| 释义 |
▪ I. † lite, n.1 Obs.
Also 4 lijt, lit, litte, 4–5 lyte, lytt.
[f. lite v. Cf. let n.]
Delay, tardiness; frequent in phr. without lite.
a1300Cursor M. 4776 Iacob wen he was mast in sijt God lighted him, wit-outen lijt. Ibid. 5790 Þar-to sal be now na lang lite. a1350St. Cecilia 353 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 163 And at þe last withouten lite All þaire heuides he gert of smite. c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 1620 So lang gaf sho him respite, And thus he haves hir led with lite. c1460Towneley Myst. ix. 225 Fast for to fle outt of my land, Byd thaym, withouten lyte.
▪ II. † lite, n.2 Sc. and north. dial. Obs.
In 5 lyit, lyte.
[Aphetic var. of elite n.1 Cf. leet n.2]
A bishop-elect; = elite n.1
c1425Wyntoun Cron. vii. v. 741 He stud as Lyte twa yhere owre, And Byschape thretty yhere and foure. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6519 And cuthbert to hexham lyte. 1497Halyburton Ledger (1867) 83 Johne Fressall, factor to Master John Fressall, lyit of Roys.
▪ III. † lite, n.3 Sc. Obs. rare—1.
[ad. L. līt-em, līs.]
Strife.
1493Sc. Acts Jas. IV (1814) II. 232/2 Exhorting and praying þame to leif þair contentiounnis, litis and pleyis.
▪ IV. lite, n.4, a., and adv. Obs. exc. arch. or dial.
Forms: 1 lýt, 2–3 lutte, 3–4 lut, 3–5 lute, luyte, 3, 5–6, 8–9 lit, 4 liȝt, luite, 4–7 lite, lyte, 4, 9 lyt, 5–6 litte, 6 lyght, lytte, 8 loyt, 9 leet, light, loit.
[Partly repr. OE. lýt n., adj., adv. (= OS. lut n.), and partly the synonymous ON. lítt adv., contraction of lítet, neut. of lítell: see little.]
A. n.
1. Little, not much. unto lite: very nearly.
a1000Runes 22 (Gr.) Wen ne bruceþ, ðe can weana lyt, sares and sorᵹe. 12..Prayer Our Lady 24 in O.E. Misc. 193 Muchel ich habbe ispened, to lite ich habbe an horde. c1290Life of Jesus 632 Ȝiueth us, heo seiden, of ouwer eoli... Nai, seiden þe oþere, þere were to luyte to us alle. 13..Guy Warw. (A.) 640 Of mi liif is me bot lite. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 149 He that loueth the lelly lyte of thyne coueiteth. c1386Chaucer Man of Law's T. 11 Thy neighebore thou wytest synfully And seist thou hast to lite, and he hath al. a1420Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 930 Vpon þis woful thoght I..muse so, that vn-to lite I madde. 1513Douglas æneis i. Prol. 38, I knaw tharin full lyte. a1575Friar & Boy 59 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 63 He sayd he wolde ete but lyte, Tyll nyght that he home came. 1867Rock Jim an' Nell lxv. (E.D.S. No. 76), And Joe an' Will have each a-bro't A main peart o' the leet they've got, Gosh, 'e'll ha quite a vortin.
b. (a, by) lite and lite: (by) little and little. Also erroneously, by lithe and lithe.
c1290S.E. Leg. I. 313/465 So þat þe sonne bi-fore geth luyte and luyte i-wis. c1325Song of Yesterday 44 in E.E.P. (1862) 134 Heo ne schal fade as a flour Luyte and luyte leosen hir beute. c1386Chaucer Sompn. T. 527 (Cambr. MS.) Euere it wastith lyte & lyte awey. 1406Hoccleve Misrule 92 A lyte & lyte to withdrawen it. a1577Gascoigne Don Barth. Wks. (1587) 104 By lite and lite his fits away gan flie. 1592Dee Comp. Rehears. (Chetham Soc.) 23 Not long after..by lithe and lithe I became hindered.
c. a lite (in early texts often written alite): a little. Used also advb.
c1290Beket 1896 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 161 A luyte [v.r. lute] bi-fore cristemasse to þe kinge heo come. c1290St. Kenelm 318 ibid. 354 Huy comen into one wode: a luyte bi este þe toune. c1330Arth. & Merl. 435 (Kölbing) For þe barouns were hende Bi Salesbiri biside a lite Al redi bataile to smite. c1369Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 249 If he wol make me slepe a lyte,..I wil yive him a fether-bed. a1420Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1240, I have but a lite, And likly am herafter to have lesse. c1430Two Cookery-bks. 17 Þe ȝolke an þe whyte y-strainyd a lyte. 1513Douglas æneis viii. Prol. 3, I slaid on a swevynnyng slummerand a lite. 1530Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 766 Wyll the deith a lyte withdrawe his darte. 1584Lodge Alarum (1879) 73 Such stately knees as when they bend a lite, All knees doo bend. 1674Ray N.C. Words 30, A Lite: a few, a little. 1746Exmoor Courtship 561 (E.D.S.) Es hire ya lick a lit about ma Cozen Magery.
2. (In OE. followed by genit. pl. with sing. vb.; subsequently ellipt. as subj. to plural vb.) Few.
Beowulf 2882 Werᵹendra to lyt þrong ymbe þeoden. a1200Moral Ode 104 Hwi boð fole iclepede, and swa lut icorene. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 123 Lit ben þat þus understonden and bishechen god. c1205Lay. 4045 Her wes muchel mon-qualm Þat lut her quike bi-lefden. a1300K. Horn 658 (Harl. MS.) Of þat þer were o ryue he lafte lut o lyue. c1375Cursor M. 8496 (Fairf.) Þis write wiþ many was rede and sene bot lite [Cott. fa, Gött. fone] wiste quat hit walde mene.
B. adj. (Uninflected in OE.)
1. Few. Also, a lite = a few (see few 2 a).
a1000Be Domes Dæᵹe 61 He mid lyt wordum ac ᵹeleaf⁓fullum his hæle beᵹeat. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 105 We wilen bi godes wissinge and bi his helpe þerof cuþen ȝiu þese lit word. c1230Hali Meid. 19 Þe hehscipe of þe mede þat tis ilke lut wordes bicluppen abuten. c1375Cursor M. 27864 (Fairf.) Þer ar synnis lite [Cott. foun]..worre to amende þen is þis. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 211 Lite prestis or none ben clene of þis symonye. c1400Destr. Troy 1312 Soght to þe Citie on soppes to-gedur Tho þat left were on lyue þogh þai lite were. c1420Liber Cocorum (1862) 47 With a lite grotes put hom þer in And sethe hom wele. a1550Scotish ffielde 9 in Furnivall Percy Folio I. 212 There were lite Lords in this land: that to that Lord longed. 1860Waugh Yeth-Bobs iii. 47 ‘It'll be within a light (few) minutes o' noon, aw'll be bund.’ 1870Brierley Ab-o'-th' Yate on Times & Things 48 If anybody had axt me heaw mony friends I had,..I should ha' bin bothered to ha' said how loit (few).
2. Little in amount; not much of.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 29 Iþencheð hu lutte hw(i)le ᵹe beoð here. a1250Owl & Night. 763 Oft spet wel a lute lyste, Thar muche strengthe sholde miste. c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 87/24 Deol and sor and luyte gladnesse. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2041 Is poer lute was vor þe king was euere aboue. a1300K. Horn 1211 (Cambr. MS.) Wyn nelle ihc, Muche ne lite, Bute of cuppe white. c1300Havelok 276 Soþlike, in a lite þrawe Al engelond of him stod awe. a1375Joseph Arim. 554 Luyte wonder hit was so þey wrouȝt haden. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 423 Lite fortune and povert and scarste of riches makeþ me a þeef. 1423Jas. I. Kingis Q. xiii, I..in my tyme more Ink and paper spent To lyte effect. 1508Dunbar Gold. Targe 71 Your aureate tongis both bene all to lyte, For to compile that paradise complete. 1796[R. Walker] Plebeian Politics (1801) 31 Hoo..knokt eawt whot loyt breans he had. 1837Mrs. Palmer Devon. Dial. 22 The leet money I've a croop'd up I be a shirk'd out o'.
3. Little in magnitude; small. Often coupled with great or much.
c1205Lay. 22208 Þa wes Walwain lute child. a1225Ancr. R. 280 Holie men þet holðet ham lutte & of lowe liue. c1300St. Brandan 184 Tho fleȝ ther up a lute fowel. a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 532 Upon this dore I gan to smyte, That was [so] fetys and so lyte. c1384― H. Fame iii. 279 Me thougt she was so lyte That the lengthe of a cubite Was lengere than she. c1391― Astrol. Prol., Latin ne canstow yit but smal, my lyte sone. 14..Lydg. Temple of Glass 1291 For al my life it were to lit a space. a1450Myrc 1268 Any mon myche or luyte. a1575Friar & Boy 226 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 71 Though I be lyte, Yonder byrde wyll I smyte. 1600Fairfax Tasso ix. lxxxi. 175 Yet blossom'd out her flowres, small or lite. 1802Wolcot (P. Pindar) Middlesex Elect. Wks. 1816 IV. 172 Vor now I'll screw my fiddle-strings Forsooth, a leet bit higher. 1877Tugwell Hand-bk. N. Devon 253 Jan, do'e zee the lit woman standing by the bed?
absol.c1320Seuyn Sag. (W.) 1137 He let of-sende moche and lite, Hise neyebours him to visite. 1600Fairfax Tasso xi. xxvi, From this exploit he spar'd nor great nor lite.
C. adv. Little; in a small degree, to a small extent.
a1000Cædmon's Gen. 1566 (Gr.) He lyt onᵹeat, Þæt him on his inne swa earme ᵹelamp. 1340Ayenb. 31 Þe uerste [zenne] is þonneliche, huanne þe man loueþ lite and lheucliche oure lhord. c1380Sir Ferumb. 708 Charlis wiþ þe hore berde doþ þe lite Auaylle. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 86 Þanne thou nedyste a medycine þat ys lyte dryinge. c1430Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. 413 In straunge lande ryding, ne travayle, Ful lyte or nought in love doth avayle.
▪ V. lite, n.5|laɪt|
[Phonetic respelling of light n. Cf. nite n.2]
= light n. in various senses, esp. in commercial use; spec., a lamp, spotlight, etc. Cf. Scotchlite n.
1955M. Reifer Dict. New Words 122 Lite-lift.., a..forwarding arm device which permits immediate raising and lowering of a spotlight. 1970Globe & Mail (Toronto) 28 Sept. 27/7 (Advt.), Vinyl roof, hidden lites. 1973Black World June 63 Strobe lites flickering all over the place. 1990Gus Home Shopping Catal. No. B726. 16 (caption) Magnetic lite.
▪ VI. lite a.2 and n.6|laɪt|
[Phonetic respelling of light a.1]
A. adj.
1. Occas. in advertisements: = light a.1 18 a.
1954Los Angeles Times 21 Mar. 3/2 (Advt.), Clerk-lite steno..$200 start.
2. Comm. Designating a manufactured product that is lighter (in weight, calorie content, etc.) than the ordinary variety, esp. (with capital initial) low-calorie beer. Freq. used postpositively. Cf.*light a.1 10.
1962L. S. Sasieni Optical Dispensing i. 17 On light-weight spectacles a small joint known as the ‘Lite-Elete’ is sometimes used. 1967N.Y. Times 14 Sept. 65/3 The leotards match the packaging and labeling of Meister Brau Lite, a no-carbohydrate beer to be introduced this week. 1971Official Gaz. (U.S. Patent Office) 30 Nov. tm283 Lite... For beer with no available carbohydrates... First use May 15, 1967. 1975Business Week 13 Oct. 116/1 Lite beer, the low-calorie brew introduced by Miller Brewing Co...last February. 1984M. Amis Money 304, I sit in a bar drinking lite beer. 1990T. Robbins Skinny Legs & All 391 He was sipping from a can of Miller Lite. 1991Public Works Nov. 32/1 (Advt.), Efficiency Production Ultra-Lite Aluminum Trench Boxes let you use small backhoe/loaders to lift, swing, and place them in the ditch easily. 1992Men's Health May–June 44/1, It does little good to switch to the ‘lite’ versions of bologna made from turkey or chicken.
3. fig. Designating a simplified or moderated version of something; so (dismissively), lacking in substance; over-simplified, facile. Freq. used postpositively, in humorous imitation of brand names (see sense *2 above). U.S. colloq.
1989Spy (N.Y.) Mar. 96/1 Whereas camp during the fifties and sixties emerged from the more passionate, fabled art forms of ballet, opera and Joan Crawford vehicles, Camp Lite is almost purely the spawn of fifties and sixties television, with its bland sitcom chuckles. 1990Omni Dec. 92/3 Blum's view that the government knows little more than we do about UFOs is a decidedly ‘lite’ version of the cover-up. 1991Creem Apr.–May 78 With substantial songs inspired by real-life situations, Breathe are quickly putting behind them the notion that they're merely the lite fodder for teenaged dreams. 1992Newsweek 27 Apr. 58/3 USA Today is still dogged by the perception among many would-be advertisers and the media elite that it remains News Lite, a triumph of marketing over substance. 1992Playboy Sept. 37/2, I am the happy feminist, the feminist who likes men, the feminist lite. 1995Internet World Feb. 14/3 InternetWorks has a suggested retail price of $129 and includes an electronic version of New Rider's Internet Yellow Pages. A lite version is available via FTP.
B. n. Low-calorie beer. orig. U.S.
1975Business Week 13 Oct. 118/2 Lite actually tastes like beer. 1978Esquire 18 July 76/3 Lite also has less alcohol than regular beer.
▪ VII. lite, v.1 Obs. exc. dial.
Also 4 lit, 5 litte, lytyn, 6 lyte, 8 light.
[app. a. ON. hlíta to trust.]
1. intr. To expect, wait, delay.
a1300Cursor M. 2821 (Cott.) Quen þai sagh loth be to litand þai tok him-self bi þe hand. a1300–1400Ibid. 10209 (Gött.) Child to gete þai litid [Cott. has littend] lang. a1400–50Alexander 801 Þen littid þai na langer bot laschid out swerdis. 1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) i. xxii. 24 They lyte the redy weyes for to lerne. c1440Promp. Parv. 308/1 Lytyn, or longe taryyn, moror. 1855Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v., To wait in expectation of proceeding. ‘I have been liting o' you this half hour’.
2. To rely on, to trust to.
1570Levins Manip. 151/11 To Lyte, or trust, fretus esse. 1674Ray N.C. Words 30 To Lite on: to Rely on. 1683G. Meriton Yorksh. Dial. 91 (E.D.S. No. 76), I lited on Hobb, and he lited on me. 1788W. Marshall Yorksh. II. 340 Gloss., Light, to rest, depend, or rely. ‘It is not to light on’; it is not to be depended upon. 1855Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v., ‘I suppose, then, I may lite o' you’.
Hence † liting vbl. n., delay.
a1300Cursor M. 26631 Þou sal shriue þe als sone als þou has euer þi synne done,..for liting is ful selcouþ ille.
▪ VIII. † lite, v.2 Obs.
Also lit.
[Aphetic f. delite, the earlier form of delight v.]
refl. To delight.
a1300Cursor M. 1560 Amang kaym kyn Þat lited [Fairf. delitet, Trin. delited] þam noght bot in sin. Ibid. 25950 Þe thrid [sin] es wers of alle we rede, to lig and lit vs in vr sake, And siþen wil na mendes make.
▪ IX. lite
obs. form of light v.1 |