Obs. Forms: 1 witan, 2–4 wite (3 witte, imper. wit), 3–4 wyte (4 white); pres. 3rd sing. 2–3 wit; 3 wat, wot; pa. t. 2–4 wiste, 3–4 wuste (4 wist, wust, wste); pa. pple. 3–4 iwust, 4 iwist. [OE. witan, usually in compound bewitan (pres. -wát, pa. t. -wiste) BIWIT v.; cf. OFris. wita, OHG. wiȥȥên in giwiȥȥên, irwiȥȥên to be observant, watch, Goth. witan (pa. t. witada): f. Teut. wit-: see WIT v.1 In ME. dialects where the inf. ending -ie(n is not preserved, this verb is indistinguishable from WITIE v.2 Some ME. forms point to OE. wítan.]
1. trans. To keep, keep safe, guard, preserve, defend. Also refl.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 154. Þæt bið god swefen, wite þu þæt ʓeorne on þinre heortan.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 79. [He] brohte him to an hors huse, and bitahte hine þe hors horde to witene. Ibid., 85. Meiden þet hire meiden-hat wit.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 84, in O. E. Hom., I. 165. He wit and waldeð alle þing.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 29. Witte wel hwat þu hauest. Ibid., 31. Herdes … wittende here oref. Ibid., 137. To witen him of alle flesliche lustes.
c. 1205. Lay., 21302. Nu him is al swa þere gat þer he þene hul wat [c. 1275 wot].
c. 1230. Hali Meid. (1922), 16. Ȝef ha wit hire wiðute bruche.
c. 1275. Passion our Lord, 18, in O. E. Misc., 37. Yf we vs wyteþ from heuedsunne.
a. 1300. X Commandm., 34, in E. E. P. (1862), 16. Wit þe fram licheri.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl. (Camb. MS.) 756. His engin whan þu hit wite, Þe betere wiþ oþere þu miȝt þe wite.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 168. Two lawen Adam scholde i-wis Witen and holden in paradis.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. X. 67. Bote þei witen hem from wantounesse, whil þat þei ben ȝonge.
a. 1400. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 255. Ley þou þi fet to my pappe, And wite þe from þe colde.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 33. Voydyng slaundre, wyte the of gelousye.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 546. This wol from the wesel wite hein well.
Illustration of pa. t. and pa. pple.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 43. An meiden … þet wel wiste hire licome in alle clenesse.
c. 1205. Lay., 1693. Brutus … hine wel wuste.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 48. Wite wel þine heorte, uor soule lif is in hire, ȝif heo is wel iwust.
13[?]. St. Alexius (Trin. MS.), 102. Hy þoȝte on crist day and nyȝt And wiste [Laud MS. kepte] here fro senne.
a. 1325. MS. Rawl. B. 520, lf. 32. That eueriche contreie … ben so i wuste þat [etc.].
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 172. Ȝhe wist it as wel or bet as ȝif it were hire owne.
2. Const. clause: To take care, see (that).
a. 1000. Sec. Laws Cnut, lxxv. Wite se oðer … þæt he hit bete.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 154. Wite þæt þin ʓeþanc ne losiʓe.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 11. Wite ȝe þet ȝe ȝemen þenne halie sunnedei. Ibid., 53. Witeð eow þet ȝe ne beo noht þe foaȝe neddre.
3. To see, observe. Also intr. to look on.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1256. Hose wt þe swerd smite, Two kuynden he miȝte sen and wite [rhyme smite].
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 15860. Þat non ne scholde hem se ne wite [rhyme lite].
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2050. Þe wyȝe wynnez hym to, & wytez on his lyre.
Hence † Witing vbl. sb.2, keeping, custody.
c. 1225. Ancr. R., 418. Or swuche witunge is i-kumen muchel vuel.
