Obs. Forms: 4 tyȝt; pa. t. 4 tiȝte, tyȝte, tyȝt, tight, 5 tiȝt, tyght; pa. pple. 4 y-tiȝt, tiht, tyȝt, tyȝte (thit, tithte), 4–5 tiȝt, tight(e, 5 tiȝte, Sc. ticht. [Etymology obscure: see Note below.]
1. trans. To appoint, ordain, set, fix (a time, etc.); to devise, contrive; to prepare, get ready. Cf. DIGHT v. 2, 11, 14.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24344 (Edin.). To ten al tiht [v.r. tight] vs was þat tim Quen we na hel moht se on him. Ibid., 18323 (Cott.). Þat þou thoru prophet tald and tight Nu es it fulfilled be-for vr sight. Ibid., 11050 (Gött.). [Gabriel says to Zacharias] All þat þe is tight [v.r. hight] sal be-tyde.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 5488. Atte water Hamon doun lyght, Intil a bot Hamon had tyght.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 502. Of tyme of ȝere þe terme watz tyȝt. Ibid., B. 1153. Ȝif ȝe wolde tyȝt me a tom telle hit I wolde.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 4124 (Trin.). Þe foly þat his breþeren tiȝt.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 744. The renkis of the Round Tabill, That has traistly thame tight to governe that gait.
2. With inf. or absol. (rarely refl.): To fix it in one’s mind; to determine, intend, purpose; to set oneself to do something.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1301 (Cott.). Wen þat drightim had him tight To send him þe oile þat he him hight.
c. 1300. Havelok, 2990. Hwou the swikes haueden tiht [MS. thit] Reuen hem that was here riht [MS. rith].
13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 838. A stiward was wiþ king Ermin, Þat hadde tiȝt to sle þat swin.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2483. Mony a-venture … þat I ne tyȝt, al þis tyme, in tale to remene.
a. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 729. To slen him had he tiȝte.
a. 1400. Octouian, 1476. To brewe the Crystene mennys banys Hy hadden tyght.
c. 1475. Songs, Carols, etc., 85/64. Alone to be, she hath her tight.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., xi. 165. Therfore a songe, as I haue tighte,… I will shewe here in thy sighte.
3. To set, set firmly, fix, set up (an edifice), pitch (a tent). Cf. DIGHT v. 5, 8.
1382. Wyclif, Judg. xx. 33. So alle the sones of Yrael … tiȝten shiltron in the place that is clepid Baalthamar.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 168. Wiþ tabernacles y-tiȝt to toten all abouten.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1373 (Ashm.). Quen he had tiȝt vp þis tram and þis tild rerid.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., 355. Þe tasses were of topas, þat were þere to tiȝte [v.r. tyghte].
c. 1440. Bone Flor., 377. They tyght ther pavylons in a stede.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 526. Ane hie toure, that tight wes full trest.
b. ? To set down in writing, to state. Cf. DIGHT v. 6.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 1052. Þe hyȝe trone … With alle þe apparaylmente vmbe pyȝte, As Iohan þe apostel in termez tyȝte.
c. To set or deck with jewels. Cf. DIGHT v. 10.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 473. Bricht braissaris of steill … Ticht ouir with Thopas, and trew lufe atanis.
[Note. No word answering to ME. tihtan appears in OE. or in the cognate langs., and its origin is a puzzle. Sense 1 corresponds closely to that of OE. stihtan, ME. STIGHT, ‘to dispose, arrange, regulate, direct, rule,’ senses 1 and 3 b correspond also to various senses of OE. dihtan, DIGHT. v. Formal connection with the latter seems impossible; derivation from the former by loss of s, if not impossible in such constructions as is (s)tight, was (s)tight, cannot be assumed without some direct evidence.]
