Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Wight
Wight
,Noun.
Weight.
[Obs.]
Wight
,Noun.
[OE.
wight
, wiht
, a wight, a whit, AS. wiht
, wuht
, a creature, a thing; skin to D. wicht
a child, OS. & OHG. wiht
a creature, thing, G. wicht
a creature, Icel. vætt[GREEK]
a wight, vætt[GREEK]
a whit, Goth. waíhts
, waíht
, thing; cf. Russ. veshche
a thing. [GREEK]. Cf. Whit
.] 1.
A whit; a bit; a jot.
[Obs.]
She was fallen asleep a little
wight
. Chaucer.
2.
A supernatural being.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
3.
A human being; a person, either male or female; – now used chiefly in irony or burlesque, or in humorous language.
“Worst of all wightes.” Chaucer.
Every
wight
that hath discretion. Chaucer.
Oh, say me true if thou wert mortal
wight
. Milton.
Wight
,Adj.
[OE.
wight
, wiht
, probably of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. vīgr
in fighting condition, neut. vīgh [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] vīg
war, akin to AS. wīg
See Vanquish
.] Swift; nimble; agile; strong and active.
[Obs. or Poetic]
’T is full
wight
, God wot, as is a roe. Chaucer.
He was so wimble and so
wight
. Spenser.
They were Night and Day, and Day and Night,
Pilgrims
Pilgrims
wight
with steps forthright. Emerson.
Webster 1828 Edition
Wight
WIGHT
,Noun.
The wight of all the world who lovd thee best.
WIGHT
,Adj.
Definition 2024
Wight
Wight
See also: wight
English
Proper noun
Wight
- The Isle of Wight
- An area of the English Channel, from the southern English coast down to Normandy
wight
wight
See also: Wight
English
Noun
wight (plural wights)
- (archaic) A living creature, especially a human being.
- circa 1602, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, act 1, scene 3:
- O base Hungarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield?
- 1626, John Milton, On the Death of a Fair Infant Dying of a Cough, verse vi
- Oh say me true if thou wert mortal wight
And why from us so quickly thou didst take thy flight.
- Oh say me true if thou wert mortal wight
- circa 1602, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, act 1, scene 3:
- (paganism) A being of one of the Nine Worlds of Heathen belief, especially a nature spirit, elf or ancestor.
- (poetic) A ghost or other supernatural entity.
- 1789, William Blake, A Dream, lines 14-15-16
- But I saw a glow-worm near,
Who replied: ‘What wailing wight
Calls the watchman of the night?
- But I saw a glow-worm near,
- 1789, William Blake, A Dream, lines 14-15-16
- (fantasy) A wraith-like creature.
Translations
a living creature, a human being
Etymology 2
From Middle English, from Old Norse vígt, neuter of vígr (“skilled in fighting, of age”), cognate with Old English wīġ.[2]
Adjective
wight
- (archaic except in dialects) Brave, valorous, strong.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter ix, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVIII:
- I haue two sones that were but late made knyghtes / and the eldest hyghte sir Tirre / […] / and my yongest sone hyght Lauayne / and yf hit please yow / he shalle ryde with yow vnto that Iustes / and he is of his age x stronge and wyght
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter ix, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVIII:
- (Britain dialectal) Strong; stout; active.
See also
References
- “wight” in the Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, 1974 edition.
Middle English
Noun
wight (plural wightes)
- A person, a human being.
- 1368-1372, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Book of the Duchess, line 579:
- "Worste of alle wightes."
- 1379-1380, Geoffrey Chaucer, The House of Fame, line 1830-1831:
- "We ben shrewes, every wight,
- And han delyt in wikkednes."
- 1368-1372, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Book of the Duchess, line 579: