Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Slit(t, n. Also: slyte, slait. [ME and e.m.E. slytte (a1250), slitte (a1300), slit (c1330), slitt (1607, an aperture in a wall); Slit(t v.] a. A long, narrow aperture (in a wall); also, attrib. with windo, a window of this sort. 1579 Edgar Hist. Dumfries App. 148.
[There were] slittis maid laich throw the same hous [sc. prison] to let in the air 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 129.
Slittis … quhair, without the jevelouris knawlege, [friends of prisoners may communicate with them] 1593 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 499.
3 wyndois in the turnepyk ane lang slyte in the bak stair and a windo in the kitching 1611 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 331.
Twa lytle slittes into the quenes calbinite twa feit and ane half 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 63.
To the constables hous four slittis 1622 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 134.
And the furt [plank] shot in at the laigh barne slit 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 338.
To ane wricht for working and dressing the slittes of the new wark to hald out the kaaes c1650 Spalding I 24.
If fyre wes put in at slitis or wyndois 1659 Dumfries Council Min. 21 March.
That slitt of licht that lookes in to the conveeneris cloise … to be maid & cloisit with glass & stenchellsattrib. 1588–9 Glasgow B. Rec. I 131.
It sall nocht be lesum to him … to big ony laiche windois … quhill he be jeist heicht except sum slitt windois of halfe futt wyde being stenschorit

b. A cut or tear (in cloth). c. An incision or aperture (in meat).b. 1655–6 Misc. Spald. C. V 179.
Tuo drope of silk to sowe some slites in the clothes 1678 Essay Inscr. Macduff's Crosse 6.
Slit, rupta … , sayes Spelman; but what needs me cite Spelman, … is not the word slit, as obvious as beneficial to every taylorc. 16… Nat. Lib. MS 22.2.11 penult. p.
A way to make bacon hamb. … lay your hams in a troch, and rub them weill all over with this pouder, and put a good quantitie of it in the slit of the hoch

d. fig. A means of access or entry. 1636 Maxwell Mem. II 260.
Traquair … vsed his best meanes to crosse my lord's intention; but for all, the king hes appointed the commission to bee as my lord desired. And, least my Lord Traquaire should bee knowne to gett a slait into it, a great suite was made