| 释义 |
▪ I. wight, n. arch.|waɪt|
Forms: 1–5 wiht, 1, 3–5 wyht, (1 wuht), 3 (Orm.) wihht, (wiþt, wid), 3–4 whit, wiȝt(e, 4 wyȝt, wyghte, whiȝt, whyȝte, whyt, (wiȝth, wijȝt, wieth, wihct, with, weiht, weith), 4–6 wyght, wighte, wite, Sc. wycht, (8 arch.) wicht, 5 whyȝt, whiht, whyht, wyt, (whith, wyth(e, wythte), 5–6 wyte, (5–7 weight, 6 white, Sc. weycht), 4– wight.
[OE. wiht m., f., n. = OS. wiht m. thing, pl. demons (MLG. wicht m., n. thing, being, creature, demon, LG. wicht n. girl, MDu., Du. wicht little child), OHG., MHG. wiht m., n. creature, being, thing, esp. of elves and dwarfs, (G. wicht m. creature, being, infant), ON. vættr, véttr, vitr f. living creature, thing (also in idiomatic uses and phr. ekki vætta, vættki, vættr not a whit, naught, not, vettugi nothing, hvatvetna anything whatever), Goth. waiht n. (only in ni..waiht nothing), waihts f. εἶδος, πρᾶγµα (ni{ddd}waihtais or waihts nothing); ulterior connexions uncertain. For compounds in English see aught n.2, naught, nought, unwight.]
†1. A living being in general; a creature. Obs.
Beowulf 120 Wiht unhælo, grim and grædiᵹ. c888ælfred Boeth. xvi. §2 Nanre wuht lichoma ne beoð þonne tederra þonne þæs monnes. c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 224 Swa lange swa ðu hy mid þe byrst, nan wiht yfeles þe onᵹean cymeð. c1200Ormin Ded. 273 Þatt nan wihht, nan enngell, nan mann,..Ne mihhte þurrh himm sellfenn þa Seffne godnessess shæwenn O mannkinn. c1200Moral Ode 78 (Trin. Coll. MS.) He wot hwat þencheð and hwat doð alle quike wihte. c1205Lay. 25869 Whæt ært þu fære whit? eært þu angel? eært cnih? c1250Owl & Night. 87 Snailes mus & fule wiȝte [v.r. wihte]. 13..Northern Passion (1913) I. 151 A neddir rampande, a lothely wyghte. 14..Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 43/20 God saue þis place fro alle oþer wykked wytes Boþe be dayes & be nytes! c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2416 Bestes of þe se and othir wyght. 1559W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 142 Vnto man, beast & euerye liuinge wite. 1586B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 177 Man is the onelie white whereat infinit..infortunes doe ayme at. 1587Golding De Mornay ii. 15 We reduce..All men vnder the terme of Wight; all wights vnder the terme of liuing things.
b. orig. and chiefly with (good or bad) epithet, applied to supernatural, preternatural, or unearthly beings. Obs. or rare arch.
In the 17th c. esp. of the four beasts of the Apocalypse.
c950Lindisf. Gosp. Mark vi. 49 Phantasma, yfel wiht. 971Blickl. Hom. 31 Þæt manfulle wuht wolde þæt he hine weorþode. c1000Prayer iv. 57 (Gr.) Ᵹeluᵹon hy him æt þam ᵹeleafan, forþon hy longe sculon Werᵹe wihta wræce þrowian. c1100Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 108/23 Satiri, uel fauni,..uel fauni ficarii, unfæle men, wudewasan, unfæle wihtu. c1200Moral Ode 285 (Trin. Coll. MS.) Þat beð ateliche fiend and Eiseliche wihten Þo sulle þe wreche sowle isien þe sineȝeden þurh sihte. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2750 Þer beþ in þe eyr an hey,..As a maner gostes, wiȝtes as it be. c1386Chaucer Miller's T. 293, I crouche thee from Elues and fro wightes. c1400Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) i. iii. 4 The angel vpon my right syde and the fowle wyght vppon the other syde. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. i. 13 The gods above And heavenly wights. a1638Mede Wks. (1672) 92 The Wights, the Elders, and every creature in Heaven. 1679C. Nesse Antichrist 196 Those 4 living wights and 24 elders. 1826W. Irving Babylon II. vi. 124 Those four wights upon the white, red, black, and pale horses. 1830Scott Demonol. v. 147 That these were the good wights (fairies) dwelling in the court of Elfland. 1894Morris Wood beyond World xxx. 230 Our protection against uncouth wights.
c. A local name for the shrew-mouse.
1795Statist. Acc. Scot. XIV. 317 A small species of mice, commonly called here [sc. Orkney] wights.
2. A human being, man or woman, person. Now arch. or dial. (often implying some contempt or commiseration).
c1200Ormin 1761 Unnseȝȝenndlike mare inoh Þann aniȝ wihht maȝȝ þennkenn. a1275Prov. ælfred 633 Wel worþe þe wid, Þad þe first taite. a1300K. Horn 397 (Laud) Of þat fayre wihcte Al þe halle gan licte. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1792 ‘Þat is a worde’, quod þat wyȝt, ‘þat worst is of alle’. 1340–70Alex. & Dind. 39 Neuere werrede we wiþ wiȝth up-on erþe. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 4 Ȝif any wiȝt wiste, where do-wel was at Inne. c1386Chaucer Prol. 71 He neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde In al his lyf vn to no maner wight. c1425Cast. Persev. 978 in Macro Plays 106 In wo & in wrake, wyckyd wytis schal wepe. c1470Henry Wallace xi. 395 Gret syn it war yon saikless wicht to sla. 1500–20Dunbar Poems lxxv. 17, I nevir wowit weycht bot ȝow. 1550Crowley Last Trumpet 614 Thou learned man, do not disdayne, To learne at me, a symple wyght. 1567Turberv. Epit., etc. 34 Away shee went a wofull wretched Wight. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Apr. 47 Of fayre Elisa be your siluer song, that blessed wight. 1604Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 159 She was a wight, (if euer such wightes were)..To suckle Fooles, and chronicle small Beere. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. 361 The heavenly gift of God granted unto blessed and happie weights. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 613 And of it self the water flies All taste of living wight, as once it fled The lip of Tantalus. 1724Ramsay Vision ii, Boreas branglit..like a drunken wicht. 1735Pope Prol. Sat. 165 The Wight who reads not, and but scans and spells. 1805Scott Last Minstr. i. i, No living wight, save the Ladye alone, Had dared to cross the threshold stone. 1867J. Ingelow Dreams that came true xxiv, She is a broken-down, poor, friendless wight. 1869H. F. Tozer Highl. Turkey II. 308 The unlucky wight..is doomed to speedy death.
b. Applied to a thing personified. rare. arch.
c1399Chaucer Purse 1 To yow, my purse, and to noon other wight Complayn I, for ye be my lady dere. 1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 77 Canst thou then be so vnwise to swallowe the bayte which will breede thy bane?.. To desire the wight that will worke thy death? 1802Wordsw. To the Daisy i. ii, Autumn, melancholy Wight! 1859Kingsley Glaucus (ed. 4) 72 His [sc. the worm's] place has been occupied by one Sipunculus Bernhardi; a wight of low degree.
†3. In advb. phrases, qualified by no, any (OE. æniᵹ wiht, nán wiht), a little, or the like: (A certain) amount; for (any, a little, etc.) time or distance. (See whit n.1 1, 2.) Obs.
c888ælfred Boeth. xxvii. §3 Þær hi æniᵹe wuht aᵹnes oððe ᵹecyndelices godes an heora anwealde hæfdon. 971Blickl. Hom. 235 Andreas, ne ᵹefyrenodest þu nan wuht. c1220Bestiary 657 [The elephant] Fikeð and fondeð al his miȝt, ne mai he it forðen no wiȝt. a1225Ancr. R. 72 Hwon ȝe nede moten speken a lutewiht. a1300St. Gregory 703 in Herrig Archiv LVII. 66 A litel wiȝt after þe none. Ibid. 1152 Ich wene on lyue nys he no wiȝt. a1300K. Horn 503 (Camb.) He smot him a litel wiȝt & bed him beon a god kniȝt. c1320Cast. Love 638 Þat monnes kuynde hedde al ariht, Þat hi neore to luite ne to muche wiht. 1340–70Alex. & Dind. 354 Þat we no wante no wite of worldliche fode. 13..Seuyn Sages (W.) 293 Yif thou me lovest ani wight, Let me of him han a sight! c1374Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. i. (1868) 63 Whan they ben resseyuyd with-inne a whyht than ben they swete. c1386― Reeve's T. 363 She was falle aslepe a lite wight. c1420Chron. Vilod. 4701 Þo he leyde hurre doune þere to slepe a litulle whyȝt. a1450Le Morte Arth. 472 Ector ne liked that no wight. c1470Henry Wallace iv. 154 Thai wyst no wyt quhar that thai suld him get.
†b. a little wight (adj. phr.): a small. Obs.
c1205Lay. 21991 Þer þis water wendeð, is an lutel wiht mære.
▪ II. wight, a. (adv.) arch. and dial.|waɪt|
Forms: 3–4 wiht, 3–5 wiȝt, (4 wicth, with, wiȝth, wit, Sc. vicht, vycht), 4–5 wyht(e, wiȝte, wyȝt(e, (vight), 4–6 wyght(e, wighte, Sc. wycht, 5 whight, whyght, wyt(e, whyt, white, (wygth, wyth, wythȝ, wyþtȝ, weight), 5–6 Sc. wichte, 4– wight, Sc. wicht.
[a. ON. vígt used in phrase = in self-defence; neut. of vígr of fighting age, skilled in arms; f. OTeut. wīg- (waig-, wig-), for other derivatives of which see wi n. Other adoptions of ON. adjs. in the neuter form are quert, scant, thwart, want.]
1. Strong and courageous, esp. in warfare; having or showing prowess; valiant, doughty, brave, bold, ‘stout’.
a. of a person, esp. a warrior.
c1205Lay. 777 Wihte wal-kempen on heora wiðer-winnan. Ibid. 20575 Seoue þusen monnen, ohte men and wihte. Ibid. 21359 Fif and twenti þusend whitere monnen. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 456 Mid six þousend wiȝtemen. a1300Cursor M. 6409 ‘Cheues þe’, he said, ‘wit man an freck And ga fight a-pon amalec’. c1350Will. Palerne 3293 He wist him wiȝht of dede. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints v. (Johannes) 610 In Ingland þat tym ves a knycht, In ded of armys þat ves vycht. c1425Wyntoun Cron. iii. ii. 269 Thre thousande wicht men of Iuda. c1470Henry Wallace v. 1057 Schyr Jhon the Grayme, with Wallace that was wycht. c1510Lytell Geste Robyn Hode iii. 17 Say me now wyght yonge man What is now thy name? 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 131 Of ane inuincible mynd, and a wichte weiriour. 1601Munday & Chettle Death Robt. Earl of Huntington i. i, Where is Robin Hood, And y⊇ wight Scarlet? 1775Hobie Noble xxiii. in Child Ballads vii. 3/1 Had he been as wight as Wallace was. 1808Scott Marm. vi. xx, O for one hour of Wallace wight. 1858Morris Def. Guenev. etc. 108 They ought to sing of him who was as wight As Launcelot or Wade.
b. of actions or personal attributes.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 10516 Knyght Þat losed was of dedes wyght. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andreas) 542 For warldis wa oþir is licht, And may be tholit with hart wycht. c1400Destr. Troy 1098 The worde of your werkes & your wight dedis..passes o fer! 1500–20Dunbar Poems viii. 12 That many ane fo in feild hes put to flycht, In weiris wicht. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 248 Quhen Eugenie had won sa wicht a victorie.
2. Strong, vigorous, robust, stalwart, mighty; exercising strength, energetic (passing into 3).
a1300Cursor M. 9003 Sampson þat wightest was in lijf. c1300Havelok 344 He was fayr man, and wicth. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. ix. 21 Sire worche-wel-wyth-þine-hande, a wiȝte man of strengthe. a1400Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1914) 57 In þe fermory of this religyon are moo seke þan hole, mo febyll þan wighte. c1440York Myst. xviii. 219 Are was I wayke, nowe am I wight. c1440York Myst. xviii. 219 Are was I wayke, nowe am I wight. 1486Bk. St. Albans c j b, It is goode to make her to mewe, bot specialli it shall make her wight after hir soore aage. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 33 William wichttar wes of corss Nor Sym, and bettir knittin. a1600Floddan F. vii. (1664) 62 And of thy hands hardy and wight. 1726Fleming's Fulfilling Script. (ed. 5) Table Scots Phr., Wight, strong or clever.
†b. Powerful, forcible, violent; powerful in effect, strong. (Also absol.) Obs.
13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1591 In þe wyȝt-est of þe water, þe worre hade þat oþer. c1470Henry Wallace vi. 659 The Scottis all as swyne lyis droukyn thar, Off our wycht wyne. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 36 In wickit wedderis and wicht. 1583Leg. Bp. St. Androis 786 Wachting the wyne, for it was wicht.
†c. Strong to resist force; strongly built or constructed; stout. Obs.
c1320Sir Tristr. 1029 Swiche meting was neuer non made Wiþ worþli wepen wiȝt. c1425Wyntoun Cron. clxxiii. 5404 The wardane has þat castell tane, And saw it wycht of lyme and stane. c1440Generydes 3634, I must haue A shippe bothe good and wight, And that it be right swift vnder a saile. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) II. 318 Though the braunches be stronge and wyght. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xxxii. 96 He toke fro me y⊇ toure and a wyght harnes. 1583Leg. Bp. St. Androis 930 Sayand, he wald ride furth a whyle, To seay a bow that was sumthing wicht. a1600Montgomerie Misc. Poems xli. 42 The freikis on feildis That wight wapins weildis.
3. Moving briskly or rapidly; active, agile, nimble, quick; swift, fleet.
1375Barbour Bruce ii. 120 Thar na horss is in this land Sa wycht, na ȝeit sa weill at hand. c1386Chaucer Reeve's T. 166, I is ful wight god waat as is a raa. 1390Gower Conf. III. 298 Hem that ben delivere and wyhte. c1430How Good Wife taught Dau. 120 in Babees Bk. (1868) 41 Manye handis & wight Make an heuy worke light. c1440Promp. Parv. 527/1 Wyte, or delyvyr, or swyfte. c1440Gesta Rom. xxxii. 121 Sche was so wyght of fote, that no man myght Rynne with hire by a grete space. c1480Henryson Fox, Wolf & Cadger 233 The wolf was wicht, and wan away. 1548Patten Exped. Scot. C vij, If Carres horse had not ben exceding good & wight his lordship had surely run him thrugh. 1586Whitney Choice Emblems 107 Since fame is wighte of winge. 1703Thoresby Let. to Ray Gloss. (E.D.S.), Wight, swift. 1805Scott Last Minstr. i. xxii, Mount thee on the wightest steed.
B. adv.
1. Actively, nimbly, energetically; quickly, rapidly, swiftly. Obs. or dial.
13..Cursor M. 3836 (Gött.) Iacob lifted vp þat ston ful wight. 13..E.E. Allit. P. C. 103 Cables þay fasten, Wiȝt at þe wyndas weȝen her ankres. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1762 Wiȝt wallande Ioye warmed his hert. c1460Towneley Myst. xxii. 264 Sithen we fled away full wight. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 341 The rest of airchouris schott far and wight. 1787W. Taylor Scots Poems 65 Down the brae I gaed fu' wight.
†2. Quickly, without delay, directly, immediately. Obs.
13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 617, I schal wynne yow wyȝt of water a lyttel. c1430Hymns Virgin (1867) 49 Euerlastynge ȝatis, openeþ wight! c1485Digby Myst. iii. 227 My lord, it xall be done ful wygth. 1606Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. Magnificence 726 Their winged words th' effect ensues as wight.
C. Comb. † wight-rider, a stout and active horseman; a mounted raider; so † wight-riding a. (see also quot. 1894); wight-wapping a. [wap v.1], moving rapidly, or characterized by such movement.
1569in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. lv. 556 ‘About the Queen’, say good-fellows, *Wight-riders and Robbers in the Borders of the two Realms. 1580Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Vn rodeur ou coureur, a roder or wigh[t]rider.
1575Laneham Lett. (1871) 22 Too the number of a sixteen *wight riding men. 1894Northumb. Gloss., Wight-riding, of the upper class. (Obs.)
1830Scott Ayrshire Trag. i. 1, The weaver shall find room At the *wight-wapping loom.
Hence † wightlayke a. [? -like influenced by -laik], quick, immediate (cf. B. 2 above); † wightling [-ling1 1], a valiant man, a brave warrior; † wightship, valour, bravery.
c1450Mirour Saluacioun (1888) 144 *Wightlayke delyvrenesse with out ony tarditee.
c1330Arth. & Merl. 8093 Galathin com swiþe flinge Wiþ þre þousand *wiȝtling.
Ibid. 7653 Of *wiȝtschippe & cheualrie.
▪ III. wight
obs. f. weight, white, with; var. wite Obs., blame; pa. tense of wecche Obs. |