witted 
The people be gentle, meny, quick and tine ufitted, de- 
lighting in quietness, and, when need requireth, able to 
abide and suffer much bodily labour. 
Sir T. More, rt4>pla (tr. by Robinson), ii. 7. 
Renowued, witted Dulcimel, appeare. 
Marston, The fawne, v. 
wittert, a. [ME. fitter, witer, < leel. ritr, know- 
ing, < vita, know: see w/fl.] Knowing; cer- 
tain; sui-e. 
Tho wurth the child [Isaac] witUr and war 
That thor sal otfrende ben don. 
Gemxig and Emdm (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1308. 
wittert, !■'■ t. [ME. witteren, iciUren, < leel. 
citra, make wise, make certain, < vitr, knowing: 
see witter.'] To make sure; inform; declare 
(that). 
1 witter the the emperour es entirde into Fraunce. 
Marte Arthurs (E. E. T. ».), 1. 1239. 
witteringt, «• [ME., verbal n. of witter, v.] In- 
formation: knowledge. 
Leue Joseph, who toide yow this ? 
How hadde 3e wittering of this dede? 
York Plays, p. 142. 
Witterlyt (wit'^r-li), adv. [ME., also witter- 
liche, tvitertichc, etc. ; < tvitter + -I//-.] Certain- 
ly; surely; truly. 
I blusshet honi on. 
I waited horn witterly, as me wele thoght, 
All feturs in fere of the fre ladys, 
Deatruction of Troy (E. E. T. .S.), 1. 2428. 
Ful acorded was hit witterly. 
Chaucer, Good Women, 1. 260(1. 
witters, «. pi. See witherx. 
witticaster (wit'i-kas-tfer;, »i. [< icitty + -c-fl,s- 
ter as in criticaster.] An inferior or pretended 
wit. 
The mention of a nobleman seems quite sufficient to 
arouse the spleen of our witticaster. Milton. 
wittichenlte (wit'i-ken-it), «. A sulphid of 
bismuth and copper, related in form and com- 
position to bournonite. It was first found at 
Wittichen, Baden. 
witticism (wit'i-sizm), II. [< witty + -c-imii as 
in Atticism, Gallicism, etc.] A witty sentence, 
phrase, or remark ; an observation character- 
ized by wit. 
You have quite undone the young King with your Wit- 
ticiging, and ruin'd his Fortunes utterly. 
Milton, Ans. to Salmasius, ill. 
The witty poets . . . have taken an advantage from the 
doubtful meaning of the word (Ire to make an infinite num- 
ber of xcitticitms. Addimn, Spectator, No. 62. 
Every witticimn is an inexact thought; what is perfect- 
ly true is imperfectly witty. 
Landur, Imag. Conv., Diogenes and Plato. 
Wittifiedt (wit'i-fid), a. [< 'wittify (< tcitty + 
-fy) '^ -f'l--] Having wit; clever; witty. 
Diverse of these were . . . dispersed to those wittijied 
ladles who were willing to come into the order. 
Royer Sorth, Lord Guilford, I. 6». (Damet.) 
wittily (wit'i-li), adv. [< ME. wittily; < witty 
+ -(i/2.] In a witty manner, (at) Knowingly; in- 
telligently; ingeniously; cunningly; artfully. 
Time only & custom haue authoritie to do, specially in 
all cases of language, as the Poet hath tcittily renienibred. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 104. 
The wittily and strangely cruel Macro. 
D. Jonson, Sejanus, v. 10. 
(b) With a witty turn or phrase, or with an ingenious and 
amusing association of ideas ; clearly; brilliantly. 
In conversation wittUy pleasant. Sir P. .Sidney. 
It would a little cool the preternatural heat of the 
flingbrand fraternity, as one imttily calleth them. 
Kev. T. Adamf, Works, I. 125. 
wittiness (wit'i-nes), II. 1. The character of 
being witty; the quality of being ingenious or 
clever. 
WittiiicKse in devising, . . . pithhiesse in uttering. 
E. K., To O. Harvey (Prefixed to Spenser's .Shcp. Cal.). 
2t. Something that is witty; an ingenious in- 
vention. 
The third, In the discoloured mantle spangled all over, 
is Euphantaate, a well-conceited inttinemie, and employed 
in honouring the court with the riches of lier pure inven- 
tion. B. Jonson, Cynthia's Revels, v. 3. 
wittinef (wit'iug), «. [Also icce^iH*/ (and erro- 
neously wotlinij); < ME. witiiige, wctyiii/c; ver- 
bal n. of ic(<l, I'.] Knowledge; perception. 
That were an abusyoun 
That Ood sholde han no parrtt clere wetynge 
.More than we men, that nan douteous wenynge. 
Chaucer, Troilus, Iv. 991. 
'Wittingly (wit'ing-li), adv. [Kormerly also 
icectiiii/ly ; < ME. iritiiigly, wetyiifily, witiiideliclic 
(= MH(j. irizzcntliche = leel. vitanliijii) ; < ivit- 
tiiig. ppr. of will, v., + -ly^.] In a witting man- 
ner; knowingly; consciously; by design. 
He knowingly and wittingly brought evil into the world. 
Sir T. More. 
To which she for his sake had u-eetinyly now brought 
her selfe, and blam'd her noble blood. 
Spemer, F. Q., VI. 3. 11. 
437 
6957 
I would not icittingly dishonor my work by a single 
falsehood, misrepresentation, or prejudice, though it 
should gain our forefathers the whole country of New 
England. Irciny, Knickerbocker, p. 201. 
'Wittol^t (wit'ol), II. [Formerly also ivittal, wit- 
tall (also wittold, with excrescent d as in cuck- 
old), orig. witwal, a particular use of witical, the 
popinjay: see witical^. This bird was the sub- 
ject of frequent ribald allusions, similar to the 
allusions to the cuckoo which are prominent in 
the English drama of Shakspere and his con- 
temporaries and which produced the word ciiclc- 
old. The addition of the notion of 'knowing' 
and submitting may be due to the popular 
association with wit. which produced the ety- 
mology < iciil + all.] A man who knows his 
wife's infidelity and submits to it; a submis- 
sive cuckold. 
.\maimon sounds well ; Lucifer well ; . . . yet they are 
. . . the names of fiends; but. Cuckold, Wittol, Cuckold! 
the devil himself hath not such a name ! 
Shak., M. W. of W., ii. 2. 313. 
Fond wit-wal, that wouldst load thy witless head 
With timely horns, before thy bridal bed 1 
Bp. Hall, .Satires, L vii. 17. 
To see ... a leittftl wink at his wife's honesty, and too 
perspicuous in all other affairs. 
Burton, Auat. of MeL, p. 44. 
There was no peeping hole to clear 
The icittal's eye from his incarnate fear. 
Qtiarles, Emblems, i. 5. 
wittol't (wit'ol), V. t. [Also wittal ; < wittol'^, «.] 
To make a wittol, or contented cuckold, of. 
He would wittal me 
With a consent to my own hoi-ns. 
Davenport, City Night Cap, i. 1. 
■wittol'-^ (wit'ol), H. A dialectal reduction of 
uhitetail. [Coruwall, Eng.] 
wittollyt, a. [< wittol^ + -ly^.] Like or char- 
acteristic of a wittol, or submissive cuckold. 
Shak., M. W. of W., ii. 2. 283. 
Her husband was hanged for his witt^ldly permission, 
and shee herselle drowned. Purchag, Pilgrinuige, p. 293. 
'Wit-tooth (wit'toth), «. A wisdom-tooth. 
'Wi'tts (wits), H. pi. Same as tin-wits. 
When much pyrites [in tin-bearing rock] is present, it is 
necessary to make a preliminary concentration, and roast 
the enriched product {wittg) in a furnace. 
Encyc. Brit., XVI. im. 
'Witty (wit'i), a. [< ME. witty, wily, witig, < AS. 
icitig, wittir/ (= OS. tC!(/,(/ = OHG. wi;::ig, MHG. 
icitzec(g), G. witzig = Icel. vitiigr = S\v. vittcr = 
Dan. vittig), knowing, wise, < wit, knowledge, 
wit: see wit^, and cf. witch^.] It, Possessed 
of wisdom or learning; wise; discreet; know- 
ing; artful. 
The uyttiour that eny wight is bote yf he worche ther- 
after. 
The biterour he shal a-bygge bote yf he wel worche. 
Piers Plowman (C), xvii. 219. 
A u%tty man taketh preved thinge, andchannge 
He maketh, that lande from lande be not to strange. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S), p. 64. 
Tamb. Are you the icitty King of Persia? 
Myc. Ay, marry am I : have you any suit to me ? 
Tamb. I would entreat you speak but three wise words. 
Marlowe, Taniburlaine, I., ii. 4. 
The deep, revolving, witty Buckingham. 
SAuJ-., Rich. IIL, iv. 2.42. 
Upon each shoulder sits a milk-white dove. 
And at her feet do witty serpents move. 
B. Jonson, The BaiTiers. 
2t. E.xhibiting intelligence or ingenuity ; clev- 
er; skilfully devised. 
Silence in love betrays more wo 
Than words, though ne'er so witty; 
A beggar that is dumb, you know, 
May challenge double pity. 
Raleigh, Silent Lover (Ellis's .Specimens, II. 224). 
Ingrateful payer of my industries, 
That with a soft painted hypocrisy 
Cozen'st and jeer'st my perturbation. 
Expect a leitty and a fell revenge ! 
Beau, and Fl., Knight of Malta, v. 1. 
Amongst the elder Christians, some ... in witty tor- 
ments excelled the cruelty of many of their persecutors, 
whose rage determined quickly in deatli. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. ISS.'i), I. 91. 
3. Possessed of wit; smartly or cleverly fa- 
cetious; ready with strikingly novel, clever, 
shrewd, and amusing sayings, or with sharp 
repartee ; brilliant, sparkling, and original in 
expressing amusing notions or ideas; hence, 
sometimes, sarcastic ; satirical : of persons. 
Who so in earnest vveenes, he doth, in mine aduise, 
Shew himselfe witless, or more n-ittie than wise. 
Pntlenham, .\rte of Eng. Poesie, p. 170. 
Sir Ellis Layton, whom I find a wonderful ifitty, ready 
man for sudden answers and little tales, and sayings very 
extraordinary witty. Pepys, Diary, III. 92. 
In gentle Verse the Witty told their Flame, 
And grac'd their choicest Song with F.nnna's Name. 
Prior, Henry and Kinnia. 
wizard 
Honeyeontb, who was so unniereifuUy nitty upon the 
women, . . . has given the ladies ample satisfaction by 
marrying a farmer's daughter. 
Addistni, Spectator, No. 530. 
4. Characterized by or pregnant with wit : as, 
a witty remark or repartee. 
Or i-hymes or sangs he'd niak' liimsel', 
Or icitty catches. Burnn. To J. Lapraik, i. 
witwall (wit'wal), n. [Also ivitwall, and former- 
ly assimilated wittal; also erroneously wliit- 
wall ; a var. of woodwal, woodwalc : see wood wale, 
undct. wittol^.] 1. The popinjay,or green wood- 
pecker, Gcciniis viridis. See wand wale, and cut 
under popinjay. 
No sound was heard, excejit, fi-oni far away. 
The ringing of the Whitwall's shrilly laughter. 
Or, now and then, the chatter of the jay, 
That Echo murmur'd after. 
Hood, Haunted House, i. 
2. The gi-eater sjiotted woodpecker, Piciis major. 
See cut under Pieiis. 
■witwal'-'t, n. See wittol'^. 
'Witwantont (wit'won"ton), n. [< (CJ?! + wan- 
ton.] One who indulges in idle, foolish, and 
iiTeverent fancies or speculations. Also used 
adjectively. 
All Epicures, Wit-wantons, Atheists. 
Syli-estcr, Lacryniffi Lacr>niarum. 
How dangerous it is for wit-wanton men to dance with 
their nice distinctions on such mystical precipices. 
Fuller, Ch. Hist., X, iv. 4. 
'witwantont (wit'won'''ton), t'. /. [< witwanton, 
n.] To indulge in vain, sportive, or over-subtle 
fancies; speculate idly or irreverently: with an 
indefinite it. 
Dangerous it is to witwanton it with the majesty of God. 
Fuller, Holy State. 
'Wit-WOrmt (wit'wfenn), n. [< wit^ + ivoiin.] 
One who has developed into a wit. [Have.] 
Fill. What hast thou done 
"With thy poor innocent self? 
Gat. \Vherefore,,.sweet madam'? 
Ful. Thus to coi'ne forth, so suddenly, a icitworm ? 
B. Jonson, Catiline, ii. 1. 
wi'Ve (wiv). V. ; pret. and pp. wived, ppr. wiving. 
[< ME. wiven, < AS. xvifian (=MD. K-yceH = MLG. 
iviven), take a wife, < irlf, wife. Cf. wife, v.] I. 
intrans. To take a wife; marry. 
Hanging and waving goes by destiny. 
Shak., M. of v., ii. 9. 83. 
A shrewd wife brings thee bate, wine not and neuci' 
thriue. Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 171. 
II. trans. 1. To match to a wife; provide 
with a wife. 
An I could get me but a wife, . . . I were manned, horsed, 
and uived. Shak., 2 Hen. IV., i. 2. 61. 
Gregory VII. . . . determined . . . that no M-irerf priest 
should celebrate or even assist at the Mass. 
Kncyc. Brit., V. 293. 
2. To take for a wife ; marry. [Rare,] 
Should I ivive an Empresse, 
And take her dowerlesse, should we love, or hate. 
In that my bounty equalls her estate. 
Heywood, Koyal King (Works, ed. Pearson, 1874, VI. 79). 
I have wived his sister. Scott. 
'Wi'Vehoodt (wiv'hud), /(, Same as wifehood. 
Tliat girdle g.ave the veitue of cliast love. 
And wicehood true, to all that did it beare. 
Spenser, F. (J., IV. v. 3. 
wi'Velesst (wiv'les), a. Same as wifeless. 
They, in their wireless state, run into open abomina- 
tions. Homilies, xviii. Of Matrimony. 
•wivelyt (wiv'li), a. Same as wifely. 
Wyuely loue. J. Udall, On 1 Cor. vii. 
wi'vert (wi'ver), n. [< ME. wivere, ivyvere, < 
OF. wivre, givre, a ■viper, < L. vipera, a viper: 
see fyjc/-. Hence (cicf/'H.] 1. A serpent. 
Jidousye, alias ! that wikked wyvere, 
'i'hus causeles is cropeii into yow. 
Chaucer, Troilus, ill. 1010. 
2. A wivern. 
Wivern (wi'vtM'u), H. [Also wy- S 
vcrn ; a later form, with unorig. ' 
-n as in bittern, of wiver: see ;' 
wiver.] In her. , a monster whose 
fore part is that of a dragon with 
its fore legs and wings, while the 
hinder part has the form of a 
serpent with a barbed tail. ""'im. 
Lakes which, when morn breaks on their (luivering bed. 
Blaze like a u't/rern flying round the sun. 
Brotcning. rRrace\si\s. 
'Wi'VeS, n. Plural of wife. 
'Wizard (wiz'ard). II. and a. [Formerly also wis- 
ard. wis.iard;\ ME. iri.iiird, irysord, irysor: ]irob. 
an altered form, assimilated initially to the ult. 
related wi.ic, for *wishavd (preserved in the sur- 
names Wii^hart. Wi.fhearl, Jf'i.'i.sel), < OF. *ivi.s- 
eliard, jirob. orig. form of OF. ijiiiscliard, gnis- 
cavd, gniscart. V. dial. (Norm.) gniehard, saga- 
