and commonly with qualifying adj. arch.
    For the corresponding pregnant uses see 9 and 10.

1536 Act 27 Hen. VIII c. 42 §1 In his Unyversities of Oxforde and Cambridge..where yowth and good wyttes be educate. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. Pref. **v b, A sence not comen for euerie witte to picke out. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. Pref. (Arb.) 19 Many yong wittes be driuen to hate learninge, before they know what learninge is. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 274 Gods-Hill, in which Iohn Worsley erected a schole for the training up of young wits. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 24 ¶7 The great Praise of Socrates is, that he drew the Wits of Greece..from the vain Pursuit of natural Philosophy to moral Inquiries. 1874 Blackie Self-Cult. 58 The rock, on which great wits are often wrecked for want of a little kindly culture of unselfishness.

    d. Phr. at one's wit's end (occas. ends): utterly perplexed; at a loss what to think or what to do. So to bring (drive, or put) to one's wit's end: to perplex utterly.
    Now commonly taken as 2 c, the word being written as gen. pl. (wits') even in ref. to a single person.

1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 363 Astrymyanes also aren at her wittes ende. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1665 When they were dreuyn to her wyttes ende. 1535 Coverdale Isa. xx. 5 They shalbe also at their wittes ende, and ashamed one of another. 1550 Respublica i. iii. 240 & she att hir wittes endes what for to saie or doe. 1598 R. Bernard tr. Terence, Andria ii. iv, You bring him to his wits end. 1681 J. Flavel Meth. Grace iii. 54 What shall we do? is the doleful cry of men at their wits end. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 311 ¶1, I am at my Wits End for fear of any sudden Surprize. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia ix. iv, Two ladies..are quite, as one may say, at their wit's ends. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds xl. 360 The old Laird..fairly finding himself driven to his wit's-end. 1853 Kingsley Hypatia xiii, Raphael, utterly at his wits' end.

    † e. wit, whither wilt thou?: phr. addressed to a person who is letting his tongue run away with him.

1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iv. i. 167 A man that had a wife with such a wit, he might say, wit whether wil't? [Ibid. i. ii. 60 How now Witte, whether wander you?] 1602 Dekker Satirom. i. i, Th'art within a haire of it, my sweet Wit whether wilt thou? my delicate Poeticall Furie. 1617 Greene's Groat's W. Wit Pref. A 2, This olde Ballad made in Hell: Ingenio perij, qui miser ipse meo: Wit, whither wilt thou? woe is me. 1623 Middleton More Dissemblers iv. i, Cap. Wit whether wilt thou? Dond. Marry to the next pocket I can come at. 1637 Heywood Royall King i. i. C 2, Cap. Wit: is the word strange to you, wit? Bon. Whither wilt thou?

    † f. wit and reason: name of an old card-game.

1680 Cotton Compl. Gamester xvi. (ed. 2) 97 Wit and Reason..is a Game something like one and thirty.

    † 3. a. Any one of certain particular faculties of perception, classified as outer (outward) or bodily, and inner (inward) or ghostly, and commonly reckoned as five of each kind (see b): = sense n. 1, 7 (see also inwit 2 b). Also common wit = common sense 1. (In early use occas. loosely extended to include other bodily faculties, as speech and locomotion.) Obs. exc. as in b and c.

a 1225 Ancr. R. 64 Þis is nu inouh of þisse witte [sc. sight]. a 1300 Cursor M. 23999 O wijttes all me wantid might, Gang, and steyuen, and tung, and sight. 1340 Ayenb. 251 Þe wyttes of þe zaule. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 467 Nesche is i-knowe by meny wittes, for it is knowe boþe by gropynge and by siȝt. 1422 Yonge tr. Secr. Secr. 242 Al the wittis and meuynges of the body. c 1449 Pecock Repr. v. vii. 519 Inward sensityue wittis and outward sensityue wittis. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxiv. ii. (Percy Soc.) 108 These are the .v. wyttes remeuing inwardly: Fyrst, commyn wytte, and than ymaginacyon, Fantasy, and estymacyon truely, And memory. 1541 Copland Guydon's Quest. Cyrurg. E j b, In whiche of the ventrycles is the wyt of smellynge founded? 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. iv. 77 Thou hast more of the Wild-Goose in one of thy wits, then I am sure I haue in my whole fiue.

    b. five wits: usually, the five (bodily) senses; often vaguely, the perceptions or mental faculties generally, = wits (in sense 3 c or 4 b). Also (jocularly) fifteen wits. Obs. or rare arch.

c 1200 Vices & Virtues 17 Ða fif wittes ðe god me betahte to lokin of mine wrecche lichame. a 1300 Cursor M. 17018 Hering, sight, smelling and fele, cheuing, er wittes five. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 117 Þy fyve wyttys, þe uttyr and þe ynnyr. c 1460 Wisdom 163 in Macro Plays 41 Þe v. wyttis of my sowll with-inne. c 1515 Interl. Four Elem. (Percy Soc.) 19, I comforte the wyttes fyve, The tastyng, smellyng, and herynge; I refresh the syght and felynge To all creaturs alyve. 1532 Tindale Expos. v-vii. Matt. vii. 98 b, There is no breade in the sacrament, nor wine, though the five wittes saye all ye. 1570 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) 960 The v. wittes bodely and ghostlye. 1570 Buchanan Admonitioun Wks. (S.T.S.) 33 Quhen yai bendit all yair fyve wittis to stop ye regent. 1606 Sir G. Goosecappe v. i, Haue you no pittie in your villanous iests, but runne a man quite from his fifteene witts? 1610 A. Cooke Pope Joan 113 Though men..had bene..bewitched and distract of their fiue wits. 1830 Tennyson Owl i. 6 Alone and warming his five wits, The white owl in the belfry sits. 1878 Morley Diderot I. iv. 86 Everybody now has learnt that morality depends not merely on the five wits, but on the mental constitution within, and on the social conditions without.

    c. pl. Mental faculties, intellectual powers (of a single person or a number of persons: cf. 2 b); often practically equivalent to the sing. in sense 2.
    to have one's wits about one: to have one's mental powers in full exercise, to be mentally alert. to live by one's wits: to get one's living by clever or (now esp.) crafty devices, without any settled occupation.

13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 515, I se wel þat hit is sothe, þat alle mannez wyttez To vn-thryfte arn alle þrawen. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 129 Þou dotest daffe,..Dulle are þi wittes. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye i. vii. 21 To be full besy in all the wyttes and mightes of youre soulle. 1533 Gau Richt Vay 87 Quhen our hart and vittis are ful of sorow. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 14 So soone as I gathered my wits together. 1612 B. Jonson Alch. iii. iv, How doe they liue by their wits, there, that haue vented Sixe times your fortunes? 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 99, I had my wits about me; and a hand that was able to finde me worke. 1681 Dryden Abs. & Achit. i. 163 Great Wits are sure to Madness near alli'd. 1748 Richardson Clarissa VII. 326 That my wits may not be sent a wooll-gathering. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas v. i. ¶18 Have all your wits about you,..you are nursing a viper in your bosom. 1820 L. Hunt Indicator No. 14. I. 111 That letter touched her kind wits. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop lxxiii, Living by his wits—which means by the abuse of every faculty that worthily employed raises man above the beasts. 1883 Stevenson Silverado Sq. 146 This expression..at last penetrated his obdurate wits.

    † d. sing. and pl. Consciousness; sensation: cf. sense n. 3, 6. Obs. rare.

c 1290 St. Brendan 12 in S. Eng. Leg. 220 Seint brendan..cride on him al for-to is wit him cam. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1755 He keuered his wyttes, Swenges out of þe sweuenes. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1815 Lucrece, Sche loste at onys bothe wit & breth, And in a swo she lay. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6047 Withouten witt he was ligyng.

    4. The understanding or mental faculties in respect of their condition; chiefly = ‘right mind’, ‘reason’, ‘senses’, sanity. † a. sing.: esp. in phrases in (one's right) wit, sane, of sound mind; chiefly out of (by, from, of) wit or one's wit, insane, mad, out of one's mind; also out of wit advb., madly, furiously. Obs. (or dial.).

c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives xv. 7 Wode he ᵹehælde and on witte ᵹebrohte. c 1205 Lay. 1661 Swa swiðe wa him was þat al his wit he for-læs. c 1290 St. Dunstan 600 in S. Eng. Leg. 19 Heo iwerth a-non out of hire witte, and feol a-doun riȝt þer. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10872 He made him as bi wit. a 1300 Cursor M. 27168 Man in wiit Or man mai falle was vte of itt. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1483 Neiȝh wod of witte. c 1374 Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 102 Arcyte..swore he wold dey..Or from his witte he wold twynne. 1425 E.E. Wills (1882) 66 Wiþ witte and good mende. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xi. 50 They were wrothe out of wyt. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn xlvi. 178 Arte thou now dronke, or folyshe, or from thy witte? 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iii. 207 As no man in his right wit wil graunt. a 1619 M. Fotherby Atheom. i. xiv. §3 (1622) 151 It is a thing so euident, that there is a God; that whosoeuer denieth it, is (surely) out of his wit. 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 86 The wife was wood, and out o' her wit.

    b. pl. = sense n. 10: esp. in phr. in or out of one's wits.

1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 785 His wyttes fayles, and he ofte dotes. 1431 E.E. Wills (1882) 87 Beyng yn goode heale and yn my full wittes. c 1450 J. Capgrave Life St. Aug. xxiii. 32 For a tyme it had a-wey hir wittis. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. xiv. 23 Will they not saye that ye are out off youre wittes? 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 107 Such a one as lacketh his right wittes. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. iv. ii. 95, I am as well in my wits (foole) as thou art. 1604 Dekker Honest Wh. i. xiii. (1635) I 4, How fell he from his wits? 1622 Bacon Hen. VII, 226 Ioan..was vnable..to beare the Griefe of his Decease, and fell distracted of her Wittes. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, York iii. (1662) 228 Seeing his wits is nearer and dearer to any man then his wealth. 1736 Butler Anal. Diss. i. 306 Nor is it possible for a Person in his wits, to alter his Conduct,..from a Suspicion, that [etc.]. 1840 Macaulay Ess., Clive (1880) 518 The governor..was frightened out of his wits.

fig. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 143 Heere's a fellow frights English out of his wits. 1656 R. Short Drinking Water 62 Our small beer, or water skared out of its wits.

    II. Denoting a quality (or the possessor of it).
    *
    5. a. Good or great mental capacity; intellectual ability; genius, talent, cleverness; mental quickness or sharpness, acumen. arch.
    The earliest quots. may belong to other senses, e.g. 6 or 11.

1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10812 Þo..he vnderstod of is wit, & of is wisdom, Him þoȝte it was a gret lere to al is kinedom. a 1300 Cursor M. 8543 Salamon..was a borli bachelere,..O wijt o wisdom Was neuer nan wiser. c 1320 Cast. Love 1080 Of whom and hou comeþ hit, Such reson and such wit, Þat þou..darst nymen þe Forte dispute a-ȝeynes me? c 1400 Mandeville (1839) vii. 78 Nyghe that Awtier is a place..where the Holy Croys was founden, be the Wytt of Seynte Elyne. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 27 Þay began to dyspute wyth hym; but..þay haden no wytte ne no powste forto ȝeynestonde hym. 1526 Tindale Rev. xiii. 18 Let hym that hath wytt count the nombre off the beest. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. i. 282 Are there not men in your Ward sufficient to serue it? Elb. Faith sir, few of any wit in such matters. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 13 The weake constitutions of the Southerne Nations are supplied by the extraordinarie gifts of the minde: terme them what you please, either wit, or subtiltie. 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 17 Authors are partial to their wit, 'tis true, But are not Critics to their judgment too? 1837 Dickens Pickw. xi, Where was the wit of the sharp-sighted men of sound mind? Where the dexterity of the lawyers? 1874 Maurice Friendsh. Bks. vi. 163 The blessing of wit and foresight.

    † b. Practical talent or cleverness; constructive or mechanical ability; ingenuity, skill. Obs. as a specific sense.

c 1325 Spec. Gy Warw. 212 God..ȝeueþ wit in alle craftes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1632 A pales gert make..Full worthely wroght & by wit caste. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 5 It was a goodly heape for to behould, And spake the praises of the workmans wit. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche (1702) xi. xxv, Those Engins which so strangely spit Death's multiply'd and deadlyer made by Wit. 1691 Ray Creation i. (1692) 4 The best Telescopes that could possibly be invented or polished by the Wit and Hand of an Angel. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. Pref. 4 The Enemy was oftener overcome..by the Architect's Wit, without the Captain's Arms, than by the Captain's Arms without the Architect's Wit.

    † c. Of animals: Intelligence, sagacity. Obs.

c 1400 26 Pol. Poems ii. 61 Þere [i.e. the drones'] wit is wane To stroiȝe the hony. 1577 Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. 145 The witte of this beast Nutianus reporteth, he once had experience of. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 658 The admirable witte of this beast appeareth in her swimming or passing ouer the Waters. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xii. 122 The Fox is full of wit.

    6. a. Wisdom, good judgement, discretion, prudence: = sense n. 11. Obs. exc. in phr. like to have the wit to, which combines the notions of intelligence and good sense.
    The phr. in quot. 1602 has become proverbial, though commonly taken in sense 8.

c 1200 Ormin 3040 Godess Sune..iss..Godess word, & Godess witt. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9391 Vor wat he aþ Manliche bigonne he it aþ bileued Wommanliche as vor defaute of wit in his heued. a 1300 Cursor M. 285 Þat he ordaind wit his witte He multiplis and gouerns itte. Ibid. 3079 Quen [ysmael] was of age and witte A wijf he spused of egipte. Ibid. 29204 Þe gift o wijt of vnder-standing, O consail, strenght, o gode dreding, O conand-scipe, and o pite. c 1430 Hymns Virgin (1867) 5 Heil welle of witt and of merci! 1552 T. Wilson Logic (ed. 2) 22 As vertue is contrarie vnto vice, witte vnto folie, manhode vnto Cowardise. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 153 When ale is in, wyt is out. When ale is out, wyt is in. 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 90 Since Breuitie is the Soule of Wit, And tediousnesse, the limbes and outward flourishes, I will be breefe. 1681 Dryden Abs. & Achit. i. 386 For Lavish Grants suppose a Monarch tame And more his Goodness than his Wit proclaim. 1701 Swift Contests Athens & Rome ii. Misc. (1711) 26 But, however, they had the Wit to recal him [sc. Aristides]. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 326 But they were taught more wit, to their cost, in two or three days. 1886 Ruskin Præterita I. xi. 376 One piece of good fortune, of which I had the wit to take advantage. 1926 S. Baldwin in Morn. Post 8 Oct. 15/3 Men..who..had formed his Majesty's Government..and who had the wit to understand what the challenge meant.

    † b. Contextually in predicative use: A piece of wisdom or prudence, a wise thing to do; also, something demanding or showing wisdom, a matter of practical wisdom. Obs.

1375 Barbour Bruce i. 344 To fenyhe foly quhile is wyt. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (verse) 1609 Þarfor es wit, to lest & mast, Wine or aile softly to tast. 1421–2 Hoccleve Min. Poems xx. 115 Whane that a man is in prosperite, To drede a fall comynge it is a wit. 1562 in Archaeologia XLVII. 229 Gettinge ys a chaunce and keapinge a witte.

    † c. A prudent measure or proceeding; an ingenious plan or device. Obs.
    The uses exemplified by the quots. are prob. of various or mixed origin.

1340 Ayenb. 257 Þe ilke eddre ous tekþ a wel grat wyt þet we ne hyere naȝt þane charmere. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1420 Hypsip. & Medea, To syndyn hym into sum fer cuntre Here as this Iason may distroyed be. This was his wit. c 1440 Gesta Rom. vi. 16, I shall shew þe a goode wit in þis cas; and if þou wolt do after my conseile, þou shalt not repente. 1607 Dekker & Webster Northw. Hoe v. i, Was't not a pritty wit of mine..to haue had him rod into Puckridge, with a horne before him?

    7. Quickness of intellect or liveliness of fancy, with capacity of apt expression; talent for saying brilliant or sparkling things, esp. in an amusing way. arch. (Cf. sense 8.)
    Formerly sometimes opp. to wisdom or judgement; often distinguished from humour (see quots., and note s.v. humour n. 7).

1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 61 As the Bee is oftentimes hurt with hir owne Honny, so is witte not seldome plagued with his owne conceipt. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. ii. 11 Men of all sorts take a pride to gird at mee:..I am not onely witty in my selfe, but the cause that wit is in other men. 1650 Davenant Gondibert Pref. (1651) 27 Wit is not only the luck and labour, but also the dexterity of thought. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. i. iii. iii. 37 That nimble and acceptable Faculty of the Mind, whereby some Men have a readiness, and subtilty, in conceiving things, and a quickness, and neatness, in expressing them, all which the custom of speaking comprehends under the name of Wit. 1704 Yalden Sir W. Aston 187 His flowing wit, with solid judgment join'd, Talents united rarely in a mind, Had all the graces and engaging art, That charm the ear and captivate the heart. 1765 Chesterfield Lett. to Godson (1890) 180 If you have real wit it will flow spontaneously and you need not aim at it... Wit is so shining a quality, that everybody admires it, most people aim at it, all people fear it, and few love it unless in themselves. 1777 M. Morgann Ess. Dram. Char. Falstaff 163 It being very possible, I suppose, to be a man of humour without wit; but I think not a man of wit without humour. 1782 Cowper Gilpin 169 Now Gilpin had a pleasant wit And lov'd a timely joke.

    8. a. That quality of speech or writing which consists in the apt association of thought and expression, calculated to surprise and delight by its unexpectedness (for particular applications in 17th and 18th century criticism see esp. quots. 1650, 1677, 1685, 1690, 1704, 1709); later always with reference to the utterance of brilliant or sparkling things in an amusing way.

1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. Pref. **vij b, Neither dooe I esteme it a thyng worthie blame..with laughter to refreshe the mynde.., so that the matier to laugh at bee pure witte and honeste [orig. modo risus sit argutus ac liberalis]. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado i. i. 64 They neuer meet, but there's a skirmish of wit between them. 1606 Chapman Monsieur D'Olive i. i, Critickes, Essayists, Linguists, Poets, and other professors of that facultie of wit. 1633 G. Herbert Temple, Ch.-Porch xxxix, Laugh not too much: the wittie man laughs least: For wit is newes onely to ignorance. 1650 Davenant Gondibert Pref. (1651) 26 Wit is the laborious, and the lucky resultances of thought having towards its excellence..as well a happinesse, as care. 1664 R. Flecknoe Short Disc. Engl. Stage G 6, Comparing him [Jonson] with Shakespear, you shall see the difference betwixt Nature and Art; and with Fletcher, the difference betwixt Wit and Judgement. 1677 Dryden State Innoc., Apol. Her. Poetry c 2 b, The definition of Wit..is only this: That it is a propriety of Thoughts and Words; or in other terms, Thought and Words, elegantly adapted to the Subject. 1684 Wood Life (O.H.S.) III. 16 Apr., Lord Chief Justice asked him ‘if it were Oxford Wit’, that also ‘he should say that if Magna Charta would not do it Longa Sparta should do the busines’. 1685 Dryden Sylvæ Pref. A 6, I drew my definition of Poetical Wit from my particular consideration of him [Virgil]. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. xi. §2 Wit lying most in the assemblage of Ideas, and putting those together with quickness and variety. 1693 Dennis Misc. Pref. a 2 b, A true description of Wit; which is a just mixture of Reason and Extravagance. 1697 Dryden æneis Ded. (e) 3 b, Les Petits Esprits:..who like nothing but the Husk and Rhind of Wit; preferr a Quibble, a Conceit, an Epigram, before solid Sense and Elegant Expression. 1704 Pope Let. to Wycherley 26 Dec., True Wit, I believe, may be defined a justness of thought, and a facility of expression. 1709 ― Ess. Crit. 297 True Wit is Nature to advantage dress'd, What oft was thought, but ne'er so well express'd. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 62 ¶2 Mr. Lock's Account of Wit, with this short Explanation, comprehends most of the Species of Wit, as Metaphors, Similitudes, Allegories, ænigmas, Mottos, Parables, Fables, Dreams, Visions, dramatick Writings, Burlesque, and all the Methods of Allusion. 1744 Corbyn Thomas (title) An Essay Towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit, Humour, Raillery, Satire, and Ridicule. 1858 O. W. Holmes Aut. Breakf.-t. iii. 19 We get beautiful effects from wit,—all the prismatic colours,—but never the object as it is in fair daylight. a 1859 Leigh Hunt in Jrnl. Educ. (1884) 1 Feb. 79 Wit consists in the arbitrary juxtaposition of dissimilar ideas for some lively purpose of assimilation or contrast, generally of both. 1900 Hammerton J. M. Barrie & his Bks. 78 There is more ‘heart’ in humour, and more ‘head’ in wit.

    b. With qualification (see quots. and sheer wit s.v. sheer a. 8 b).

1633 G. Herbert Temple, Ch.-Porch xi, When thou dost tell anothers jest, therein Omit the oathes, which true wit cannot need. 1653 R. Flecknoe Misc., Disc. Lang. 100 Jests, Clenches, Quibbles, Bulls, &c.,..which although properly they be not Wit (excepting Jests onely, which is a kind of sportive and wanton wit). 1682 Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.) Ess. Poetry 12 True Wit is everlasting, like the Sun. 1693 Dennis Misc. Pref. a 4 b, Scarron's Burlesque has nothing of a Gentleman in it, little of good Sense, and consequently little of true Wit. 1711 Gay Pres. St. Wit in Arb. Garner VI. 511 The Spectator, whom we regard as our Shelter from that flood of false wit and impertinence. 1717 Addison Ovid's Met. iii. v. note, Wks. 1721 I. 243 As True wit is nothing else but a similitude in Ideas, so is False wit the similitude in Words. Ibid. 244 Ovid, who is the greatest admirer of this mixed wit of all the Ancients, as our Cowley is among the Moderns. 1765 Chesterfield Lett. to Godson (1890) 182 There is a species of minor wit, which is much used,..I mean Raillery. 1779 Johnson L.P., Cowley (1868) 20 These conceits Addison calls mixed wit; that is, wit which consists of thoughts true in one sense of the expression, and false in the other. 1792 D. Stewart Elem. Philos. Hum. Mind v. I. 305 note, I speak here of pure and unmixed wit, and not of wit, blended, as is most commonly, with some degree of humour.

    † c. A witty saying or story; a jeu d'esprit: in the collocation wits, fits, and fancies. Obs.

1595 A. C[opley] (title) Wits, Fittes and Fancies. Fronted and entermedled with Presidentes of Honour and Wisdome. 1626 W. Vaughan Golden Fleece i. 12 Except you season your Auisoes with some light passages with wits, fits, & fancies. 1632 Brome Northern Lasse i. ii. B 2 b, Hee..breakes as many good iests as all the Wits, Fits, and Fancies about the Towne.

    **
    9. (transf. from 5.) A person of great mental ability; a learned, clever, or intellectual person; a man of talent or intellect; a genius. arch. or Hist.

c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 1137 Wourschipfull Wawane, the wit of our were. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. vii. 185 Quhair is the wittis wont to reule Scotland? 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. v. 60 You divine wits of elder Dayes, from whom The deep Invention of rare Works hath com. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. lix. 13 The wits of former daies, To subiects worse haue giuen admiring praise. 1638 R. Brathwait Spir. Spicerie 433 There goes an Author! One of the Wits! 1653 H. More Antid. Ath. iii. xi. (1712) 124 Cartesius, that stupendious Mechanical Wit. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 181 There are a sort of sublimated Wits that will own neither God nor Devil. 1779 Johnson L.P., Milton Wks. II. 131 Milton, the scholar and the wit. 1806 Wolcot (P. Pindar) Tristia 20 The world..Makes wits of fools, and sanctifies a sinner! 1842 Lytton Zanoni i. vi, One evening, at Paris,..there was a reunion of some of the most eminent wits of the time. 1867 ‘Ouida’ Cecil Castlemaine's Gage 2 A circle of wits gathered ‘within the steam of the coffee-pot’ at Will's.

    10. (transf. from 7.) A person of lively fancy, who has the faculty of saying smart or brilliant things, now always so as to amuse; a witty person.

1692 R. L'Estrange Fables ccclxxi. 343 Intemperate Wits will spare neither Friend nor Foe. 1727 Gay Fables i. x, Wits are game-cocks to one another. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. I. 180 There is no character that succeeds so well among wits as that of a good listener. 1835 Dickens Sk. Boz, Lond. Recreations, Uncle Bill..is evidently the wit of the party. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xviii, Go on joking, Ann. You're the wit of the family.

    III. Senses, chiefly obsolete, corresponding to those of L. scientia and sententia.
    11. † a. Knowledge; learning; pl. departments of knowledge, sciences. Obs.

1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4818 Þe bissopes him ansuerede..Al wiþ grete reysons & wit of hor boc. 13.. Cursor M. 18940 (Arundel MS.) Þe holy goost ȝaf hem..Of alle wittis to touche and tast. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love ii. ii. (Skeat) 43 Poore clerkes, for witte of schole, I sette in churches, and made suche persones to preche. 1565 Creation of Eve in Non-Cycle Myst. Plays (1909) 15 The tre is pleasante to gett wysedome & wytt.

    † b. The fact of knowing, knowledge, awareness.

13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 799 No,..bi mine wite, Y no herd þer-of neuer ȝete. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. v. x. 1936 God has reserwit til hym all Þe wit of þat þat is to fal. 1483 in Acts Parlt. Scot. (1875) XII. 32/1 Be counsaile command wit or consent of his hienez. [1648 Hexham, Mijns wetens niet, not with My weet, or knowledge.]

    c. Knowledge communicated, ‘intelligence’, information, esp. in phr. to get wit of. Sc. and north.

1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 443 The lord Dowglas..Gat wit of thair enbuschement. c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 515 In the toun no wit of this had thai. Ibid. xi. 1032 Quhill witt tharoff is in till Ingland gane. 1504–5 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. II. 474 The men that cersit and sought and gat wit of the silver disch that wes stollin. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 188 Bot on nowayis could they gett wott of him. 1633 M. P. King & Poor Northern Man 123 Belike the King of me has gotten some weet. a 1700 Laidley Worm of Spindleston Heughs xiv. in Child Ballads I. 312 The Child of Wynd got wit of it. 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss. s.v., ‘He got wit’—he obtained intelligence.

    † 12. Meaning, signification: = sense n. 19–21.

a 1340 Hampole Psalter ii. 5 And is þis þe wit. 1340 Ayenb. 96 Þe boȝes of þo traue ine one wytte byeþ alle þe ychosene þet euere were. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1630, I fayn wolde Wyt þe wytte of þe wryt. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 277 Þe secounde witt is allegoryke.

    † 13. Way of thinking, opinion, judgement: = mind n.¹ 8, 9, sense n. 18. Obs.

c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 1425 And verraylich hym semed þat he hadde The same wit. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1649 Þan were þay alle in wittes tweyne. c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 195 As many heddes, as manye wittes ther been. c 1386 ― Frankl. T. 147 It dooth no good to my wit, but anoyeth. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 8135 What is ȝoure wit? how thenke ȝow? 1555 T. Phaer æneid ii. (1558) C iv, The comons into sondry wittes diuided wer and stood. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 282 The old Proverbe..: so many heades, so many wittes.

    IV. 14. Combinations. a. attrib., as wit-battle, wit-combat, wit-contest, wit-pride, wit-sally, wit-shaft, wit-sponge, wit-trap, wit-work. b. objective, as wit-carrier, wit-gathering, wit-stealer; wit-writing; wit-assailing, wit-cherishing, wit-gracing, wit-infusing, wit-oppressing adjs. c. instrumental, as wit-abused, wit-beaten, wit-drawn, wit-fraught(ed, wit-pointed adjs. d. adverbial (= in, or with respect to, the wit or wits), as wit-foundered, wit-starved, wit-stung, wit-wondrous, wit-worn adjs. e. Special Combs.: wit-crack, the ‘cracking’ of a joke (cf. crack v. 5), a brisk witticism; so wit-cracker, one who makes witty or sarcastic remarks; wit-craft, † (a) the art of using one's ‘wit’ or intellect in reasoning, logic; (b) exercise of one's wits; wit-jar, an imaginary vessel humorously feigned to contain the wits or senses (in allusion to Ariosto's Orlando Furioso xxxix. lvii); † wit-lost a., having lost wit, senseless, foolish; wit-monger, a ‘dealer’ in wit, an utterer of witty sayings (contemptuous); † wit-rack nonce-wd., a faculty of eliciting speech by wit (as a rack elicits a confession); † wit-snapper = wit-cracker; † wit-stand, in phr. at a wit-stand (cf. stand n.¹ 6), = at one's wit's end (see 2 d); † wit-state, state of being in one's wits, condition of sanity; † wit-tooth = wisdom tooth; wit-wanton a., making a wanton use of the ‘wit’ or understanding; also as n.; † wit-wanton v. intr. (with it) (obs. exc. arch.), to exercise the understanding wantonly; also, to indulge in wanton wit; wit-worm (now rare), one who has developed into a wit (like a ‘worm’ or caterpillar emerging from the egg); † wit-worship, worship devised by human ‘wit’ or intellect without divine authority or sanction (cf. will-worship); † wit-would, † wit-would-be, a pretender to wit, a would-be wit; † wit-wright, a maker of wit, an author of witty sayings.

1603 J. Davies (Heref.) Microcosmos 40 The will *witt⁓abus'd.

1601 Chester Love's Mart. (1878) 106 The *wit⁓assailing Frenzie.

1693 Dryden Juvenal Ded. (1697) p. lxxii, The *Wit-battel of the two Buffoons.

1599 Porter Angry Wom. Abington (Percy Soc.) 50 Sheele persecute the poore *wit beaten man.

1702 Engl. Theophrastus 7 *Wit-carriers, whose business is, to export the fine Things they hear.

1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. D 4, That kinde *wit-cherishing climate.

a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Warwickshire iii. (1662) 126 Many were the *wit-combates betwixt him [sc. Shakspere] and Ben Johnson.

1892 Child Ballads viii. 439/1 *Wit-contests in verse.

1662 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. iii. xxx. §2. 256 Satan budges not for a thousand such Squibs and *Wit-cracks.

1599 Shakes. Much Ado v. iv. 102 A Colledge of *witte-crackers cannot flout mee out of my humour, dost thou think I care for a Satyre or an Epigram?

1573 R. Lever (title) The Arte of Reason, rightly termed, *Witcraft. 1605 Camden Rem., Rebus 146 He was no body that coulde not hammer out of his name an invention by this wit-craft. 1903 Hardy Dynasts i. i. iii, A witcraft marked by nothing more of weight Than ignorant irregularity!

1681 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 386 *Wit⁓drawn, wire-drawn curiosities.

1613 Boys Expos. Last Ps. (1615) 7 The *wit-foundred drunkard.

1623 L. Digges in Shaks. 1st Folio, Thy *wit-fraught Booke.

1603 Deeble Commend. Poems in J. Davies (Heref.) Microcosmos Oo 2 b, His *witt-fraughted workes.

1893 M. Pemberton Iron Pirate iii, I sat up in bed, uncertain in the effort of *wit⁓gathering if night had not given me a dream rather than an experience.

1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. iv. 34 Your *Wit-gracing Skill.

1603 J. Davies (Heref.) Microcosmos 65 *Wit-infusing Mercury.

1748 Richardson Clarissa VII. lxxxviii. 326 Dr. Hale..was my good Astolfo (you read Ariosto, Jack) and has brought me back my *wit-jar.

1599 Porter Angry Wom. Abington (Percy Soc.) 13 Ill report doth like a bailiffe stand, To pound the straying and the *wit-lost tongue.

1620 Shelton 2nd Pt. Don Quix. xxxi. 203 The Prater and *Wit-monger. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. II. 620 [He] was..cried up as the main witmonger surviving to the fanatical party.

1601 Chester Love's Mart. (1878) 102 *Wit-oppressing Drunkennesse.

1869 Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 546 The butt of their *wit-pointed pencils.

1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. ii. 1151 All the golden *Wit-pride of Humanity, Wherewith men burnish their erroneous vanity.

1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. vi. 269 He had a pretty *wit-rack in himself,..to draw speech out of the most sullen and silent guest.

1549 Chaloner Erasm. on Folly T iij, A certain passion muche lyke to madnesse or *witrauyng.

1907 Raleigh Shakespeare 174 The *wit-sallies of Beatrice and Rosalind.

1881 Swinburne Mary Stuart i. iii. 64 Our keeper's *wit-shaft is too keen for ours To match with pointless iron.

1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. v. 54 What a *witte-snapper are you.

1632 Brome Crt. Beggar ii. i. (1653) O 6 b, This humorous wity Lady is a *wit-sponge, that suckes up wit from some, and holds as her own.

a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams i. (1693) 188 They were at a *wit-stand.

1828–32 Webster, *Wit⁓starved, barren of wit; destitute of genius. Examiner.

c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 7237 Sho lost hir *witt state.

1886 Corbett Fall of Asgard xxxv, Surely is ale a great *wit-stealer.

1608 Machin Dumb Knt. iv. i, Fie I am mad, Sham'd and disgrac't, all *wit-stung, wisdomlesse.

1601 Holland Pliny xi. xxxvii. I. 338 The farthest cheek-teeth in a mans head, which be called Genuini, (i. the *Wit⁓teeth).

1750 Fielding Author's Farce i. vi, Nor was it cram'd with a pack of *Wit-traps, like Congreve and Wycherly, where every one knows when the joke was coming.

1612 Sylvester Lachr. Lachr. 99 Epicures, *Wit⁓wantons, Atheists. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. x. iv. §4. 62 How dangerous it is for wit-wanton Men, to dance with their nice Distinctions, on such Mysticall Precipices.

1642 ― Holy & Prof. St. iii. ii. 155 More dangerous it is to *wit-wanton it with the Majestie of God. 1795 Southey Joan of Arc ix. 268 Wretched Maid!.. England's inhuman Chiefs Shall..black thy spotless fame, Wit-wanton it with lewd barbarity. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 388 And Master Lynch bade him have a care to flout and witwanton. 1922 E. R. Eddison Worm xv. 209, I will not suffer mine indignation so to witwanton with fair justice as persuade me to put the wite on Witchland.

1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. ii. ii. Babylon 584 *Wit-wondrous Salomon.

1632 B. Jonson Magn. Lady i. i, You'are sure to have lesse-*wit-worke, gentle brother.

1611 ― Catiline ii. i, What hast thou done With thy poore innocent selfe?.. Thus to come forth, so sodainly, a *wit-worme? 1647 C. Harvey Schola Cordis (1778) 153 That which worldly wit-worms call nonsense. 1932 F. Scott Fitzgerald Let. 2 Aug. (1964) 498, I did not destinate to signify that you were a wiseacre..but..that you were..a longhead,..as are so many epigrammatists, wit-worms, [etc.].

1617 Greene's Groat's W. Wit Pref. A 2, So many *Witworn Ideots.

a 1629 Hinde J. Bruen xxx. (1641) 93 That such service unto Saints, is but *witt-worship, will-worship, and Idol-service. 1641 Sanderson Serm., Ad Clerum (1681) II. 4 God will not approve of, nor accept any Wit-worship, or Will-worship, forged or devised by man.

1700 Congreve Way of World Ded., This Play had been Acted two or three Days, before some of these hasty Judges cou'd find the leisure to distinguish betwixt the Character of a *Wit⁓woud and a Truewit. a 1763 Shenstone Ess. Men & Manners lxxxvi. Wks. 1765 II. 225 A wit-would cannot afford to discard a frivolous conceit. 1771 Sheridan in Rival Beauties 16 Then grinning Witwould—tho' no Teague—Who more successful in intrigue?

1681 H. More Let. 15 in Glanvill Sadducismus, Our professed *Wit-would-be's of this present Age.

1655 Strode Floating Isl. Ded. A 2 b, If..*wit-wrights Poets be.

1666 Dryden Ann. Mirab. Pref., Ess. (1900) I. 14 Wit in the poet, or *Wit writing, (if you will give me leave to use a school-distinction). 1947 C. Day Lewis Poetic Image ii. 50 The conceits of the Metaphysicals are in a way wit-writing too.

▪ II. † wit, pron. Obs.
    Also 1 wyt, 3 wet, (Orm.) witt.
    [OE. wit = OFris. *wit (NFris, wat, wæt), OS. wit, ON. (MSw.) vit, Goth. wit: f. unstressed form of we pron. with obscure dental element.]
    We two.

Beowulf 535 Wit þæt ᵹecwædon cnihtwesende. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xx. 22 Maᵹe ᵹyt drincan þone calic ðe ic to drincenne hæbbe? Þa cwædon hiᵹ: Wyt maᵹon. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 33 Ȝif..wit beon anes lauerdes men. c 1200 Ormin 201 Witt sinndenn off swillc elde nu þatt witt ne muȝhenn tæmenn. c 1205 Lay. 23653 Wit tweie. Ibid. 23663 Fehten wet scullen unc seoluen. Ibid. 26263 Fare wit [c 1275 we two] to uihte. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1775 Frend sule wit ben, And trewðe pliȝt nu unc bi-twen.

▪ III. wit, v.¹ arch. exc. in legal use: see 10 c (b).
    Pres. tense wot (Sc. and north. dial. wat); pa. tense and pple. wist. Forms: see below.
    [A Com. Teut. preterite-present verb: OE. witan, 1st and 3rd sing. pres. ind. wát, 2nd pers. wást, pl. witon, pa. tense wisse, wiste, pa. pple. ᵹewiten, OFris. wita, wêt, *wast, *witon, witen and witath, wiste (mod.Fris. dialects have various analogical forms, e.g. pa. pple. wist, wust), OS. witan, wêt, wêst, witun, wissa (MLG., MDu. wêten, weet, weets, weten, wiste, gheweten, LG., Du. weten), OHG. wiȥȥan, wiȥan, weiȥ, wiȥ(ȥ)umês, wiȥ(ȥ)un, wissa, wista, (gi)wiȥan (MHG. wiȥȥen, weiȥ, wiȥȥen, wisse, wiste, wesse, weste, wuste, gewiȥȥen, gewist, G. wissen, weiss, weisst, wissen, wusste, gewusst), ON. vita, veit, veizt, vitum, vissa, vitaðr, (Sw. veta, vet, visste, vetat, Da. vide, ved, vidste, vidst), Goth. witan, wait, waist, witum, wissa: f. OTeut. wait-, wī̆t-:—Indo-Eur. woid-, weid-, wid- to see (? orig. to find), also found in OE. adj. wis (see wis n.), wise n.¹, wise a., wite.
    The OE. preterite-pres. wát, wást, witon, and their equivalents in the other Germanic langs. (= properly, I have seen, hence, I know), correspond to Skr. véda, véttha, vidmá, Gr. οἶδα, οἶσθα, οἶδε, ἴδµεν (ἴσµεν), OSl. vědě, věsi, etc., OPruss. 2nd sing. waisei, 1st pl. waidimai, and are based on Indo-Eur. woid-, wid-. OE. 2nd pers. sing. wást (see A. 2 b below) is an altered form of *wás by analogy with meaht (2nd sing. pres. of may v.¹). Similarly OE. wiste is an altered form of earlier wisse after regular weak forms in -te.
    Indo-Eur. woid-, weid-, wid- is represented also by Skr. veda knowledge (see Veda), vitta- known, vittá- found, Gr. εἶδος appearance, shape, ἰδέα form, εἶδον (:—*ἐϝιδον) I saw, ἀείδελος invisible, εἰδέναι to know, ἰδεῖν to see, ἄιστος unseen, unknown, L. vidēre to see, OIr. fiad ‘coram’, fiadu witness, adfiadat they relate, rofetar I know, fiss knowledge, W. gwydd presence, gwyddom we know, OSl. vidĕti to see, věděti to know, Lith. véidas face, Arm. gitem I know, egit he found; and (with nasal infix) Skr. vindáti finds, Gr. ἰνδάλλεσθαι to appear, OIr. finnaim I find out.
    The original conjugation, typically represented by to wit or wete, pres. I and he wot, thou wost, we, ye, and they wite, pa. tense wist, pa. pple. witen, presented many apparent anomalies, and various attempts at normalization were made by means of analogical formations and irregular extension of the use of certain forms, with the result that new infinitive and present-stem forms came into existence which it is necessary to treat separately: see wis v.¹, wist v., wot v., and the archaistic weet v.¹ (For forms combined with prefixed negative ne see nete, nist, niten, nost, not v.², nute.)]
    A. Inflexional Forms.
    1. Infinitive. α.¹ 1 witan (witenne, -an(n)e, -on(n)e), 2–5 witen, 3–5 wyten, wite, 4–5 wytene, (whyte, wiet), 4–6 wyt(e, wytte, witte, Sc. vit, (1 wiotan, wietan, Northumb. wuta, 3 witene, Orm. witenn, 4 witin, witten, wijt, wyete, Sc. vyt, -e, 5 wiete, whitte), 4–7 witt, 5–6 wytt, 4– wit. α.² 4–6 wet, wette, (4 Sc. vet), 5 wetten. β. 4–5 wetyn, 4–6 weit(e, 4–7 wete, 5 weten(e, 5–7 weete, (8–9 arch.) weet, (6 arch. weeten). (See also weet v.¹, wot.)

α1 c 888 ælfred Boeth. vii. §1 Ᵹif þu þonne heora þeawas witan wilt. c 897 ― Gregory's Past. C. Pref. 7 Ða ðe niedbeðearfosta sien eallum monnum to wiotonne. Ibid. xv. 92 Mare to wietenne ðonne eow ðearf sie. c 1100 O.E. Chron. an. 1050 (MS. D) Hit is earfoð to witane þara biscopa þe þærtocomon. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 9 Ȝef..me hit mihte witen. c 1205 Lay. 26607 Heo wolden wite þat soðe of Walwain. c 1290 St. Clement 128 in S. Eng. Leg. 326 He wilnede muche to wyten of god. a 1300 Cursor M. 8301 Þou sal wijt on quatkin wise [etc.]. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 3763 Na man..may wytte Whether [etc.]. 1340 Ayenb. 1 Þet is to wytene. 13.. Cursor M. 12204 (Gött.) Hu sal he witt quat tav mai be? Ibid. 19779 (Edin.) Þat petir moȝte witte quat sco were. Ibid. 23635 If þai oht mai witin [v.r. witten] þar. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 131 Vch wyȝ e may wel wit. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 27 Þat þou miht wyte..whuche þei ben. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xix. (Cristofore) 401 Gyf þu vit wil myn cunctre. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1367 To whyte what hure wille were. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 420 Late hyme wiet..I salle..take leue. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 4492 To wyten whether..Myn hamer hem touchyd. c 1450 Merlin 82 She wolde gladly witen what a-mendes the kynge wolde do. ? 1475 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 156, I lett you whitte I am grette with the Kyng. c 1500 Three Kings' Sons 168 There be none..but wold be glad to wite me do wele. 1526 Tindale Matt. xxiii. 8 One ys youre master, that is to wytt Christ. 1533 Gau Richt Vay (S.T.S.) 55 Desir notht to vit. 1577 Fulke Confut. Purg. 393 You must witte. 1580 wytte [see β1531]. 1628 Digby Voy. Mediterr. (Camden) 31 To witt. 1795 wit [see B. 3 c].

α2 13.. Cursor M. 22556 (Edin.) Quen nan sal wet quar þam to nest. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xviii. (Egipciane) 404 God has send me..Þi lyfe, þe stat, al hal to vet. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 948 To wette of the warlawe, whare that he lengez. c 1460 Play Sacram. 188 in Non-Cycle Myst. Pl. 63 Off yower welfare fayn wet wold we. 1520 Sir R. Gresham in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. I. 234 Yt may pleasse your Grace to wette I have [etc.].

β a 1300 Cursor M. 1875 (Cott.) How sal we o þis waters weit [Fairf. wete] Quedir þai be fulli fallen yeit? 13.. Northern Passion (MS. I) 648 a Wele maye we alle wetyn and se Þat it myghte neuyr so be. c 1400 Anturs Arth. 237 (Douce MS.) Yit wetene I wolde What wrathede god moste. c 1400 Melayne 120 He dose þe wele to weite. c 1425 Noah's Ark 131 in Non-Cycle Myst. Pl. 23 How Thou shalt weet all his will. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 531/1 Wytyn', or wetyn', or knowyn'. 1475 Sir J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 130 It pleasyd yow to weete of myn heele. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. ix, Lettinge you weete [ed. 1580 wytte] that we haue a sonne borne. 1596 weeten [see B. 10 c (b)]. 1600 weete [see B. 9 b]. 1610 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 121 You shall..do the Maior..to wete thereof. 1748, 1819 weet [see B. 10 c (a)].

    2. Indicative Present. a. 1st and 3rd pers. sing. α. 1–6 (8–9 Sc.) wat, 1, 4–6 watt, (1 uat, 1, 3 wæt, 3 what, waht, 4 north. waite, wayte, quat, -e, Sc. vat), 4–5 watte, 4–7 (8 Sc.) wate, 5–9 Sc. and north. dial. wait (6 vait). β. 3–9 wot, (3 wod, 4 woth), 4–5 woot, (whot, 5 whotte, wout), 4–6, 8 wote, 5–6 woote, wotte, 5–7 wott. Also in 1st pers. combined with prefixed pronoun (ichot, chote): see I pron. A. β² and ch pron.

α c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John viii. 55 Ic..conn vel wat [c 975 Rushw. Gosp. watt] hine. c 1200 Vices & Virtues 21 He hit wat ðe wat alle þing. c 1205 Lay. 7262 Wel ich hit wæt what Bruttis wæs. Ibid. 28088 Ich what..agan is al mi blisse. a 1300 Cursor M. 5060 Mi fader..fars well, i watte. 13.. Ibid. 12219 (Gött.) Fire i quat him mai noght brin. 13.. Northern Passion (Camb. Gg. 5. 31) 356, I hafe done I ne wate what. Ibid. 1654 Onone pilate a lettyr he wrate, So says saynt Iohne þat wele wayte. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. cxviii. 1987 (MS. W.) Quheþer it sa were..I wait nocht. 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 172, I watt now what the propheit menis. 1615 R. Brathwait Strappado (1878) 129 Wele I wate. 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 25 And that's an unco faut I wate. 1785 Burns Halloween xii, I wat she made nae jaukin. 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss., Wait, wot.

β a 1225 Ancr. R. 52 Þeo..wot betere þen ich wot. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1190 Ich..wod al þat to kumen is. a 1300 Cursor M. 8298 Wil i wote al þi yerning. 13.. Ibid. 2378 (Gött.) His catel wele i woth [Trin. I woot]. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 590 Ichot for soþe he wil me sle. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 77 No prelat whot where he schal be dampnyd. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1359 Dido, Wel I woot hit is al in vayne. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11359, I wotte hit full wele. 1426 Audelay Poems 15 He whot never hou sone God wyl here his bone. 1526 Tindale Luke xvi. 4, I woote what to do. 1600 Holland Livy i. i, Neither wote I well, nor if I wist, dare I advouch. 1775 J. Tait Land of Liberty i. xlv. 23 Here oft, I wote, dame Ignorance was seen. 1862 H. A. Kennedy Waifs & Strays 137, I well wot.

    b. 2nd pers. sing. α. 1–4 wast, (1 wæst, uast, 3 Orm. wasst), 3–5 wost, 4–5 woost, woste. Also combined with foll. pron.: 1 wastu, 3 wostu, 4–5 wostow(e. β. See wot v. γ. 4 Sc. vittis.

α a 900 Andreas 1186 Wæst þe bæles cwealm hatne in helle? c 975 Rushw. Gosp. John iii. 8 Ne wastu hwona cymeð & hwider gað. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John xiii. 7 Þu nast nu þæt ic do, ac þu wast syððan. c 1205 Lay. 15836 Nu þu hit wost. a 1250 Owl & Night. 716 Wostu to wan man was ibore? a 1300 Cursor M. 25477 Vnworthi am i, wel þou wast. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 79 Þou woost wel þat Fariseis..ben sclaundrid. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6075, I bidde thee teche hem, wostowe howe. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 124/2 Thou woste not what thou sayest.

γ c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andreas) 508 Bot-gyf þu will hertly trow, Þu vittis nocht þu speris now [nunquam tu ad imaginem hujus veritatis attinges].

    c. pl. α.¹ 1 witon, weotan, uutu(n, -on, wut(t)on, 2 witan, 2–5 witen (3 Orm. -enn, wuten), 3–5 wyten (3 wuyten, 4 whiten, 5 wittin); 3–5 wite, 4 witte, 5 wyte, wytte; 4 weten, -in, 5 wet, weet, wete. α.² 1 wutaþ, witaþ, witteð, wutas, 3 wutez, 3–4 wuteþ, 3–5 witeþ (4 -yþ, wyteþ, wteþ, wites, 5 whiteþ, wittis; 5 weteþ, -iþ, -yþ). β. See wot v.

α1 c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. v, We weotan þæt we þæs þearfe nabbað. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xx. 22 Ne uutuᵹe huæt ᵹe ᵹiwas. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John xvi. 30 Nu we witon þæt þu wast ealle ðing. 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud) Introd. 3 We witan oþer eᵹland. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 19 Nusten heo nawiht swa muchel of him swa we witen. c 1200 Ormin 7932 Þatt witenn menn inoȝhe. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 161 Hie wuten..wuderward hie sullen weie holden. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 390 Adam and eue it wite ful ȝare. c 1275 Passion our Lord 261 in O.E. Misc. 44 Hwat ich to heom seyde, wel wyten heo. c 1290 Beket 1025 in S. Eng. Leg. 136 Ȝe wuyten wel. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 77 Siþ prelatis witte not where here preiere be acceptable. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love i. viii. (Skeat) l. 80 Ye weten wel..that..I defouled never my conscience. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems iii. 101 Lordis wet neuere what comouns greues. c 1400 Pride of Life 483 in Non-Cycle Myst. Pl. 104 Ȝe wittin wel þat he is king. 1402 Jack Upland in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 17 These wretches weet never where to been. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 5528 Ye wyte wel.

α2 c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark ii. 10 Þætte..wutað [Rushw. witaþ] ᵹie ðætte he mæht hæfeð sunu monnes. Ibid. x. 41 Scitis, wutasᵹie [c 1000 Ags. Gosp. wite ᵹe]. Ibid. Luke xxi. 30 Witteð [Rushw. wutað] ᵹie þætte neh is ðe summer. c 975 Rushw. Gosp. John iv. 22 We worðiᵹað þætte we wutun. a 1225 Ancr. R. 252 To wel we hit wuteð. c 1290 Beket 1005 in S. Eng. Leg. 135 Wel we wutez. a 1300 Leg. Rood 18 As ȝe witeþ wel. a 1340 Hampole Psalter iv. 4 Ȝe seke vanytes: and wites that it is vayne that ȝe luf. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 89 Men wityþ neuere what it meneþ. a 1400–40 R. Glouc. Chron. (Rolls) 122 Ȝe wyteþ [v.rr. weteþ, wetyth, whiteþ]. 1409 in Exch. Rolls Scot. IV. Pref. 209 Gif ony of the foresaide lordis wittis..ony maner of grefe..apperand til other.

    3. subj. pres. 1–5 wite (pl. witen), (1 wiete, Northumb. witto, -e, -u, 3 wute, 4 wijt, witte, vit), 4–5 wyt, 4–6 wit, wyte, wete, 5 weete.

c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxviii. 191 Sua sua hie selfe wieten..ðæt hi hit for Gode don. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke i. 18 Unde hoc sciam, huona ðis witto? c 1000 Rule St. Benet (1888) 16 He wite þæt he..iarcie hine to ᵹescead aᵹeldenne. c 1200 Ormin 5710 Þatt tu ne wite nan. a 1225 Ancr. R. 250 God hit wute & he hit wot. 13.. in Sir W. Pole Old Evid. (? 1840) 1 Vit alle men þat þis skrite heris and ses. 1340 Ayenb. 5 Þis boc is ywrite uor englisse men, þet hi wyte hou hi ssolle ham-zelue ssriue. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 372 Wete lordis well þat [etc.]. c 1400 Gamelyn 644 It is good that we witen what men they be. a 1425 Cursor M. 14348 (Trin.), I wol þat alle witen. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 33, I wil ye wete Two precyous relykys I her have wyth me. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. viii. 195, I wyl that thou wete and knowe that I am Launcelot du lake. 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. ii. (Arb.) 145 Awaye or a man wite. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. viii. (S.T.S.) II. 104 To defend him selfe, that..tha steil him nocht doune or he wit.

    4. pa. tense (ind. and subj.). α. 1 wisse, 1–6 wiste, (1, 3 Orm. wisste), 3–6 wyste, 4–6 wyst, (4 wijst, Sc. viste, 4–6 Sc. vist, vyst, 5 wysste), 4– wist. Also in 3rd pers. pl. combined with foll. pron. 4 wistey, wystey. β. 1 pl. westan, 4–6 west (4–5 weste), 6 Sc. weist. γ. 1 wyste, 3–5 wuste, (3 wste), 4–6 wust. δ. 4–5 wost(e. ε. 4 Sc. wyttyt.

α Beowulf 181 Ne wiston hie drihten god. Ibid. 246 Ne ᵹe leafnesword guðfremmendra ᵹearwe ne wisson. Ibid. 2519 Ᵹif ic wiste. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxvii. 18 He wisse forðon þæt ðerh æfist saldon hine. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 19 Heo wisten..þet he wes hali. c 1200 Ormin 521 Illc an..Wisste full wel. c 1275 Passion our Lord 160 in O.E. Misc. 42 He wyste þat þe Gywes hyne þouhte spille. a 1300 Cursor M. 15953 Þan wijst he cummen his maister word. Ibid. 16054 Sir pilate..Wist þam was leif to lei. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 5068 Bettere wistey nought what for to do. Ibid. 8021 wystey. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) iii. 52 Men..Þat wist both of wele and wo. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 152 He ne wyst on worde what he warp schulde. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 461 Neuer more þen þay wyste fram queþen he was wonnen. 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 771 Quhethir scho..Wenit, or vist it vitterly. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xviii. (Egipciane) 1327 He..vyst it was scho. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13839 All wiston tho wise..He shuld duly be ded. c 1450 Merlin 25 When these..men wisten that Vortiger sholde be kynge. 1537 Q. Margaret in St. Papers Hen. VIII, V. 120 And..thys Raulme vyst that Ze vold be dysplesyd. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) B v, She shewed..all that she wiste. 1576 R. Peterson G. della Casa's Galateo 12 The Count..neuer wyst of his fault. 1865 Swinburne Chastelard i. ii. 200 And that, God wot, I wist not.

β a 1000 Judith 207 Westan beᵹen þæt [etc.]. 1340 Ayenb. 72 Þet hi westen be hare wylle. 1539 St. Papers Hen. VIII, VIII. 172 He west not, whether [etc.]. a 1585 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 178, I..weist not what it meind.

γ c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) cvi. 29 Swa he hira willan wyste fyrmest. c 1205 Lay. 525 He..wuste, þat þe king..forð sculde iwenden. Ibid. 1167 His sæ-monnen, þe..þa lawen wusten. a 1250 Owl & Night. 10 Eiþer seide of oþeres custe Þat alere worste þat hi wuste. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2025 Þo he wste wat he was. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 52 Wust I þat,..þer nis nouþur Wyndou ne Auter, Þat I ne schulde maken oþur mende. c 1400 St. Alexius (Vernon) 326 He wuste he scholde heþen wende. 1555 T. Phaer æneid. ii. (1558) D iij b, Nor what to do I wust.

δ 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 55 Me wost not where me myȝte mete hem. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 6 Whanne her fader wost she was with childe. 1492 Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 274/2 Robert..maid faith he wost nocht quhare It wes.

ε 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 156 He wyttyt [v.r. askit] at thaim of thair far.

    b. 2nd pers. sing. 1, 4, 6 wistest (1 wistes, subj. wisse, wiste), 4 wystest, (vistes), wiste, 4–5 wyste, wist, 6 wyst.

c 888 ælfred Boeth. v. §3 Ic wolde þæt þu me sædest hwæþer ðu wisse hwæt þu self wære. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John i. 48 Huona..mec wistes ðu? c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxv. 26 Ðu wistest þæt ic rype þær ic ne sawe. 13.. K. Horn 240 (Harl.) Tech him alle þe listes þat þou euer wystest [Laud MS. vistes]. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love i. viii. (Skeat) l. 31 In as fer as thou hem wistest false. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. xiv, Wist thou thy payne to cum..wele myght thou wepe. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 186 If þou here dome wyste. c 1500 Melusine 24 Yf thou wyst and knew the grette meruaylles. 1587 Golding De Mornay ii. (1592) 21 If thou wistest how to vse them.

    5. imp. Stem as in 1; endings: sing. 1–6 -e; occas. combined with foll. pron. 4 witow; pl. 1 -aþ, 1–5 -e (in wite ȝe), 1, 4–5 -eþ, 4–5 -eth, 5 -iþ, -yþ; north. 1 -as, 4 -s, 5 -is, -ys; also sing. and (4–) pl. without ending.

a 900 Cynewulf Elene 945 Wite ðu þe ᵹearwor þæt ðu..anforlete..lufan dryhtnes. c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. iv. viii, Witað ᵹe þæt hit swa nis. 971 Blickl. Hom. 183 Wit þu þonne þæt ic eom dry. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) iv. 4 [3] Wite ᵹe [scitote] þæt God ᵹemyclade his ðone ᵹehalᵹodan. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 9 Wite ȝe hwet wes sinagoge on þam alde laȝe. c 1200 Ormin 205 Witt tu þatt icc amm Gabriæl. c 1205 wite þu [see B. 5]. a 1300 Cursor M. 4727 Wijt [Gött. wit] yee wel. Ibid. 20275 Has na dred, bot wijts it wele. 13.. Bonaventura's Medit. 254 Weteþ þat he me hated ar ȝow. c 1325 Spec. Gy Warw. 312 Wete þu wel. c 1350 Will. Palerne 68 A gladere wommon..no miȝt go on erþe..witow for soþe. c 1400 Mandeville vi. [v.] (1919) I. 23 And wyte ȝee wel þat [etc.]. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2775 Wetys hit all wele..Þat þe dayens you derit. 1441 in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 1450, 69/2 Wittis me to hafe gevin [etc.]. 1450–80 tr. Secr. Secr. Prol. 3 Witith welle that Aristotille made..many wondres. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xvii. 396 Syr, wyte that charlemagne is come wyth his oost. 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 177 Wit ye thay did thair baner hye display.

    6. pres. pple. α. 1, 4 witende, (1 wittende, weotende), 4 north. dial. witand, wetand (Sc. vittand), 4–6 Sc. wittand; 4–6 witing, wyt-, etc., 5–6 weting, -yng(e, 6– witting.

c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. i. xxvii. (ed. Schipper) 95/1 No witende [orig. nesciens]. Ibid. iv. iii. (1890) 270 Ne weoten⁓dum [orig. nescientibus]. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John, Introd. 2 Scienti, uitend. a 1340 Hampole Psalter x. 4 Witand his priuytes. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints v. (Johannes) 86 Wittand na wa. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 2714 Noon..wetyng what sche ment. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. N.T. Pref. 8 Well wetyng that [etc.]. 1867 Bailey Universal Hymn 8 Witting nought.

    7. pa. pple. α. 1–5 witen, (2 wy-, 4 -in), 4–5 witten, 5 wytene, wetyn, -un, -en(e, Sc. 5 witting, 5–6 -in, witne, 6 Sc. wyttin, 8 (?) wit. β. 3, 5 west, 4 weste, 4–6 wyst, 5 wyste, wiste, 4– wist.

α c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xii. 2 Nis nan þing..behydd þæt ne sy witen [Hatton Gosp. ᵹewyten]. a 1300 Cursor M. 6996 In his time war þe fabus written, Þat yeit er thoru þe bokes witten [Gött. witin, Trin. witen]. a 1400 Morte Arth. 869 Hade I wytene of this. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 1810 Sho lete als sho him noght had sene, Ne wetyn that he thar had bene. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. cxxxviii. 435 Gif þai had witting, herd, or sene. c 1470 Harding Chron. lxxvi. v, To be written..euer to be knowen and weten. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 604 And I had wittin. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 32, I wald þat it wer wittin. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. x. (S.T.S.) II. 444 Gif the peple had witne. 17.. Jamie Douglas ii. in Child Ballads IV. 98 An I had wit what I wit now.

β a 1300 Cursor M. 18130 Als he had wist it noght. c 1300 Harrow. Hell 33 (Digby MS.) Suþþen haui þoled and west [Harl. MS. wyst] Boþe chele, hounger and þurst. a 1320 K. Horn. 1484 (Harl.) Knyhtes of þe beste Þat he euer hede of weste. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xiii. 67 Y haue wiste suche men. ? 1482 Cely Papers (Camden) 131 And y had west that ȝe would a taked so sor. 1526 wyst [see had-I-wist]. 1792 [see B. 7]. 1844 wist [see B. 1 d].

    B. Signification. I. Simple senses.
    1. trans. To have cognizance or knowledge of; to be aware of; to know (as a fact or an existing thing). a. with simple obj.: = know v. 8, 11 f.

971 Blickl. Hom. 117 Frunan maran þinges þonne ænᵹes mannes ᵹemet wære her on eorðan, þæt hit witan mihte. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John iv. 10 Ᵹif þu wistest godes ᵹyfe, & hwæt se is þe cwið to þe, syle me drincan. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 35 Nis nan sunne þet he [sc. the priest] ne con; oðer he heo wat ðurh, þet he heo dude him seolf. a 1200 Moral Ode 112 in O.E. Hom. I. 167 Þe ðe lest wat biseið ofte mest, þe hit al wat is stille. c 1200 Ormin 11259 Þiss wast tu wel to soþe. c 1250 Hymn to God 12 in Trin. Coll. Hom. App. 258 Þu þe wost al ure þoucht, louerd drauȝ us neor þe. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 129 Þe welder of wyt, þat wot alle þynges. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 638 A bettere kniȝt wot y non. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 389 For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe. Ibid. 595 Wel wiste he by the droghte, and by the reyn, The yeldynge of his seed, and of his greyn. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) xxix, The trauthe fulle litulle thay wote. c 1460 Play Sacram. 679 The best Counsayle that I now wott. c 1500 Lancelot 225 None wist his nome. 1530 Tindale Lev. v. 17 Though he wist it not, he hath yet offended. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 105 If ye had wist the cause of our comming. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 13 The perill of this place I better wot then you. 1642 H. More Song of Soul ii. liii, You are Heavens Privy-Counsellour, I understond, Which I wist not before. 1753 Richardson Grandison III. xxxi. 347 Wot ye not the indelicacy of an early present, which you are not obliged to make? 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxix, I wot that but too well.

    b. with dependent statement (sometimes anticipated by a pronoun (it, this) as obj., which in the pass. const. becomes the subj.): = know v. 11 a.

Beowulf 821 Grendel..wiste þe geornor þæt his aldres wæs ende gegongen. 971 Blickl. Hom. 121 Hie wiston þæt heora eþel..sceolde..ᵹeseted weorþan mid halᵹum sawlum. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xv. 8 Hu mæᵹ ic witan þæt ic hyt aᵹan sceal? c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxv. 24 Ic wat þæt ðu eart heard mann. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 147 He wiste siker þat hit wurðen solde. a 1250 Owl & Night. 61 Ich wot þat þu art vnMilde Wiþ heom þat ne Muwe from þe schilde. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3054 Nu ic wot we haue mis-don. c 1300 Havelok 1345, I wot, he wilen þe nouth werne. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 5151 Hit haþ ofte be wyst & sen, Þat wraþe bytwyxte kynde haþ ben. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 509, I will blythly apon me ta The state, for I wate that I have rycht. a 1400 Hymns Virg. (1867) 87 Þou woost not to-day þat þou schalt lyue to⁓morowe. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 8776, I wot my sylff yt ys nat so. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 22 Efter Leoun, was chosin a woman pape nocht wittand that scho was a woman. a 1516 More Rich. III Wks. 37/1 Whose death kyng Edwarde..when he wist it was done, pitiously bewailed. 1530 Tindale Gen. xx. 6, I wot it well that thou dydest it in purenesse of thi herte. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, ii. v. 16 As witting I no other comfort haue. 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 8, I wat on him she did na gloom. 1816 Scott Old Mort. v, Well wot I thou hast not heard the call of a true preacher. 1899 Century Mag. Dec. 300/2 They..witting little that the tide has long since turned.

    c. with dependent question (also ellipt.): = know v. 11 b.
    See also what pron. 8 b (quots. a 1000, c 1560, 1568, 1570, 1603) and watna-what.

Beowulf 2519 Nolde ic sweord beran,..ᵹif ic wiste hu wið ðam aᵹlæcean elles meahte ᵹylpe wiðgripan. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John viii. 14 Ic uat huona ic cuom & huidder ic ᵹeonge. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 45 Wel ic wat hwer ic sceal milcien. a 1225 Ancr. R. 96 Ne schalt tu neuer more eft witen hu me stont. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1201 Ich wot ȝef treon schule blowe; Ich wat ȝef cornes schule growe. a 1300 Cursor M. 64 Wydur to wende ne wat he noght. 1340 Ayenb. 9 To yelde þet he heþ of oþre manne kueadliche, yef he wot to huam. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 12 Þat I was in A Wildernesse, wuste I neuer where. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 452 It is reservyd to God, to wete wiche [sin] is dedly and which is venyal. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6646 At Rypoun hostelere he was, I ne wate how many ȝere. 1544 St. Papers Hen. VIII, X. 138 Forbicause..that two of his servauntes wer sick, he wist not wherof [etc.]. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxvi, Whether they speak Gaelic or no I wotna. 1842 Macaulay Battle of Lake Regillus xix, And none wist where he lay.

    d. with obj. and compl., or acc. and inf.: = know v. 11 c.

Beowulf 1309 Syðþan he aldorþeᵹn unlyfiᵹendne, þone deorestan deadne wisse. c 888 ælfred Boeth. xxvii. §1 Forðæm he hine wiste swiðe unᵹesceadwisne. a 1000 Colloq. ælfric in Wr.-Wülcker 90/2 We witan þe bilewitne wesan. c 1205 Lay. 15060 Anan swa heo me þer witen, awæi heo wulleð wenden. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1905 Maxencius þo he wste him come he adde of him gret doute. 13.. K. Horn 1372 (Harl.) Of ioie hue ne miste, O lyue ȝef hue þe wiste. c 1400 Destr. Troy 629, I wot me vnworthy þis wirdis to ffall. c 1462 Paston Lett. II. 87 In faith, my Lorde dyd quyte hym als curageously as ever I wist man do. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 2698, I haue wyttin gud wemen passe fra hame. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xxii. 10 It dois ȝow ay delyt To wit me in distress. 1571 Campion Hist. Irel. vi. (1633) 15 Hee never wist the matter to bee haynous. 1614 Sylvester Bethulia's Rescue vi. 276 Judith..Whom now the Murdress of his Lord hee wist. 1844 Mrs. Browning Brown Rosary i. iv, The grey border-stone that is wist To dilate and assume a wild shape in the mist.

    e. absol., or in parenthetic phrases (see also 11): = know v. 11 e. (See also had-I-wist.)
    I wot (occas. I wit), dial. awat (awyte), is often equivalent virtually to I wis (see wis v.²).

c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxxxi[i]. 5 Ne onᵹeatan hi, ne ᵹeara wistan. a 1300 Cursor M. 13607 ‘Hu es it sua þat he seis nu?’ ‘We ne wat, bot ask him-seluen hu.’ a 1300, 1724 [see A. 2 α]. c 1300 Havelok 2708 Þou wost ful wel, yif þu wilt wite, Þat aþelwold þe dide site On knes. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 867 Þou lext, ich vnder stand And wot! c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 182 Elye, wel ye witen In mount Oreb..He fasted longe. c 1400 Beryn 509 What dogg is þat?..wost þou ere? c 1450 Holland Howlat 429, I wryt as I wait. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 262 Als far as I wait, the nicht is furth gane. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. viii. 44 Them to renew, I wote, breeds no delight. 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xi. lxiii. 275 But, well I wot, Loue is a Lordly Feast. 1748 Thomson Cast. Indol. i. lxxiv, He led, I wot, the softest way to death. a 1774 I wyt [see wire n. 7]. 1775 [see A. 2 β]. 1830 Tennyson Second Song Owl, Thy tuwhits are lull'd, I wot.

    † (b) in subjunctive in phr. God wit or Crist wite.
    Cf. MHG. wiȥȥe Crist, etc.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 29 Eft, wite crist, heo is ful biter to betene. a 1225 Ancr. R. 250 God hit wute & he hit wot [etc.]. c 1300 Havelok 517 God it wite, he shal ben ded.

    2. intr. with of: To be aware of (as existing, or as happening or having happened); to know of (know v. 18 b). With negative, (a) to have no idea of, not to suspect; (b) to be unaware or unconscious of.
    In later use chiefly in the phr. that I, you (etc.) wot of.

c 1205 Lay. 17174 Ich what a wærc mid wundere bi-stonde. a 1225 Ancr. R. 88 Ȝare hit is þet ich wuste herof. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 7 Non..may of it non othere weyis wytyn But as he hath herd seyd or founde it wrytyn. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 40 He þat presumiþ and weniþ to wete verily of a þing. c 1460 Emare 579 He..wyste of no treson. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. x. 49, I wold I had wyst of hem, they shold not haue escaped so. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. x. (S.T.S.) II. 286 Our folk..met with thame..be chance the ane not witting of the vther. 1607 T. Rogers 39 Art. Pref. (1625) ¶ ¶ 1 We not weeting, nor..dreaming of any such matter. 1801 Wordsw. Prioress' T. xxvi, Those bad Jews..That of this murder wist. 1866 Alger Solit. Nat. ii. 58 Inspired by a splendid hope,..he wist not of hunger or of sneers. 1876 Whitney Sights & Insights II. iii. 363 We wit well of many things that we would never prove.

    † b. To have experience of: cf. know v. 18 a.

13.. Cursor M. 20508 (Gött.), I sal fare Þat i sal neuer witt of care. c 1400 Sowdone Bab. 3270 Gode lete hem never wete of woo! 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. xliv, A..prisoner..That..wote of noght bot wo. 1426 Audelay Poems 2 His soul never schal ponyschyd be, ne never wyt of wo.

    † 3. Passing into the sense: To become aware of, gain knowledge of, get or come to know; to find out, ascertain, discover; to be informed of, learn, ‘hear’ (at or of a person), esp. in answer to inquiry; hence sometimes virtually equivalent to ‘inquire, ask’. Cf. know v. 8, 18 b (obs. uses). Obs.
    Often not distinguishable from the simple sense ‘know’ (1 or 2), esp. with will or would (= wish, would like), or with ere, or (= before).
    a. trans. with simple obj., or in passive.

c 1000 [see A. 7 α]. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 562 Ȝef ha þe ȝet wule, þen ha wat hire woh, wiðstonden aȝein us. a 1300 K. Horn 288 (Camb.) To speke wiþ Rymenhild..& witen hure wille. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 4 To oridrace..alixandre wendus, Þere wilde contre was wist & wondurful peple. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 615 Harmes myghte folwen..If it were wyst. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 427 Nero..wolde wite..þe nombre of Iewes þat were at Ierusalem. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13486 Þai..Made hym wise of þe werke, þat þai wiste hade. 1450 Paston Lett. I. 111 They..sent in to me to weten if thei mytȝ speken with me. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 197 b/1 Anone as she wyste the comyng of the holy virgyne she wente to hir. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 291 Of my name wald ȝe wit the veritie, Forsuith, thay call me Sensualitie. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) iii. 19 Lat non knaw ȝo{supr} intentis; Be verry war or that thay wit ȝo{supr} myndis.

    b. with dependent statement or question or obj. and compl. (as in 1 b, c).

1132 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.), Þa wiste þe king ðat he feorde mid suicdom. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 41 Ȝif hwa wule witen hwa erest bi-won reste þam wrecche saule..ic eow segge. c 1205 Lay. 271 Witen he wolde þurh þa wiþer⁓craftes wat þing hit were. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1185 Þe pikes smite hom þoru out ar hii wuste wat hit were. a 1300 Cursor M. 13082 Iohn bigan at þam to wijt Quer iesus crist..yeitt Bigan wit werckes him to kiþe. c 1350 Will. Palerne 145 Whanne þis witty werwolf wiste him so schaped. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xi. (Simon & Judas) 366, & bad þe duk þat þai suld vyte quhat he wes þat [þat] had done. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. vi. 213 Now wolde I witen of þe what were þe best. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 35 Whenne he wysste her with chylde. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 136 He began to caste his eyen vpon his peple..for to wete how they were of nombre. 1530 Tindale Gen. ix. 24 As soone as Noe was awaked..and wyst what his yongest sonne had done. 1531 Dial. on Laws Eng. i. xvi. 38, I wolde wytte whether the partie shal be also dischargyd in the common lawe. 1535 Coverdale Exod. ii. 4 His sister stode a farre of, to wete what wolde come of him. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle v. 2094 Diligent enquirie made, they wist At length what was become of him. 1690 W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 524 He stood to wit what would be done.

    c. absol. or intr. with of.

1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 689 Alle þre he broȝte Þe doȝtren bi vore him to witen of hor þoȝte. a 1300 Cursor M. 20194 Quat es ti name..? Gladli þar-of wijt wald i. 1375 [see A. 4 ε]. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 509 Þis egg, or þe kyng wyst, to þe erth fallis. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems i. 49 And ȝe wole wyte, thus mowe ȝe lere. a 1450 How Merch. dyd Wyfe betray 103 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 201 Yf he wylle algatys wytt, Say in my chaumbyr y lye sore syke. c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. 22 Where wonnys Welthe, and a man wolde wyt? Ibid. 1654, I speke the softlyer, because he sholde not wete. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. x. 279 He come hame agane or euer thay wist. 1629 Maxwell tr. Herodian (1635) 52 On a sudden (ere any wist) there rusht among the people the Emperors armed Horsemen. 1795 Burns ‘O Lassie’ 2 O Lassie, are ye sleepin yet, Or are ye waukin, I wad wit?

    † 4. trans. To have practical knowledge of; to be conversant with or versed in: = know v. 9. Obs.

a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 445 He.. wiste..spræca fela. a 1250 Owl & Night. 195 He wot insiȝt in eche songe Wo singet wel, wo singet wronge. a 1300 Cursor M. 18938 For wel þai all langage wist. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7166 Tak & lef as þou sest skyle,..Bettere þan y þou wost þe dede. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 516 Swiche maner lorus, Þat þou miht..þe beste lawe kenne. Whan þou hit wisliche wost, wilne hit in herte.

    b. with to and inf.: To know how, be able: = know v. 12.

1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 99 Sin we wetin hur wil to worchen..We mowe be soþliche isaid hur seruauntus. c 1440 Generydes 53 He wyste not them to fynde. 1576 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 3) I. 14/2 He either wist not, or lyste not to shew his cunnyng therin. 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits v. (1596) 58 No Philosopher as yet wist to giue to euery difference of wit determinatly that which was his. 1893 F. Thompson Hound of Heaven 24 Fear wist not to evade, as Love wist to pursue.

    † 5. In imperative = ‘be assured’, ‘you may be certain’, and later in monitory formulæ and polite phrases (e.g. ye shall wit, please it you to wit) = ‘you must know’, ‘let me tell you’, ‘allow me to inform you’. Obs.

a 900–1000 [see A. 5]. c 1205 Lay. 15090 Wite þu..þat dead is Vortimer. c 1275 Passion our Lord 356 in O.E. Misc. 47 Yf Mi kyneriche were ine worlde þisse, Mine men wolde wyþstonde, wite þu myd iwisse. a 1300 Cursor M. 10185 Was neuer nan for-soth wijt yee Men of sua mikel cherite. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 60 Hit witen and witnessen þat woneþ vppon eorþe, Þat I, Fauuel [etc.]. c 1400 Rom. Rose 4782 Wite thou this, If thou fle it, it shal flee thee. c 1400 Mandeville vi. [v.] (1919) I. 26 Wyteth wel þat the rewme of Arabye is a full gret contree. 1417 Hen. V in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. I. 61 We grete yow wel, and wol ye wite that thambassiatours..have been here. 1425 Paston Lett. I. 21 Preyeng yow to wite that I have resceyved yowr goodly lettres. c 1450 Merlin 13 Wite well that god shall helpe yow. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 15 Ȝe sall witt that the sevyn angelis signifyis the sevin partis of the tyme. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 98 Thow sall rew in thi ruse, wit thow but wene. 1476 Stonor Papers (Camden) II. 2 Ples it you to wete, this same day I depart to Cales wardes. 1539 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 196 Please it your excellente Maiestie to witte that [etc.]. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. x. 57 First thow sall wit, he was sone natural To James the Fyft. 1608 Shakes. Per. iv. iv. 31 Please you wit: The Epitaph is for Marina writ.

    † 6. with to and inf.: To be certain or confident, feel sure, expect confidently. (Cf. know v. 10.) Obs.

1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2057 He was glad, uor he wuste wel to winne al is wille. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 224 He was an esy man to yeue penaunce Ther as he wiste to haue a good pitaunce. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems vii. 41 Ȝif he wiste to heuene to go. c 1440 Jacob's Well 177 My conscyens telde me, þat ȝif I had wyst to haue lyued, I wolde noȝt have sorwyd for my synnes.

    † 7. To experience: = know v. 5 c. Obs. rare.

a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 8 Oure eldris..That mykell wiste of wo and wele. a 1510 Douglas K. Hart i. 86 This cumlie court..No wandreth wait, ay wenis welth endure. 1792 A. Wilson Watty & Meg 138 Meg..Sic a change had never wist.

    8. To recognize; to distinguish, discern, detect: = know v. 1, 1 b, 4. Obs. or rare arch.

a 1300 Cursor M. 781 O wityng bath god and ill Ȝee suld be lauerds at ȝour will. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 1002 Men han wit for to wite þe wikke & þe gode. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) iv. 44 In þat morning fell a myst, And when oure Ingliss men it wist, It changed all þaire chere. 1555 T. Phaer æneid. i. (1558) B ij, Whan he his mother wist, He folowed fast and cald (alas) what mean you, thus to list In fayned shapps..to apeare? 1842 Mrs. Browning Grk. Chr. Poets (1863) 98 If by chance an Attic voice be wist.

    II. Phrases.
    9. † a. do to wit, also without to (do v. 22 c): to cause (a person) to know, make known to, inform. Also (rarely) give to wit (give v. 29 c). Const. as in 1 and 2. Obs.

c 1205 Lay. 3163 Ich do þe wel to witene,..þat mi drihliche lond atwa ich habbe ideled. Ibid. 27150 Arður hafde his hauwares..and sone duden him to witen whuder he wolde wenden. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1302 He saȝt ðe stede Ðe god him witen in herte dede. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 14782 Seint Bede doþ vs to wyten Whilk were gode, whilke were elles. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. viii. 13, I..preyed hem..If þei knewe any contre..Where þat dowel dwelleth, doth me to wytene. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) iii. 8, I do ȝow to wit þat Constantinople es riȝt a faire citee. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxvi. 253 Ye myght haue done me to wete of his comynge. 1524 in Hakluyt Voy. (1599) II. 77 Wee giue you to weet, that we haue receiued your letters. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. xv. 2, I do you to witt [1611 I declare vnto you] after what maner I preached vnto you. 1600 Holland Livy xxix. xxiv, He did them to weete and understand, that hee intended..to conduct his armada to Lilybæum. a 1604 Hanmer Chron. Irel. (1633) 193 We doe you wit, that such a Law and Custome is in England. 1674 [see do v. 22 c].

    b. let wit, rarely † let to wit (let v.¹ 12, 13): to let (a person) know (a thing): (a) to inform (one), or to make (something) known (= a); (b) to allow (one) to know, or (something) to be known, to disclose, reveal; † (c) occas. to show, exhibit. Const. as in a. Obs. exc. dial.

c 1205 [see let v.1 13]. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9788 Þe point of is suerd..at canterbury þe monekes lateþ wite, Vor honour of þe holi man. c 1340 Hampole Prose Treat. 4 He lett me wyete..þat he ne is fundene in þe lande of softly lyfande. c 1400 Rom. Rose 3145 Thou art wel worthy to haue maugree To late hym of the Roser wite. c 1440 Generydes 4153 If ye knowe wher that I may hym fynde, Now lete me wete, I prae yow. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) C, I lette the to witte, that the Rodyan people are curteis. a 1547 Surrey in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 219, I let the wete thou shalt not play with me. 1592 Kyd Sp. Trag. iv. iv, Solyman saluteth thee, And lets thee wit by me his highnes will. 1600 Fairfax Tasso v. lxxxvi, From Egypt come they all, this lets thee weete [rime fleete]. 1794 [see let v.1 13]. 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss. s.v., ‘I'll ne'er let wit’, I'll not inform, or I'll keep it secret. 1890 Hall Caine Bondman ii. i, [He] never let wit of his intention.

    10. to wit. † a. it is to wit (also to witting): it is to be observed, noted, or ascertained; so it were to wit, it needs investigation, one ought to know. Obs.

c 1320 Cast. Love 783 Of þe middel heuȝ is to wite Þe swetnesse and þe feirschipe. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 431 Hit were to witen Whi þe bataille of Troye was smiten. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 114 It were to wite þe moral sense of þese wordis. c 1380 ― Wks. (1880) 328 It were to wite..wheþer priue confession made to prestis be nedeful. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iii. ii. (Tollem. MS.), Firste it is to wetynge what þinge the soule is. Ibid. xvii. ii. (Add. MS. 27944), It is to wytynge [ed. 1495 wyte] þat a graffe..chaungeþ þe..qualite of þe stok in to his owne..qualite. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xiii. 223 For the more cleering of this present answere, it is to wite that a thing is holi in three maners. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 246 Bot quhethir his awin legis ar behaldyn to kepe his assuraunce, in that poynt it is to wit. 1511 Guylforde's Pilgr. (Camden) 47 It is to wyt that the Holy Londe..in parte..was called y⊇ kyngdome of Jude. 1628 Coke On Litt. 16 And it is to wit, that this word (inheritance) is not only intended where a man hath Lands or Tenements by discent of inheritage. [Comm.] Et est ascauoire. This kinde of speech is vsed..oftentimes by our Authour..and euer teacheth vs some rule of Law, or generall or sure leading point.

    † b. that is to wit (also to witting) = AF. cestasavoir literally ‘that is to know’: that is to say, that is, namely: = L. scilicet, videlicet (viz.); occas. = id est (i.e.). Obs. replaced by the simple to wit, c (b).

1340 Ayenb. 1 Tuaye lettres of þe abece, þet is to wytene A. and b. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints i. (Petrus) 403 Twa substance, þat is to wyt, Of devel and man, to-gyddir knete. a 1400 Engl. Gilds (1870) 349 Þese ben þe olde vsages of þe Cite of Wynchestre..Þat is to wetynge, þat [etc.]. 1440 in 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. 360/2 Ȝeldynge there of by the ȝere to the forseyde Johan, that ys to wetynge, the furste ȝere [6s. 8d.] and every ȝere after [13s. 4d.]. 1484 Caxton Fables of Poge v, The whiche parte was iumelle that is to wete double. 1496 Bk. St. Albans, Fishing h j, Your harnays. That is to wyte your rodde: your lynes. 1526 Tindale Matt. xxiii. 8 For one ys youre master, that is to wytt Christ. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. 75 Where of we haue hearde a grete wonder, that is to wete, that that same kynde dieth & lyueth agayn. 1579–80 North Plutarch, Theseus (1595) 8 Vpon conditions agreed betweene them: that is to wit, that the Athenians should furnish them with a shippe.

    c. to wit: (a) ‘To be sure’, as one may know, truly, indeed. Obs. or rare arch.

c 1400 Song of Roland 850 Ther fell..A straung wedur. A gret derk myst in the myd-day-tym,..the erthe dynnyd doillfully to wet. c 1400 Melayne 222 Þay..bade hym come owte with þam to fyghte, To witt with owtten wene. c 1400 Destr. Troy 14002 The worthiest to wete, þat in wer deghit. 1581 A. Hall Iliad ix. 166 No fault so great to wit, Which at the prayer of faultie folkes the Gods do not remit. 1748 Thomson Cast. Indol. i. xxv, He was, to weet, a little roguish Page. 1819 Keats On Charles Armitage Brown i, He is to weet a melancholy carle.

    (b) That is, namely, scilicet.
    In former law practice used to indicate (and placed after the name of) the venue of a trial.

1577 Wolton Cast. Christians B viij b, That common saying.., that the beginning of vertue is of Nature, to wyt of Perfect Nature. 1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love B j, The same testimonye that ye alledge, to weete, that they had Moses and the Prophets. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. x. 1 Some Clarkes doe doubt..Whether this heauenly thing, whereof I treat, To weeten Mercie, be of Iustice part. 1608 J. King Serm. 24 Mar. 12 He..reigned long, to weete, fourty years. 1621 T. Granger Eccles. vi. 3. 137 An abortiue child, to wit, one that is borne before his time, and dyeth in his birth. 1657 Style Reg. Pract. 351 Incertain words in the Count or Declaration, may be made good..by a plea in Bar. Hill 22 Car. B. r. To wit, by the Defendants taking notice of the meaning of them in his plea. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 43 ¶9 Accounting for what we frequently see, to wit, that dull Fellows prove very good Men of Business. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters I. 39 In certain degrees of heat, to wit, in thirty three of Fahrenheit's thermometer, and upwards, water is always fluid. 1765 G. Wilson Raymond's Entries III. 168 Allen against Harris...Kent, (to wit). 1823 Broadsheet (Bodl. G. A. Oxon. b. 112, lf. 80), Oxfordshire to Wit. Sentences of the Prisoners, Who were tried at the Summer Assizes at Oxford. 1832 Bingham Rep. Comm. Pleas VIII. 235 At Martinmas 1830, to wit, on the 23d of November 1830. 1852 Oxford Chron. 3 July 1/5 advt., Oxfordshire Election. Proclamation for a Special County Court. Oxfordshire to wit. 1875 Maine Hist. Instit. iv. 114 Thrice nine ridges.., to wit, nine of bog, nine of smooth and nine of wood.

    11. God wot (also † God it wot; † Godwot, God ote, goddot): God knows. a. Used to emphasize the truth of a statement. arch. So † wot Christ.

a 1225 Ancr. R. 54 God hit wot,..more wunder ilomp. Ibid. 330 Wat Crist hit is god riht þet us scheome biuoren monne. c 1300 Havelok 2527 For he it made, god it woth! a 1300–1859 [see god n. 10 a]. c 1400 Anturs Arth. 547 (Ireland MS.) ‘Greselle’, quod Gauan, ‘gone is, God ote!’ 1865 [see A. 4 α]. 1883 R. Broughton Belinda III. 83 She has good reasons enough, God wot! 1893 T. E. Brown Old John etc. 177 A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot!

    † b. With dependent interrogative or absol., implying that the thing spoken of is utterly unknown.

1390 Gower Conf. I. 3 What schal befalle hierafterward God wot. c 1400 Beryn 1201, I am I-weddit! ȝe, God woot beste, in what maner & howe! c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xii. 53, I wate noȝt; God wate. a 1500 Peblis to the Play 7 God wait þai wald þai do þat stound. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xiii. 134 God wait gif ȝe be Jaips to hald in stoir. 1646 [see god n. 10 b].

    † 12. to wit (a person) to say: to inform or instruct him. Obs.
    ? A misuse due to confusion with witere, witter v. (cf. the reading of later text in quot. c 1205 s.v.).

a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 241 Þat semely qwene Ai of Egipt erd enquirid if he were,..scho wetis if he wald wete hire to say. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11467 He shuld..spir at hom specially of hor spede fer; If þai hade wille to þe werke, wete hom to say,..glose hit not lengur. Ibid. 13580 He fraynet at þe freke.., Wat whe þat he was, wete hym to say.

▪ IV. † wit, v.² Obs.
    Also 5 wyte, 5–6 wyt(t, 6 witt(e; 5 pa. tense wytte; 6 pa. pple. witte.
    [app. inferred from witword testament, bequest. Cf. bewit(t (1436 and 1587), by-forms of bequeathe by contamination with this.]
    trans. To bequeath. Hence † witting vbl. n., bequest.

1393 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) I. 184, I wyte and I commend my saule to all myghty God & to our lady synte Mary. 1406 E.E. Wills (1882) 12, Y wyt to the person of my paryssh vj s. viij d. c 1420 Lay Folks Mass Bk. 86 He wytte his saul to his fadyr. c 1450 Ibid. 71 All..þat..in testment wytes any gode in mayntenyng of þis kirk. 1483 Cath. Angl. 421/1 To Wytt gude, legare. 1504 Will in Ripon Ch. Acts (Surtees) 295 The residue of my gude nott witte. 1547 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 257, I give and wit my soule unto Almighty God.

▪ V. wit, v.³
    [f. wit n.]
    a. intr. with it: To play the wit; to make witty remarks. b. trans. as a meaningless repetition of the word just used, by way of a vague threat. c. trans. To call (a person) a wit, attribute wit to. (All nonce-uses.)

1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. v. 92 They beginne to be wanton, and to wit it one upon another. a 1662 Heylin Laud (1668) 260 Others..impute the Republishing of this Declaration to the new Archbishop,..after he took possession of his Graceship, as Burton doth pretend to wit it in his Pulpit Libell. 1679 Shadwell True Widow ii. 30 Sel... I think they are all out of their wits... Prig. Prithee Stanmore be my Second, I'll wit him with a Pox to him. 1778 F. Burney Diary 26 Sept., Dr. Johnson. ‘Why, did Dr. Jebb forbid her wine?’ F. B. ‘Yes, sir.’ Dr. Johnson. ‘Well, he was in the right; he knows how apt wits are to transgress that way{ddd}’ In this sort of ridiculous manner he wits me eternally.

▪ VI. wit
    see whit, white, wight, wite, with.

Oxford English Dictionary