Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 3–4 lite(n, 4–7 litte, 5 lytt, lytyn, 5–6 lytte, 6 litt, 9 let, 7–9 lit. [a. ON. lita, f. lit-r: see prec.]
1. trans. To color, dye; to stain.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 268. He liteð cruelte mid heowe of rihtwisnesse.
13[?]. Childh. Jesus, 657, in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr., LXXIV. 336. Thies clathis sente he hedire to mee For to litte thayme.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, lxvii. 25. Þat þi fote be littid in blode.
a. 1400. Burgh Laws, xx. (Sc. Stat. I). Na man bot a burges sall by woll to lytt [L. ad tingendum] na clathe to mak na schere.
1496. Fysshynge w. Angle (1883), 34. The wynges of the redde cocke hakyll & of the drake lyttyd yellow.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. x. 35. New sched blude littis thair armour cleyr.
1557–8. Act 4 & 5 Phil. & Mary, c. 5 § 3. The Wooll [shall] … bee first dyed, litted and coulered withe the coulour blue.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., Table 107. Wooll to be littid may not be bocht, bot be Burgessis.
1683. G. Meriton, Yorks. Dialogue, 622 (E. D. S.). I heve some Garne to send with thee to Lit.
a. 1823. Beattie, John o’ Arnha (1826), 15. Weel dy’d and litit through and through.
1841. R. W. Hamilton, Nugæ Lit., 359. To let is to dye, but not in fast colours.
2. intr. for refl. To blush deeply.
1801. Beattie, Parings (1873), 10 (E.D.D.). Wi’ this my face began to lit.
1888. D. Grant, Scotch Stories, 30. Her face littit scarlet.
Hence Lit, Litted ppl. a., dyed.
1483. Cath. Angl., 219/1. Littyd, jnfectus.
1820. J. Hogg, in Whitelaw, Bk. Sc. Song (1844), 509/2. Wi’ littit brogues an’ a’, lassie, Wow but ye’ll be vaunty!
1860. C. Innes, Scot. in Mid. Ages, viii. 237. A stone of litted wool.
1897. Shetland News, 28 Aug. (E.D.D.). Wi’ a hap o’ Sibbie’s an’ my muckle blue lit froke inunder her head an’ shooders.
