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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sith(t, Syth(t, n. Also: syith, syeth, seeth, (sayzt). [ME syþe (Havelok), sithe (Wyclif), also seth (15th c.), e.m.E. sith (1523), OE síðe.]

1. A scythe, the agricultural implement. Also (once) mawing syth. Also comb. with land (see quot.)(1) 1460 Hay Alex. 12374.
With hukis as sithis scharpe and wele scherand c1475 Wall. xi 104.
Sythis thai hynt, and ran in all thair mycht To the fechtaris c1475 Wall. xi 111.
Sith 1500 Prestwick B. Rec. 36.
Thai come in the medew quhar his sytht lay & brak & spylt his sitht c1500 Makc. MS xiii 60.
Hec facicula, a syth 1513 Doug. vii x 80.
All instrumentis of pleuch graith … With sythis and al hukis at scheris quhet 1513 Doug. vii xii 69.
Crukyt swerdis, bowand as a syth [Ruddim. syith] c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 262.
Thai sal well togiddir … thar speris into heukis (or sythes) 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 44.
To Roge Smyth at the abbay yet for i new syth to the mawar 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 129.
Ane decreit gevin in the action movit be thaim anents ten dosand sythis with intimatione to thaim 15… Acts I 198 red.
To divide the haill landis in the Mers in husband landis ilk husband land xxvj akkeris quhair pluk and syth may gang 1630 Dumfries Test. in Douglas of Morton (App. B) 741.
For severall sythes and huickes 1657 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 1043.
Fyftie shillings for the pryce of ane syth 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) i 6.
The out-law Whiggs … Some syths had, men and horse to hough 1691 Foulis Acc. Bk. 137.
For mending … the … meikle sheirs and syths 1699 Foulis Acc. Bk. 259.
To Davie Wilson to buy a syth to maw the boig [£1, 9 s.](b) 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Falx, a huik or syith 1661 Nicoll Diary 347.
A pece of corne ground reddy to moaw, and ane syeth lying by(c) ?1666 Lauderdale P. I 251.
Four hundered off the foott weell armed the rest furnished with sayzts mounted lyk hedgbills, forks, and partizans(2) 1577 Edinb. Test. VI 64b.
Ane new mawing syth price thairof [13 s. 4 d.]comb. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Husbandland.
Hvsbandland conteinis commonlie 6 aikers of sok & syith land: That is of sik land as may be tilled with ane pleuch or may be mawed with ane syith

b. fig. The attribute of death. 1609 Garden Garden 78.
If dreadfull Death … with her syth … All which God made shall maw 1684 Lauder Observes 118.
Death … did also sweip away with his seeth the Lord Montague

2. A weapon resembling a scythe. 1689 Glasgow B. Rec. III 419.
Anent the tounes regiment disbanding … These who hes colouris and syths either give in the same to the toune or [etc.]