Middle English Dictionary Entry
whītlī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | whītlī adj. Also witlẹ̄. |
| Etymology | From whīt adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Whitish, off-white; ~ colour;
(b) of an animal: having light-colored or whitish hair; of a bird: whitish in color (with respect to its feathers); of a person: pale (of face); also, white-blond (of hair).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1002/15 : Olyue is a fayr tre in croppe…wiþ whitlich [L subalbidos] spray.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1283/31 : Þe dyuersite of þese [colors of eyes] comeþ…of superfluyte of þe whitliche [L albuginei] humour.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)179/4 : Þou settis þi prynt on lynin cloþ of witle coloure, And betoke hit Veroneca fore loue and gret honoure Vpon here sudore.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.267 : Sche siȝ hym wiȝtliche [Higd.(2): havynge heire white as mylke in coloure; L caesarie lacteolum] of hir, rody face, and huge of body and of stature.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)157/9 : A verray fleumatik man is…whitliche [L albidus] in face, ferdeful of herte.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)583/29 : Rauen briddes…ben whitliche in feþeres, or þey ben blake.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)22 : A buk is a diuerse beest; he haþ not is heere as an herte, for he is mor whitly.