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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hit, Hyt, v. P.t. hat, hatt(e, hett, hit(t, hyt(t. P.p. hit, hyt, hitten. [ME. hit, hitte, hyt, hytte (p.t. hit(te, hyt(te; p.p. hit, hyte, e.m.E. hitten), late OE. hyttan (p.t. hytte).]

1. tr. To hit or strike. Also fig.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 110.
Sad sorow sa cane hyme hit a1540 Freiris Berw. 514.
In to the nek se that ȝe hit him richt 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7550.
His awin taill hard on the heillis him hittis a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxx. 31.
I sall hit thy spindall schyn(b) 1375 Barb. v. 624.
He … hit the fader in the e a1400 Leg. S. xix. 581.
Sowne ane erow in the ee Hyme hit ?1438 Alex. I. 1489.
He … hit him on the helm of steill Ib. ii. 4434.
Betys … with the staluart speir him hit c1475 Wall. ii. 49.
Vpon the hed ane with the steing hitt he Ib. x. 332.
Quham euir he hytt, thair sawchnyng was unsoft(2) a1508 Kind Kyttok 32.
Sanct Petir hat hir with a club c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 147.
He … hat the ane vpon the heid Ib. 768.
The squyer … hat the capitane sic ane flap a1568 Bann. MS. 136 b/9.
The carling … hatt him sic ane blaw 1592 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 28.
Casting of ane stane at him, quhilk hat him vpone the schoulder 1622-6 Bisset II. 246.
The maister of the schip that hat the uthir man 1629 Dundonald Par. Rec. 279.
She hatte the kow with her aprounefig. a1578 Pitsc. I. 221/21.
The chancellar … heirand the … accusatioun of lord Dauid Lyndsay … thocht he hatt thame ower neir(3) 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 1 b.
The said Dauid … kwist hir doun and hett hir thrie straikis(c) 1513 Doug. iv. ii. 43.
Onknaw the beste was hyt 1513 Doug. v. iii. 90.
The mekyll hyllys Bemys agane, hit with the brute so schil is a1568 Scott ii. 37.
Sym … hecht he sowld be hittin

b. To hit upon, get correctly. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 857.
Sypeins, sir, sypeins: marie! now ȝe hit it

2. intr. To deliver a blow; to make a hit, to come upon. 1375 Barb. vi. 164.
Quhar he hit with evin strak, Thar mycht no thing agane it stand Ib. xvii. 719.
The gynour Hit in ane espyne with a stane a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 836.
One that place mycht nane of thame Hyt, wald thai neuir sa fayne c1420 Wynt. viii. 5154.
At the tothir cours off were The Dowglas hit, and brak his spere c1515 Asl. MS. I. 244/29.
[He] falȝeit na schot within a faldome quhar it was chargit him to hit 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 44.
Gif on his forhed the dynt hyttis nocht rycht a1568 Scott xxxiii. 24.
Thow … markis quhair nevir styme thow seis Bot hittis be gais [= guess]