Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 3, 7, 9 lit, 4–5 litte, 5 lyt, 7, 9 litt. [a. ON. lit-r color, also countenance, corresponding etymologically to OE. and early ME. WLITE.]
1. A color, dye, hue; also, a stain.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1968. In kides blod he wenten it, ðo was ðor-on an rewli lit.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., 36. Whittore then the moren mylk, with leofly lit on lere.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4336. Nouthire to toly ne to taunde transmitte we na vebbis, To vermylion ne violett ne variant littis.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., V. vii. 1381. Fayr and quhyt, but ony lyt.
1768. A. Ross, in Whitelaw, Bk. Sc. Song (1844), 361/1. A pair o’ grey hoggers weil cluikit benew, Of nae other lit but the hue of the ewe.
1832. A. Henderson, Scot. Prov., 128. It’s like Pathhead lit—soon on, soon aff.
2. Dye-stuff; also, a batch of dyeing.
13[?]. Childh. Jesus, 677, in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr., LXXIV. 336. Bot we vs hame faste nowe hye Alle oure litte thane mone we tyne.
1457. Sc. Acts Jas. II. (1814), II. 49/1. It is sene speidfull, þat lit be cryit vp, and vsyt as it was wont to be.
1612. Sc. Bk. Rates, in Halyburton’s Ledger (1867), 321. Litt, callit orchard litt, the barrell—xii li.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 432. It is excellent litt.
1822. Hibbert, Descr. Shetld. Isles, 442. The Lichen tartareus yields a lit or dye, that was formerly an article of commercial notice.
1884. D. Grant, Lays & Leg. North, 4. The dyster … lost … a’ his claith, His bowies, pots, an’ lit.
3. attrib. and Comb., as lit-pot, -vat (see Eng. Dial. Dict.); lit-house = DYE-HOUSE 1.
1662. in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, III. 605. [Confession] M. B. and I went in to A. Cumings litt-hows in Aulderne.
