lith

See also -lith, and lith-

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /liθ/

Etymology 1

From Middle English lith, lyth, from Old English liþ (“limb, member, joint, tip of finger, point”), from Proto-Germanic *liþuz (“limb”), from Proto-Indo-European *(e)lAi- (“to bend”). Cognate with Scots lith (“part of the body, joint”), West Frisian lid (“part of the body, member”), Dutch lid (“limb, member, section”), Middle High German lit (“limb, member”), Swedish led (“joint, link, channel”), Icelandic liður (“item”), Dutch gelid (“joint, rank, file”), German Glied (“limb, member, link”).

Alternative forms

• lythe (15th century)

Noun

lith (plural liths)

1. (UK dialectal) A limb; any member of the body.
2. (UK dialectal) A joint; a segment or symmetrical part or division.

   lith and limb

   out of lith

   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book IV:

     there the ladyes hors stumbled and threwe her doun that her arme was sore brysed and nere she swouned for payne. Allas syr sayd the lady myn arme is out of lythe wher thorow I must nedes reste me [...].

3. (Scotland) A segment of an orange, or similar fruit.

Etymology 2

From Middle English lith, lyth (“owndom”), from Old Norse lýðr (“people, lede”), from Proto-Germanic *liudiz (“men, people”), from Proto-Indo-European *(e)lewedʰ- (“man, people”). Cognate with German Leute (“people”), Old English lēode (“people”). More at lede.

Noun

lith (uncountable)

1. Owndom; property.

Etymology 3

From Middle English *lith, from Old Norse hlið (“a gap, gate, space”), from Proto-Germanic *hliþan (“door, lid, eyelid”), from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to conceal, hide”). Cognate with Norwegian dialectal lid, led (“an opening in a fence”), Scots lith (“a gap in a fence, gate opening”), Old English hlid (“lid, covering, door, gate, opening”). More at lid.

Noun

lith (plural liths)

1. (UK dialectal) A gate; a gap in a fence.

Anagrams

• hilt

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Scots

Etymology

From Old English liþ, from Proto-Germanic *liþuz.

Pronunciation

• IPA: [lɪθ]

Noun

lith (plural liths)

1. (anatomy) limb, member
2. (anatomy) joint
3. (of an orange, apple, onion, etc.) segment, division
4. joint, slice, segment
5. one of the rings at the base of a cow's horn

Verb

tae lith (third-person singular simple present liths, present participle lithin, simple past lithit, past participle lithit)

1. to disjoint, sever the joints of, dislocate
2. to wring a hen's neck