arch. and dial. Forms: 3–4 wiht, 3–5 wiȝt, (4 wicth, with, wiȝth, wit, Sc. vicht, vycht), 4–5 wyht(e, wiȝte, wyȝt(e, (vight), 4–6 wyght(e, wighte, Sc. wycht, 5 whight, whyght, wyt(e, whyt, white, (wygth, wyth, wythȝ, wyptȝ, weight), 5–6 Sc. wichte, 4– wight, Sc. wicht. [a. ON. vígt used in phrase = in self-defence; neut. of vígr of fighting age, skilled in arms; f. OTeut. wīg- (waig-, wig-), for other derivatives of which see WI sb. Other adoptions of ON. adjs. in the neuter form are quert, scant, thwart, want.]
1. Strong and courageous, esp. in warfare; having or showing prowess; valiant, doughty, brave, bold, ‘stout.’ a. of a person, esp. a warrior.
c. 1205. Lay., 777. Wihte wal-kempen on heora wiðer-winnan. Ibid., 20575. Seoue þusen monnen, ohte men and wihte. Ibid., 21359. Fif and twenti þusend whitere monnen.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 456. Mid six þousend wiȝtemen.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6409. ‘Cheues þe,’ he said, ‘wit man an freck And ga fight a-pon amalec.’
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3293. He wist him wiȝht of dede.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, v. (Johannes), 610. In Ingland þat tym ves a knycht, In ded of armys þat ves vycht.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., III. ii. 269. Thre thousande wicht men of Iuda.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, V. 1057. Schyr Jhon the Grayme, with Wallace that was wycht.
c. 1510. Lytell Geste Robyn Hode, III. 17. Say me now wyght yonge man What is now thy name?
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 131. Or ane inuincible mynd, and a wichte weiriour.
1601. Munday & Chettle, Death Robt. Earl of Huntington, I. i. Where is Robin Hood, And ye wight Scarlet?
1775. Hobie Noble, xxiii. in Child, Ballads, VII. 3/1. Had he been as wight as Wallace was.
1808. Scott, Marm., VI. xx. O for one hour of Wallace wight.
1858. Morris, Def. Guenevere, etc., 107–8.
| They ought to sing of him who was as wight | |
| As Launcelot or Wade. |
b. of actions or personal attributes.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 10516. Knyght Þat losed was of dedes wyght.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, iii. (Andreas), 542. For warldis wa oþir is licht, And may be tholit with hart wycht.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1098. The worde of your werkes & your wight dedis … passes o fer!
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, viii. 12. That many ane fo in feild hes put to flycht, In weiris wicht.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 248. Quhen Eugenie had won sa wicht a victorie.
2. Strong, vigorous, robust, stalwart, mighty; exercising strength, energetic (passing into 3).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9003. Sampson þat wightest was in lijf.
c. 1300. Havelok, 344. He was fayr man, and wicth.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. IX. 21. Sire worche-wel-wyth-þine-hande, a wiȝte man of strengthe.
a. 1400. Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1914), 57. In þe fermory of this religyon are moo seke þan hole, mo febyll þan wighte.
c. 1440. York Myst., xviii. 219. Are was I wayke, nowe am I wight.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, c j b. It is goode to make her to mewe, bot specialli it shall make her wight after hir soore aage.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), ii. 33. William wichttar wes of corss Nor Sym, and bettir knittin.
a. 1600. Floddan F., vii. (1664), 62. And of thy hands hardy and wight.
1726. Fleming’s Fulfilling Script. (ed. 5), Table Scots Phr., Wight, strong or clever.
† b. Powerful, forcible, violent; powerful in effect, strong. (Also absol.) Obs.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1591. In þe wyȝt-est of þe water, þe worre hade þat oþer.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VI. 659. The Scottis all as swyne lyis droukyn thar, Off our wycht wyne.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 36. In wickit wedderis and wicht.
1583. Leg. Bp. St. Androis, 786. Wachting the wyne, for it was wicht.
† c. Strong to resist force; strongly built or constructed; stout. Obs.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 1029. Swiche meting was neuer non made Wiþ worþli wepen wiȝt.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., clxxiii. 5404. The wardane has þat castell tane, And saw it wycht of lyme and stane.
c. 1440. Generydes, 3634. I must haue A shippe bothe good and wight, And that it be right swift vnder a saile.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), II. 318. Though the braunches be stronge and wyght.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, xxxii. 96. He toke fro me ye toure and a wyght harnes.
1583. Leg. Bp. St. Androis, 930. Sayand, he wald ride furth a whyle, To seay a bow that was sumthing wicht.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xli. 42. The freikis on feildis That wight wapins weildis.
3. Moving briskly or rapidly; active, agile, nimble, quick; swift, fleet.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 120. Thar na horss is in this land Sa wycht, na ȝeit sa weill at hand.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 166. I is ful wight god waat as is a raa.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 298. Hem that ben delivere and wyhte.
c. 1430. How Gd. Wijf tauȝte hir Douȝtir, 120, in Babees Bk. (1868), 41. Manye handis & wight Make an heuy worke light.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 527/1. Wyte, or delyvyr, or swyfte.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xxxii. 121. Sche was so wyght of fote, that no man myght Rynne with hire by a grete space.
c. 1480. Henryson, Fox, Wolf & Cadger, 233. The wolf was wicht, and wan away.
1548. Patten, Exped. Scot., C vij. If Carres horse had not ben exceding good & wight his lordship had surely run him thrugh.
1586. Whitney, Choice Emblems, 107. Since fame is wighte of winge.
1703. Thoresby, Lett. to Ray, Gloss (E.D.S.), Wight, swift.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, I. xxii. Mount thee on the wightest steed.
B. adv. 1. Actively, nimbly, energetically; quickly, rapidly, swiftly. Obs. or dial.
13[?]. Cursor M., 3836 (Gött.). Iacob lifted vp þat ston ful wight.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 103. Cables þay fasten, Wiȝt at þe wyndas weȝen her ankres.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1762. Wiȝt wallande Ioye warmed his hert.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxii. 264. Sithen we fled away full wight.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 341. The rest of airchouris schott far and wight.
1787. W. Taylor, Scots Poems, 65. Down the brae I gaed fu’ wight.
† 2. Quickly, without delay, directly, immediately. Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 617. I schal wynne yow wyȝt of water a lyttel.
c. 1430. Hymns Virgin (1867), 49. Euerlastynge ȝatis, openeþ wight!
c. 1485. Digby Myst., III. 227. My lord, it xall be don ful wygth.
1606. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. Magnificence, 726. Their winged words th’ effect ensues as wight.
C. Comb. † wight-rider, a stout and active horseman; a mounted raider; so † wight-riding a. (see also quot. 1894); wight-wapping a. [WAP v.1], moving rapidly, or characterized by such movement.
1569. in Strype, Ann. Ref. (1709), I. lv. 556. ‘About the Queen,’ say good-fellows, *Wight-riders and Robbers in the Borders of the two Realms.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Vn rodeur ou coureur, a roder or wigh[t]rider.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 22. Too the number of a sixteen *wight riding men.
1894. Northumb. Gloss., Wight-riding, of the upper class. (Obs.)
1830. Scott, Ayrshire Trag., I. 1. The weaver shall find room At the *wight-wapping loom.
Hence † Wightlayke a. [? -LIKE influenced by -LAIK], quick, immediate (cf. B. 2 above); † Wightling [-LING1 1], a valiant man, a brave warrior; † Wightship, valor, bravery.
c. 1450. Mirour Saluacioun (1888), 144. *Wightlayke delyvrenesse with out ony tarditee.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 8093. Galathin com swiþe flinge Wiþ þre þousand *wiȝtling. Ibid., 7653. Of *wiȝtschippe & cheualrie.
