Forms (see also TIDE sb.): 3 White-sune tide, wit sonentid, 3–4 witeson(e)-, 3–6 Wytson-, 4 whitson(e)-, Witsun-, 4–6 Witson-, Witte-, 5 Qhythson-, 5–6 Whytson-, (Witsenstyde), 5–8 Whitson-, 7– Whitsuntide. β. 4 Wissen-, 5 whisson(e)-, Whysson(e-, Whyssen-, 6 Whyson-, 9 dial. Whissontide. [f. WHITSUN + TIDE sb.] The season of Whit Sunday; Whit Sunday and the days immediately following.

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c. 1205.  Lay., 31524. Hit ilomp an ane time to þan Whitesune tide [later text Witsontime] þat be king hehte of londen.

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1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 3111. Aȝen þe feste of witesontyd.

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c. 1330.  Rouland & V. (Abbotsf. Club), 16. At Ester, at Wissentide, And at seyn Iames day…, And in Yole.

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c. 1440.  Alphabet of Tales, 76. On a tyme when þe grete Emperour Henrie … held his whisson-tyde.

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1448.  Paston Lett., I. 70. Harry Goneld hath browth to me xls.,… and he seyth I xal have more or Qhythson tyd.

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1484.  Caxton, Chivalry, v. 52. To make and adoube a knyȝt it apperteyneth the day of some grete feste as Crystemas, Eester, Whitsontyd.

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1553.  in Sir W. Parker, Hist. Long Melford (1873), 97. At Witsenstyde.

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1600.  Marston, etc., Jack Drum’s Entert., I. (1601), A 3 b. Tis Whitson-tyde, and we must frolick it.

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1710.  Steele, Tatler, No. 178, ¶ 3. We wish … all our Customers a merry Whitsuntide.

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1859.  Tennyson, Marr. Geraint, 145. Arthur on the Whitsuntide before Held court at old Caerleon upon Usk.

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1916.  G. E. Buckle, Life of Disraeli, IV. i. 9. After Whitsuntide the general debate was resumed.

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  † b.  Used in early versions of N. T. for PENTECOST 1. Obs. (Cf. WHIT SUNDAY 1 b.)

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1382.  Wyclif, 1 Cor. xvi. 8. I schal dwelle at Effecy, til to Witsuntide [Tindale, vntill witsontyde; 1551 wytsontyde].

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  c.  attrib.

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1609.  B. Jonson, Silent Wom., III. i. I would haue you get your Whitsontide-velvet-cap.

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1611.  Coryat, Crudities, 9. A Whitsuntide foole … wearing a long coate, wherein there were many seuerall peeces of cloth of diuers colours.

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1687.  in Jrnl. Friends Hist. Soc. (1915), Oct., 182. Shee is willinge to sett out of London, the next 2nd day, after whitsuntide weeke soe called is ouer.

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c. 1755.  in B. Ward, Hist. St. Edmund’s Coll. (1893), App. 303. On all working days in ye Xmas and Whitsuntide Vacations, ye Scholars study at ye rate of an hour and a Quarter each day.

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1916.  G. E. Buckle, Life of Disraeli, IV. i. 7. The Whitsuntide recess [of Parliament] was approaching.

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