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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.

Split, Spleet, v. Also: spleit(t. P.t. splite, spleet. P.p. spleeted, splet. [e.m.E. splette (1530), spleete (1585), split (1590), MDu. splitten, MLG splîten, LG spletten, spleeten.]

1. tr. To break (a ship) by striking it (upon rocks, etc.). 1664 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 350.
Christopher Jansone skipper … being convoyed in to the harbor of Leith be Archibald Downie sailer the shipp wes misguyded and did beatt upon the peir, and therby did not onlie make a breache upon the place being the east head of the peir but did also allmost spleitt his shipp asunder to the hazard of the losse of his vessell and loading 1697 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 642.
[The said ship was] splett and cast avay wpon the rockes within the Netherlaw park

2. intr. Of a ship: To break upon sands, etc. Also transf. of a person: To suffer shipwreck in this way. Also fig. 1667 Lamont Diary 196.
A Caper vessell … brake wp hir towes and did spleit vpon the sands of Kirkaldietransf. 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 25.
It is highly dangerous … to pass through between the isles … because of the many blind rocks lying there, upon which sometimes the inhabitants themselves do spleet 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 39.
A blind rock well enough known to the pilot, which the pursuer ignorant of spleet upon; which rock to this day is called the Unicorn, from the name of the ship that perished upon it 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 127.
The signal defeat … of the Spanish Armado … caused by stormy winds … some … sinking at sea, others spleeting upon the coasts both of England and Francefig. 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 90.
Men … care not though my fortune split on shelues

3. tr. Const. on: To break (a rule), to depart or deviate from a principle. 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 62.
Quæritur, whither he would have spleeted on the regular obedience of their order [sc. of Capuchines] if he carried the man having mony on him wholly throw the water

4. intr. Of something thrown: To break into pieces on impact. 1689 Siege Castle Edinb. 54.
They … threw the bombs in pairs; but all of them went over the castle, or fell short of it … ; or splite upon the top of the wall of the castle, where ther was a centinell, who brought some fragments of it to his comrades