Middle English Dictionary Entry
wlitī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wlitī adj. Also wlitig(e, wlitiȝ(e, (gen.) wlitiges, (dat.) wlitigum, (acc.) wlitiȝne; comp. wlitigre, wlitiȝre. |
| Etymology | OE wlitig |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Physically beautiful, comely, fair;
(b) resplendently or transcendently beautiful, radiant; glorious;
(c) immaculate, pure; undefiled, sinless; also [1st quot.], as noun: the immaculate one;—used of the Virgin Mary;
(d) decorous, fitting.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)62/15 : Bilewite cild ne gewilneð oðre manna æhte ne wliteges wifes.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)128/21 : Næren gemette on eallre eorðe swa wlitige wifmæn swa wæron Jobes dohtren.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)538/2 : Decorus: wliti.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)19/142 : Þe keiser bistarede hire wið swiðe steap ehnen…He awundrede of hire wliti wastun.
b
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)2/24 : Swa mihton eac þa oðre þe þær feollon adun, gyf heo woldon; for þy þe God heo geworhte to wlitigum englen gecynde.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)44/27 : Maria is wlitigre þone se mone, for þan þe heo scinð buten ateorunge hire brihtnysse.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)146/32 : Se ængel…ȝebrohte hine to neorxenewange…Ne fealleð þær næfre leaf of, ac heo [tree] byð singrene, wlitiȝ, & wynsum, welena unrim.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)148/5 : Þes halge fugel is Fenix ȝehaten, wlitiȝ & wynsum, swa hine God ȝescop.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)114/7 : For hwan ȝemet þe godspellere þare drihtenlicæ ansyne to þare sunne brihtnesse buton for þam þe he ne mihte nane brihttre ne wlitiȝre ifinden?
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)114/28 : Drihten ȝehywæð þa eadmodnesse ures lichames & hine ȝedeþ wlitiȝne ant brihtne æfter his aȝene anlicnesse.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)118/12 : Sanctus Petrus…Cristes ansyne swa briht & swa wlitiȝe iseah.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)120/24 : Heom cuþan…hu wlitiȝ his haliȝ lichame beon sceolde æfter his upriste.
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)44/34 : Beo þysser heofonlicre cwene…Godes Gast…cwæð, ‘Ic geseh þa wlitige swylce culfre astigende ofer streamlicen riðen.’
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)45/6 : Heo is swa wlitig swa culfre, for þan þe heo lufede þa bilewitnysse, þe se Halge Gast getacnode, þa þa he wæs gesegen on culfren gelicnysse ofer Criste on his fulluhte.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)62/35 : Se hæfð bilewites cildes unscæðignysse, þe him sylfen mislicað, for þy þæt he Gode lichige, & he byð swa mycele wlitigre ætforen Godes gesihðe, swa he swyðer ætforen him sylfen eadmodre byð.
d
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)46/17 : Gyf hwa synfulle beo, he andette, & naðelæs herige, þeh ne beo wlitig lof on þæs synfullen muðe.