[f. SUIT v. + -ING1.]
† 1. The action of doing suit at a court. Obs.
c. 1540. in J. R. Boyle, Hedon (1875), App. 71. Yf anye tenante make defaulte of sewtinge of the said courte at two tymes in the yere.
† 2. The action of suing for something; suing out a writ; petitioning, supplication; paying court to a woman. Obs.
1561. Reg. Privy Council Scot., Ser. I. I. 163. To charge … all utheris personis fra all suting or persewing of the saidis confirmationis.
1572. Knox, in Calderwood’s Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), III. App. 767. For suting of justice of the kirk’s actions in the session.
1579–80. Reg. Privy Council Scot., Ser. I. III. 269. The suitting of redres.
1591. R. Bruce, Serm. (Ps. xl.), V vij b. Our suddantie is so greate … that wee cannot continue in suting.
1631. Brathwait, Eng. Gentlew., 130. There is no time that exacts more modesty of any woman, than in her time of suiting.
attrib. 1690. C. Nesse, Hist. & Myst. O. & N. T., I. 158. Mark well who carrieth it in this suiting work.
3. Fitting or adaptation of one thing to another.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), I. 89. In the suiting of the Land and Marle together, lies the chief advantage. Ibid., II. 276. The third occasion of Unfruitfulness is the not suiting of your Fruit and Soil together.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 3 Feb., 3/1. The suiting of one thing to another.
† 4. The action of clothing or attiring. Obs.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Discov. (1641), 92. That though the nakednesse would shew deform’d and odious, the suiting of it [sc. a lie] might draw their Readers.
5. concr. Trade name for: Material for making suits of clothes; usually pl.
1883. Daily News, 10 Sept., 2/6. The … demand for … fancy tweed suitings continues good.
