v. Obs. Forms: Inf. 1 agylt-an, agilt-an, 2–4 agult-en, 2–5 agilt-en, 3–4 agelt-en, agelt-e, agult-e, 4–5 agilt(e, 4–6 agylt(e, 5 aguylt(e. Pa. t. 1–5 agylte, agilte, 2–4 agulte, 3–4 agelte. Pa. pple. 1–5 agylt, agilt, 2–4 agult, 3–4 agelt, 4–5 aguylt, agulted, agilted. [f. A- pref. 1 intens. + gylt-an: see GUILT. The forms in u (ü) are s. w., in e s. e., in i, y, midl. and north.]
1. intr. To be guilty, transgress, offend, sin (with, against, to, towards).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xl. 1. Tweʓen afyryde men agylton wið heora hláford.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 17. Ȝif þu agultest, oðer suneȝest toward drihten.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 211. He agilt wið gode.
c. 1230. Ancren Riwle, 346. ‘Mea culpa:’ Ich agulte; Louerd, merci! Ibid., 186. Ne warien hwon me agulteð to ou.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melib., 860. Dampnably we have agilt ageinst youre highe lordschipe.
c. 1450. Merlin, 19. My moder ought to be quyte, for she hath no thynge aguylte.
2. trans. To be guilty towards, to sin against, to offend, wrong. (The obj., orig. dat., becomes acc.)
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 195. Þauh he ðe habbe swuðe agult.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 79. And naðemore haten him, þe him agilteð.
c. 1340. Ayenb., 65. Huanne man agelt his treuþe.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Parson’s T., 910. He hath agultid his God and defoulid his soule.
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Prin., 1399. Cast thou thyne eye abak, What thou god hast agilt in tyme past.
3. trans. To be guilty to the peril of, to sin away.
c. 1320. Seuyn Sages (W.), 686. Yit had he nowt agelt his lif.
4. causal. To make or declare guilty.
1530. Palsgr., 418/2. I agylte of trespas. Je fays coulpable. Thou shalte neuer agylt me of this mater.
