Also 4–5 smyt-, 5 smete. [f. SMITE v. But the ME. examples represent smĭte, of similar formation to bĭte BIT sb.1]

1

  1.  A stroke or heavy blow with a weapon, the hand, etc., or the sound made by this. Now chiefly rhet. (Cf. SMIT sb.3)

2

  c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 207. Þenne me hine pined mid hunger,… and smerte smiten of smale longe ȝerden.

3

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9013. Þo þe smite [v.r. smytyn] of lance was ido to þe suerd hii nome.

4

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 9774 (Kölbing). It carf so wel, men miȝt delite, Þat witeþ þe geaunce of þis smite.

5

1340.  Ayenb., 140. Ase zone ase he y-hyerþ þane smite of þe lodes-manne.

6

14[?].  Sir Beues (S.), 4145 + 16. Þat þouȝt Beues a good smyte [v.r. smete].

7

  1819.  W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 205.

        The Cross-kirk rang wi’ scolds and flytes;
The Main-kirk rang wi’ slaps and smites.

8

1828–32.  in Webster.

9

1905.  H. A. Vachell, The Hill, xii. 257. We used to think you a slogger, but you never came anywhere near that smite of Scaife’s.

10

  † 2.  A slight indication or intimation of something. Obs. (Cf. CAST sb. 9.)

11

1640.  G. Him, in N. Wallington, Notices of Reign Chas. I. (1869), I. 128. I might say more, but this I do to give you a smite of our condition.

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