▪ I. tite, tit, adv. (a.) Obs. exc. dial.
(taɪt), (tɪt)
Forms: α. 3– tite, 4–5 tyt, tytt(e, 4–8 tyte, 4–9 tit. β. 3–5 tid, tyd, 8 tide. γ. 4 tyȝt, tiȝt, tiht, 5 tyght(e. Compared titter, tittest: see titter adv.
[From Scandinavian: cf. ON. t{iacu}tt adv., ‘frequently, often’, neuter of t{iacu}ðr adj., ‘frequent, eager’, OSw. tid ‘repeatedly, quickly’ (Södervall II. 627), Norw. and Sw. dial. tidt ‘quickly’ (Aasen, Ross, Rietz), the development being ‘repeatedly, at short intervals, quickly’. The γ-forms are app. erroneous spellings.]
Quickly, soon. Obs. exc. as in c.
| a 1225 [implied in titely]. a 1300 E.E. Psalter xxxvi. 2 Als wortes of grenes tite fal sal þai. a 1300 Cursor M. 18497 Þai war transfigurd als tite [Laud tyȝt] Was neuer i-wis snau sa quite. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13235 Archers..on þe Romayns smyten ful tit. c 1350 Will. Palerne 133 But truly tiȝt hadde þat quene take hire to rede. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7126 Full tid in hire tene turnys he þe qwell. Ibid. 8002 Ector toke hit full tyd. ? c 1410 Sir Cleges 291 Goo bake..Full tyghte without teryyng! c 1450 Mankind 152 in Macro Plays 6 Felouse, go we hens tyght! 1575 Gamm. Gurton i. iv. A iv, That chal, gammer, swythe and tyte, and sone be here agayn. ? 16.. in Drake Eboracum i. vi. (1736) 192 The serjeants shall bring sufficient distress to the court, such as will most disease him and the tittest will gar him answer. |
† b. as tit, als tit, also tit, als tid, etc.: as soon, as quickly, immediately. (Cf. F. aussitôt; also ON. semt{iacu}ðast with all speed, at once, immediately.)
| [c 1320–1450: see alstite, astite.] 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1213 Ouer-tok hem, as tyd, tult hem of sadeles. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 61, I shal telle þe as tite [v.rr. tyt, tyte, tid] what þis tree hatte. 14.. Lybeaus Disc. 784 Than seyde Lybeaus al so tyte [etc.]. 14.. Tundale's Vis. 686 And als tyte [v.r. tyd] was he all hale. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 690 To the grownd he felle ase tyght. c 1450 Cov. Myst. iii. (Shaks. Soc.) 38 Ha don, and answere me as tyght. c 1460 Towneley Myst. iii. 219 We shalle assay as tyte. |
c. as tite..as, as soon..as, as readily, willingly, or well..as. dial.
| 1587 Durham Depos. (Surtees) 322, I may as tite be a ladye as thou a lord. 1876 Whitby Gloss. s.v., ‘I had as tite go as stay’. 1878 Cumberld. Gloss., ‘I'd as tite dea't as nut’. |
† d. as adj. Quick, swift. (rare and doubtful.)
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 6738 Menelaus, And Thelamon the tore kyng with theire tite batels. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) II. 258 Tytest that tyme he wes of ony vther Agane Modred. Ibid. 305 Oswald, that tyme tytest of other. 1768 Ross Helenore i. 32 Wi' weet an wind sae tyte into my teeth, That it was like to cut my very breath. |
▪ II. tite
obs. pres. 3rd sing. of tide v.1; obs. erron. f. tight a.