Obs. Chiefly north. Also 4 wite-, 4–6 wyt-, 5 wytte-, 6 witt-; 4–5 -worde; 6 wytward. [OE. witword contract, agreement, f. wit- WIT v.1 + WORD sb.; later associated with WIT v.2] A will or testament; also, a covenant (in the scriptural sense): = TESTAMENT sb. 1, 4.

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997[?].  Laws Æthelred, III. 3. Landcop & hlafordes ʓifu … & lahcop & witword & ʓewitnes, þæt þæt stande, þæt hit nan man ne awende.

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c. 1080.  Charter Will. I., in Thorpe, Charters (1865), 439. Ofer þæm landum ðe Ealdred ærcebiscop hæfð siðþan beʓitan … on witword oððe on caupland.

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a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter xxiv. [xxv.] 10. To sekand his witeword.

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1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 153. Fulfille I salle in dede þe kynges witworde.

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1393.  Test. Ebor. (Surtees), I. 186. In kase be that this wytword will noght perfurnysche, I will it be abrydged.

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1411.  26 Pol. Poems, x. 101. Man, how darst þou … My wit word wiþ by mouþ teche, And in þy werkis þou seyst hit nay?

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1471.  Test. Ebor. (Surtees), III. 180. I will that bothe my ls wyll and my wytword be fulfyld of the hoole that is my propyr guddys at this tyme.

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1555.  Churchw. Acc., Wigtoft, Linc. (Nichols, 1797), 199. Rec. for ye Wytword of Willm Brygthe 1s.

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