v. Obs. Also 6–7 crosbite. [CROSS- 6.]
1. trans. To bite the biter; to cheat in return; to cheat by outwitting; to ‘take in,’ gull, deceive.
1532. Dice-Play (Percy Soc.), 30. If ye lack contraries, to crosbite him withall, I shall lend you a pair of the same size that his cheats be.
1591. Greene, Disc. Coosnage, To Reader. When a broaking knaue cros-biteth a Gentleman with a bad commoditie.
1672. Wycherley, Love in Wood, V. vi. Fortune our foe … By none but thee our projects are cross-bit.
1717. Prior, Alma, III. 365. As Nature slily had thought fit, For some by-ends to cross-bite wit.
1823. Scott, Peveril, xxviii. If your Grace can … throw out a hint to crossbite Saville, it will be well.
2. To attack or censure bitingly or bitterly.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. xii. 5. He crossebyteth the courtly clawebackes [sed aulicos calumniatores perstringit].
1581. Rich, Farewell (1846), 154. She … would crossbite hym with tauntes and spitefull quippes.
1685. F. Spence, House of Medici, 416. The Pope … unwilling to incense him by fruitlesly cross-biting his election.
1697. Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., II. (1709), 74. Cross biting a Country Evidence, and frighting him out of Truth, and his Senses.
Hence † Crossbite sb., a cheat, trick, swindle, deception; † Crossbiter, one who ‘crossbites,’ a swindler; † Crossbiting vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1591. Greene, Disc. Coosnage, To Rdr. When the nip, which the common people call a cutpurse, hath a cros-bite by some bribing officer.
1692. Wagstaffe, Vind. Carol., xxvi. 120. Unless he could give them the Cross-bite.
1711. Puckle, Club (1817), 98. Besides the danger of a cross-bite.
1592. Greene, Groat’s W. Wit, D iv b. The legerdemaines of nips, foysts, conicatchers, crosbyters.
1656. Earl Monm., Advt. fr. Parnass., 185. Dame Nature, who greatly hates cheaters, and crosbiters.
1576. Whetstone, Rocke of Regard, 21, marg. (N.). Crosbytinge, cusnage vnder the couler of friendship.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., XV. 239/551. The crosse-biting Phænissians.
1674. Cotton, Compl. Gamester, 16. They effect their purpose by Cross-byting, or some other dexterity.
a. 1734. North, Exam., I. ii. § l. (1740), 55. Affronts, Tergiversations, Crossbitings, personal Reflections, and such like.
