Middle English Dictionary Entry
wight n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wight n. Also wighte, wighȝt, wiȝt(e, wiȝth, wiht(e, wihȝte, witht(e, with(e, wit(e, weight, weiȝt, weiht, weith, whight(e, whiȝt, whiht, whith, whit(e, quitte & (early) wigt, wihcte, wid(t, vichit, (in surname) wicht & (error) qwyll; pl. wightes, etc. & wighttis, wiȝttes, wittes, (chiefly early) wihte, (early) wiȝte, wihten. |
| Etymology | OE wiht, wyht a creature or thing; for sense 2. also cp. OE wihte adv. (from dative or instrumental case of noun), & cp. nought pron. & adv., ought pron. & adv., with which there is some confusion or overlap, esp. in early quots. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A living creature, an animate being; ani (manere) ~, any creature, anybody; everi ~, alle wightes, etc., everybody, all creation; no (no manere, non) ~, no one, not a living soul; also, neither man nor beast; that (what) ~ that, whoever, anybody that;
(b) an individual human being, a specific man, woman, or child; also, an unborn child [quot. c1330(?a1300)]; no ~, no human being [quot. a1475];
(c) an unnatural or monstrous being; a supernatural creature, demon; specif. the devil, Satan; foul (ivel, wikkede, etc.) ~; al ~, q.v.;
(d) an animal, a beast; pl. nonhuman creatures; also, vermin [often difficult to distinguish from (c)]; foul (wikkede) ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.273 : Forr þatt itt shollde tacnenn Þatt nan wihht, nan enngell, nan mann…Ne mihhte þurrh himm sellfenn þa Seffne godnessess shæwenn O mannkinn.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Pater N.(Lamb 487)57/30 : Luuien god mid ure mihte ouer alle cunnes wihte.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)52/16 : Alre wihte wealdent…heal us.
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)91 : Þif ani wiht is on liue, bi water oþer bi londe, Vp a sulen arisen.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)431 : For hwanne snov liþ þicke & wide An all wiȝtes habbeþ sorȝe Þu singest from eue to amorȝe.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)132 : Þer nys hate ne wreþþe nouþer, of prude ne of onde, of none wihte.
- a1350 Mon in þe mone (Hrl 2253)7 : Nis no wyþt in þe world þat wot wen he syt.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)97 : Damaisele, welcome mote þou be; Be þou afered of none wihȝte.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.71 : He neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde In al his lyf vn to no maner wight.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)1451 : He…sette…to prechen vchon, To alle schaft and to alle wihte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.138 : If any lady bright Hath set hire herte on any maner wight, If he be fals she shal his tresoun see.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)892 : Þou sal be maledight Mare þan ani oþere wight.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.195 : Thorugh the feld, in everi wightes eere, Ther nas no cry but ‘Troilus is there!’
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)83/37 : Þere schull þei fynde no wight, þat wil selle hem ony vitaille or ony thing.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)696 : Scho mournys bothe nyght and daye, Þat alle wyghttis [vr. wyttes] myght hir rewe.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)85 : What whyght þat inly pensif is…His moste desire is to be solitarie.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1200 : On nor oþyr, I se no wythte Þat wyl forsake [þe] day ner nyth.
- c1450(1399) Chaucer Purse (Benson-Robinson)1 : To yow, my purse, and to noon other wight Complayn I, for ye be my lady dere.
- c1450 ?Rolle Luf es lyf (Lamb 853)85 : Þat wiȝt þat þat loue may finde…Fro care it turneþ þat kinde.
- ?a1475 Banester Guiscardo (Add 12524)326 : The grete feruent lowe…I to you haue, Gretter then euer had terrestriall wight Or fadder to hys doghter.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)213/119 : What whith may helpe oure hevynes now that oure brother is gon and deed?
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.131 : Ȝyf ony wyghȝt make monye but þoo þat þe kyng hatȝ ordeynyd, he shal be slayn.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)658 : No maner wiht For no prerogatiff his neihbour shal dispise.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)331 : There shuld no maner weight…Wete what I were.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)384 : Now in thys clothe I shall the couere, That no wyght shalle the see.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)812 : He [Christ] sitteþ…ouer all oþer whyȝtes.
- 1652(?1471) Ripley Epis.Edw.IV in Ashmole TC (AshmTC)p.114 : The Bee fetcheth Hony out of the Flowre, Which thing can doo none other Erthly wight.
b
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Mdst A.13)97/237 : Me scal banne þe wit [Trin-C: widt] þat him furst tahte.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)131/597 : Wel worþe þe wid þad þe first taite.
- c1300 Horn (LdMisc 108)22/397 : Of þat fayre wihcte Al þe halle gan licte.
- a1350 Harrow.H.(Hrl 2253)23 : To Moyses þe holy whyt þe heuede þe lawe to ȝeme ryht.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2636 : Hir wombe greteþ, þou miȝt toniȝt Fele, hou it stireþ þat litel wiȝt.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)346 : Turne aȝen, þou sely swete wyiȝt.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)2136 : Of hem roos mony men…Of sem fre mon, of iapheth knyȝt, þral of cam, waryed wiȝt.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)43/27 : Euerych wys maister bitokneþ þe weiȝtt þat bereþ out olde þinges & new.
- c1400 St.Alex.(3) (LdMisc 622)31/240 : Doune fel þat swete wiȝth.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6186 : Yhe weryed wyghtes, wende fra my sight Until þe endeles fire.
- a1425 ME Verse in Anglia 92p.71 : Þe soule of þis synful withe þoru contritioun…schynes in heuon as sonn brith.
- a1450 Dux Moraud (BodPoet f.2)70 : Be þe worþiest woundyn, wytthest wyt.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)364 : Etheldrede, þat holy wyȝte, Was þe fyuethe founder also.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)140/54 : Gabriell…Is comen to bidde þe flee With Marie and hir worthy wight.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)1 : Whan þis weith at his wil weduring hadde, Ful raþe rommede he rydinge þedirre.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)185 : Þe weiht ouur þe watur sterus.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)202/1582j : He…often be-menyth þat swete whyte.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)55/132 : The ffyfft comaundement byddyth all us Scle no man, no whight þat þou kyll.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)32 : Wiþ a whiȝt y mette, A Menoure in a morow-tide, & to þis man I saide, [etc.].
c
- a1200(?c1175) PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)285 : Þat beð ateliche fiend and Eiseliche wihten.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)510 : He wes imaket tus earmest alre þinge & berde as þe ful wiht.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)57/494 : He…draf of þe wedde awariede wihtes.
- a1275 On leome (Trin-C B.14.39)98 : He us þeue [read: ȝeue] strenþe…to scenden þene vichit þat his humbe day & nicst To gabben us wid sunne.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7872 : Þer wunieð in þan lufte feole cunne wihte [Otho: wiþtes]…summe heo beoð aðele, & summe heo uuel wurcheð.
- ?a1300 Sayings St.Bern.(Dgb 86)761/109 : Þi þridde fo, þat foule wiȝt, þe fondeþ boþe day and niȝt.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)475 : Þo cam þare out a luþer wyȝt.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2750 : Þer beþ in þe eyr an hey…As a maner gostes, wiȝtes as it be.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)918 : Wiþ child icham Wiþouten companie of man…Bi me lay a selcouþe wiȝt.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4545 : Þay laid on þat foule wyȝt Sturne strokes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3480 : I crouche thee from elues and fro wightes.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)12209 : Long loked þat foule wyght.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)10067 : Þe fend, waried wiȝt, Ouercomen was & lost his miȝt.
- c1400 Almighty god in trinite Inwardly (Eg 3245)19 : Kepe vs…fro fondyngis of þe wickid wyht [vr. þe euyll wyghte].
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3586 : Þou foule wyth, Lete go þat soule so tyth!
- c1450 Worschip of (Eg 3307)p.190 : In hys vertu he wol vs led Agaynys the fend, the ful wyght.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)202/27 : He was the foulyst wyghte that ever man sye.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)43/3 : A-none mette deuels with the sowle and busked hem for to haue it to helle, Neuertheles ther come to hem angels fro heuene and asked these wyckyd wyȝttes what they purposed for to do.
- a1500 St.Kath.(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)231 : Helle hounde, þou fowle wyghte, Thou peynyste þat mayde wyth onryghte.
d
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)70/3 : [Þu] scalt nu herborwen unhol wihte.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)87 : Snailes, mus, and fule wiȝte, Boþ þine cunde and þine riȝte.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)204 : Ich granti wel þat he us deme, Vor þeȝ he were wile breme, & lof him were niȝtingale, & oþer wiȝte gente & smale.
- a1350 In may hit murgeþ (Hrl 2253)5 : Blosmes bredeþ on þe bowes; Al þis wylde wyhtes wowes.
- c1450 NPass.(Add 31042)151/102* : Than saw Sethe…a neddir rampande, a lothely wyghte.
- a1500 I comawnde alle þe ratons (Rwl C.228)20 : I be-tweche þes place from ratones & from alle oþer schame: god saue þis place fro alle oþer wykked wytes boþe be dayes & be nytes!
2.
(a) A small quantity, portion, bit;—usu. in partitive constructions, with or without prep.; no (non) ~, not a whit, nothing; also, in adv. phrases: ech a (everi) ~, every bit of it, in its entirety;
(b) a small extent; used in adv. phrases: a litel (ani) ~, just a bit, a little; to some degree, somewhat; also, to any extent, at all [quot. c1330]; non ~, not at all;
(c) a small distance; used in adv. phrase: a litel ~, a little way, not too far; also, by a short measure [quot. a1382];
(d) a short span of time, brief period; in (withinne) a ~; in adv. phrases: a litel ~, for a short while, a little while; also, shortly [2nd quot.].
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)155/18 : [OE Swa lange saw ðu] hi mid þe byrst nanwyht [yfeles þe ongean cymeð].
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B)169/13 : Eal þat seo ȝesihð hit toflewð swa þæt þar nanwyht ne belifð butan þa ban.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10974 : Bi þisse mære enden þer þis water wendeð is an lutel wiht mære.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 17.20 : Þei…a litil wiȝt watir tastid.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.10.4 : Þou comaunde liȝtere þan þi fadir, þe whiche putte to vs a gret seruage, & a litil wijȝt of þe charge put of, þat wee seruen to þee.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)359 : To þe World wolde he not flyt But forsok it euery whytt.
- ?a1450 MLChrist (Add 39996)3704 : Hondel me boþe fote and hond, And my body ech a quytte.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)354 : We no wante no wite of worldliche fode.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)483 : ‘What ys in þi purse? Þou art a stout felow.’ ‘Þe deull haue qwyll [?read: qwytt]! I am a clen jentyllman.’
- c1450(a1400) Libeaus (Clg A.2)442 : Her-of wyste no wyȝt Lybeaus þe yonge knyȝt, But rod forþ pas be pas.
b
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)235 : Ne haueð ðat uenim non migt to deren him siðen non wigt.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)503 : He smot him a litel wiȝt & bed him beon a god kniȝt.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)10/161 : Ȝif þou me louest ani wiȝt, Let me of him han a siȝt.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.13.9 : Þe oxe pleiynge a litil wiȝt boowede it doun.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)389/31 : Þai dyuerse nouȝt but in gretenesse…and a litel whighte [Ch.(1): somwhat; L aliqualiter] in þe matere.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)609 : A branche out of the tre spronge…Oppon a day kam the knyght And sawe hym crokyn a lytil wyght.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)419 : He…smote hym on þe neck a lytull weyȝt And bad hym become a good knyȝt.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)465 : He cam forþere a luytel wiȝt [Corp-C: he com a lite ner].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)2 Par.5.9 : Of þe beryng staues…with þe whiche þe arke was born, for a litil wiȝt lengere þei weren, þe heuedes weren opone.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)2509 : Fram the chappel a lytil wyght There hovyd a ȝong knyght.
d
- c1330 Degare (Auch)764 : Abiden ich wille a litel wiȝt.
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)113/601 : A litel wiȝt after þe none Þer was y craked mani acroun.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 1.14 : Difie alityl wiȝt þe win.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4283 : She was falle aslepe a litel wight With John the clerk that waked hadde al nyght.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5353 : Hij token rest a litel wiȝtth, Forto it were ouer midniȝth.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.1.29 : First whan men tasten hem they ben bytynge, but whan they ben resceyved, withynne a wyght [vr. whyht] than ben thei swete.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4701 : He leyde hurre doune þere to slepe a litulle whyȝt.
- ?a1450 NHom.in NM 73 (Hnt HM 129)p.208 : [He]…come to his wyffe in a whyt.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1551 : Down light this gentill knyght, To Rest hym a litull wight.
3.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1218-19) Nickname in LuSE 55114 : Ilwicht.
- (1327) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames383 : Adam Wydger.