A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1568, 1660
[0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0]
Smit, Smyt(e, Smot, n.1 Also: smote, smoit, simote. [ME smitt (once, Cursor M.), e.m.E. smit (1585), smitt (1670), OE smitte, MDu., MLG smitte. Also in the later dial.] Chiefly fig.: A stain, blemish, spot. b. An identification mark put on sheep, in fig. context.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii 867.
Blowmand bewte but wane or smyt Of sawle and body to-giddir knyt a1400 Legends of the Saints v 10.
Criste hym chesit fore to be But smyt of flesche in chastite a1400 Legends of the Saints xxx 57.
The feynd … thocht that he wald put a smyt In hyr gud nam, for to fyle it a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi 254.
Godis awne lam … Quhare-of na smyt is Hyme in a1400 Legends of the Saints xl 14.
The cud-clath, … He kepit clene … Of al dedly syne but smyt c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1264 (C).
With smyt of gret defame Perpetualy diffamede ar we c1420 Wynt. v 8.
But … thrawyng, or dises, Or ony smyt, delyveryd wes Off hyr a sown, [bath] God and man c1420 Wynt. ix 1930.
Quhat at sal be put in write Off falsheid sall bere na kyn smyte c1460 Consail Vys Man 61.
Lesing is sa foul a smyt That quhay-sa-euir be taynt with it It smytis sa sare it partis neuir a1500 Bernardus 76.
Drunkynnes … A sary smyt tyle hyme that leffys thar in a1568 Scott i 220.
Smaill sweit smaragde, smelling but smit of smot(b) 1532 Acts II 335/2.
The auctorite apostolik without ony maner of smot, violacioun or defectioun 1545 Stirling Ant. IV 204.
The gudes and merchandise perteining to thame sic as lynt, irne, &c. … sal be unsuspect and without simote or falt of pest 1551 Hamilton Catechism 171.
That it [sc. the kirk] suld be haly without smot or fylth a1561 Norvell Meroure 6a (see Smit v. 2 (a)). 1562-3 Winȝet I 13/29.
The mirrour … quhairin euery stait may see his smot, and have iust occasioun to reforme hym self 1562-3 Winȝet I 13/36.
Christe … mot conuoye the hert of thy majestie … to behald attentlie euery day the samyn mirrour and to purge and wesche all smotis expressit be it 1562-3 Winȝet I 26/11.
Clein fra all smot of blame a1568 Scott i 220 (see (a) above). a1568 Bannatyne MS 64b/22.
Thair men also mon be but smyt or smoit 1558-66 Knox I 277.
Ever trew and obedient bayth to God and the Prince, without any smoteb. c1660 J. Livingstone in Select Biographies I 340.
You must have the tarr pigg by your belt, and be ready to give a smott to every one of Christ's sheep
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Smit n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/smit_n_1>
