† nittifyv.
Obsolete. rare.
1. transitive (reflexive). Perhaps: to remove or disturb one's nits or head lice; to reinfest oneself with nits.The allusion is to hair-cutting.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > infestation by noxious creatures > infest with noxious creatures [verb (transitive)] > infest with lice or nits
nittify1596
louse1931
1596 T. Nashe Haue with you to Saffron-Walden Ep. Ded. sig. B2v He, alas,..hath nittifide himselfe with a dish..any time this fourteene yeare, to saue charges of sheep-shearing.
2. transitive. To bespatter as with nits.
ΚΠ
1647 Maids Petition 5 Wyat the Prick-louse will nittifie our Corps with the small shot of reproofe.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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