Middle English Dictionary Entry
kitthe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | kitthe n. Also kiththe, kith(e, cithe, kid(e, kidh, kiyth, kitht, kight(e, kigth, kiȝth, kihte, (early) cyððe, cyððan, (errors) kithid, kygh & kutthe, kuððe, cuþþe, kuth, cuth, cuþþhe, kuithe, (early) cuððen, cuðde, cudðe(n, cuhðe, (late) couth(e & ketthe, keþ(þe. Pl. kithes, etc. & (early) ceðen, cheðen. |
| Etymology | OE cȳþ, cȳþþu. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Familiar country, homeland; country, kingdom, region, place; into ~ ward, into (our) country; (b) area frequented by a wild animal; (c) in ~, ?within (one's) reach; (d) in ~, a tag or line-filler with very little meaning.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)231 : Þa sende se king his ærndraches of fif ceðen to alle his underþeoden.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)235 : Hwe seden ærst þat þes ærndraces wer isent of fif cheðen, swa ibeoð. Þas fif cheðen beoð fif lagan.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3843 : Kunedagius..send ȝeond his cuððe [Otho: londe] & gadere muchel folc.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5065 : Ne sculde na cniht..on his cuhðe [Otho: cuþþe] qued-schipe wurchen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20458 : Colgim & Baldulf him to iboȝen weoren and þohten Arður þene king driuen ut of cuððen [Otho: londe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22086 : King no kæisere in næuere nare kuððe [Otho: cuþþe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27838 : Þat nuste hit nauer seoðen na mon to sugen of nauer nare cuðde.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)107/2190 : And let me wende wiþ þe siþþe Hom in to þin owene kiþþe [vr. cuntre].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4511 : Sire kniȝt, i am in þi kiþ & comen to þi owne.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.267 : Cesar..heet þat..oute of everiche contray and kiþþe [vr. kyþthe] everiche man schulde wende home to his owne citee.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)18 : Feole flowen..out of heore cuþþhe in-to Augrippus lond.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)434 : Þou come to þe kyng þat þis kuþþe auȝte.
- c1390(1377) Death Edw.III (Vrn)92 : I hope he schulde be kud and knowe ffor Conquerour of moni a kiþ.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.197 : He hedde beo lord of þat lond..And eke kyng of þat cuþþe [vrr. kiþ, kytthe, ketthe, cuntrey; B: kitthe; vr. kiþþe; C: cuth], his cun for to helpe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2362 : Vte of þis kyth [Göt: kid] and þis cuntre, Ȝee sal weind til a better land.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3811 : If drightin be my freind..And bring me again..Vnto mi kyth [Trin-C: kiþþe] þat i com fra..Mi godd he sal be.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8955 : Þat sibele com sa ferr fra kyght [Göt: kith] To salamon, and spak him wit.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9074 : Far wil i fle In vncuth kygth [Göt: land] fra þis cuntre.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14796 : He es welknaun wit-in his kuith [Göt: kidh].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.75 : Þei went In-to her kyngene kyth [C: kutthe; vr. couþ].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)414 : Þe arc hoven watz on hyȝe wyth hurlande gotez, Kest to kythez uncouþe þe clowdez ful nere.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2120 : Cayrez bi sum oþer kyth, þer Kryst mot yow spede.
- c1400 Wit & W.(Cmb Res.b.162)F/9 : Þis kastel be þine þat Koueriche es hatten; Eke of mine kyngrik' ane kith sal tou habbe.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)20/23 : Wend with him baldly to þat kith!
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)151 : Nowe am I cachede owte of kythe [Dc: kide].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2393 : Comandez them kenely to caste all þeire wittys How he may conquere by crafte the kythe þat he claymes.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1320 : No man wyste neuere siþþe Where he become, ne in what kiþþe [vrr. kythe, keþ].
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)131/146 : Ȝe ar comen oute of youre kytht.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)466 : He..was kynge of this kythe, and the crowne hade.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)209 : For all þai conquirid clene, þis cithe at þaire will.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3507 : Now ȝe leue me þus liȝtly bot for a litill pyne, To caire a-gayne to ȝour kithid.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4032 : Sire, it is sayd to oure-selfe with sere mens tongis, How þou comes in-to oure kith-ward to cumbre vs with care.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)98 : He has ben kynge of þis kithe, as couthely hit semes.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)594 : But lede her out of þat kygh [rime: wyth].
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)403 : To fetch Philip þe folke farde in an haste And comen ryght to þe kith þere þe king dwelt.
b
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)616 : Wyth hym he toke a lytill rache, The dere oute of there kyth to cache.
c
- a1500 The man that wol (Hrl 3542)p.308 : A spryng and a rownde and stap in wyth; Spare noȝth an hauke yf he lye in thy kyth.
d
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)19/502 : Hȝe bliþe myȝten hy be..Þat myȝte hyne eche day yse, Hijs swete loue to fonde Ine keþþe!
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)360 : Thus the kyng, crowned in kythe, carpis hir tille.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)51 : He..Mad of his cosyns kyngys ennoyntede In kyth.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3996 : Þe kyng..Kaughte it vpe kyndly..And kayres furthe with þe cors in kyghte [altered to: kyhte] þare he lenges.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1507 : My name es Wawayne, in kythe [rime: with], Whoso redys righte.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1643 : Sir Perceuell the Galayse Þay called hym in kythe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)157/553 : Hayll, kyng in kyth, cowrand on kne!
2.
(a) People, race, kinsmen, family; (b) offspring; person; (c) kinship, relationship; within their ~, in their relationship; (d) acquaintanceship.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13980 : He senden him to heore Sæxisce cnihtes..Hengestes cunnesmen of his aldene cudðen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26748 : We beoð of are cudðe [Otho: cunne].
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8204 : Niȝt com hem on; þai miȝt nouȝt sen; Ich to his kiþ gan to ten.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.108 : Thai him soht Imang thair kith.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5065 : I sagh yow neuer bi-for þis dai; We are noght of a kyth [Göt: we er noght sibb].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19408 : Vp þar ras, to spute him with, Men þat war o sundri kyth.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.50 : Knoute com with his kythe, þat kant was & kene.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6926 : Here-fore am y to ȝow comen, As to kyþ of oure kynde nomen, ffor ȝe ar Brutes & we Breton.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)8443 : Þe men of kuythe þat he wel knewe, Þat he wyste were gode & trewe, Þem dide he bere his baner.
- a1450 When adam delf (Cmb Dd.5.64)36 : Syker þou be, þare es nane..Of al þi kyth wald slepe þe with.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)149/104 : Heyl Cryst, kynde in oure kyth!
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)31/827* : The kyng of þatt cuntree þat þe kyth weldyd..was callyd nicholas.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.2087 : Yit for al that sche hath conceived The worthieste of alle kiththe Which evere was tofore or siththe Of conqueste and chivalerie.
- ?a1425 Susan.(Hnt HM 114)199 : Tho roos up þes renkes..Þat comely kiþ acusyd wiþ wordis vnkene.
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)1/10 : Mare cyððan habbeð engles to Gode þone menn.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)218/22 : Heo ne schulen cussen na mon, ne cuðmon ne cunnes mon, ne for na cuððe [Tit: cudðe] cluppen.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10172 : Tuix ani spused and his wijf Mar loueword moght nan be with, Þan was o þaim wit-in þair kith.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.123 : So that excusen I ne mai Min herte; fro the ferste day That I cam to mi ladi kiththe, I was yit sobre nevere siththe.
3.
In phrases: ~ and kin, kith and kin, country or people and kinsmen; ~ and fode (kinde, thede), kin and (other) ~, ~ or kin.
Associated quotations
- c1230 Ancr.(Corp-C 402)216/23 : As of oðre þinges, kun oðer cuððe, hu ofte ȝe under uengen..tendre of cun ne limpeð nawt ancre beonne.
- 1372 Gold & al (Adv 18.7.21)7 : Þan ȝef i litel of kith or kyn, For þer is alle gode.
- c1375(?c1280) SLeg.Advent,etc.(Eg 1993)107/1118 : Heo wenden and souȝten him..Among his cuþþe and is kun.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4180 : And after that fro kiththe and kinne, With gret tresor with him sche stal.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11103 : He left bath kiyth and kyndli thede [Göt: kindli kith and thede; Trin-C: kyndely kiþ & fode].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11106 : He left his kyth and al his kin.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12766 : He was o þair kin and kyth.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.379 : Wynnen I wolde, And bothe to kyth and to kyn vnkynde of þat ich hadde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.497 : Þei defouled her flessh, forsoke her owne wille, Fer fro kitth [C: kuth; vr. couthe] and fro kynne yuel yclothed ȝeden.
- a1425 Body & S.(5) (Add 37787)90 : Owte from þe kyþe & þi kynne, Bare schalte þu wende þi way.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)405 : A kniȝt me hider gan sende, þat is y-cleped in us Libeaus Desconus, Unknowe of keþ and kende.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)9/237 : Do fore ȝoureself ore ȝe gone, Or mede of God get ȝe none, Bot sone be foreȝetone Of kyþ and of kyn.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)435 : Oþer whyle þou muste be fals a-monge kythe & kynne.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)23 : A man of mykil fame..Sent him letters him to ensens Of saynt cuthbert kyth and kynne.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1822 : Idryue y was þoruȝ greet destaunce Form [read: From] ken and kyȝth.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)2043 : J lykyd neuyr wele day nor nyght Syth y ledd a wey a lady bryght From kythe and all hur kynne.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)55/125 : Welcom, brother, to kyn and kyth.
4.
(a) Knowledge, information; news; (b) propriety, custom; in pl.: manners; out of ~, improper in behavior.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)2/8 : Ic þat þa for þinre cyððe & þe wurde wyste þis to ȝewitenne.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1281 : So kyndly takes he þat kyth Þat vp he rose and went hym wyth.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)331 : Þou..knowest alle þe kuþþes þat to kourt langes.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)1072 : Why dose þou not down þi hode? Þou art all out of kithe.