Forms: 1–3 blíðe, (3 bliht, bligh), 4 bliþ(e, blyþe, (bliȝe, 5 blyde), 3–7 blith, 3–8 blyth, 4–9 blythe, 3– blithe. [Com. Teut.: OE. blíðe = OS. blîđi (MDu. blîde, Du. blijde, blij, LG. blide, blyde), OHG. blîdi (MHG. blîde), ON. blíðr mild, gentle, kind, (Sw., Da. blid), Goth. bleiþs kind, merciful:—OTeut. *blîþi-z; possibly f. verbal stem *blî- to shine, but no cognates are known outside Teutonic. The earlier application was to the outward expression of kindly feeling, sympathy, affection to others, as in Gothic and ON.; but in OE. the word had come more usually to be applied to the external manifestation of one’s own pleased or happy frame of mind, and hence even to the state itself.]
A. adj.
† 1. Exhibiting kindly feeling to others; kind, friendly, clement, gentle. Obs.
a. 1000. Elene, 1317 (Gr.). Him biþ engla weard milde and blíðe.
c. 1340. Alex. & Dind., 624. God is spedeful in speche Boþ blessed & blyþe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2342. Your biddyng to obey, as my blithe fader.
1570. Levins, Manip., 151/46. Blythe, blandus.
† b. fig. (Of the waves.) Obs.
c. 1000. Ags. Psalter cvi[i]. 28. Þa yða swyʓiað, bliðe weorþaþ.
2. Exhibiting gladness: jocund, merry, sprightly, gay, mirthful. In ballads frequently coupled with gay. Rare in mod.Eng. prose or speech.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Poems, Christ, 739 (Gr.). Hleahtre bliðe.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7255. Quils þai war blithest at þat fest. Ibid., 11066. When John was borne also swyþe His frendes was ful gladd and bliþe.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 222. Yhe birds, blyth as bellis.
1616. Bullokar, Blith, merry, frolicke, joyfull.
1632. Milton, Allegro, 24. So buxom, blithe, and debonair.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XX. 199. Magnificent, and blithe, the suitors come.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1766), V. 277. Emily; good girl! quite recovered, and blyth as a bird.
1796. Campaigns 1793–4, II. viii. 53. Forth we instantly sallied, so blythe and so gay.
1807. Crabbe, Par. Reg., III. 957. Thus brides again and bridegrooms blithe shall kneel.
b. transf. of things. (More common.)
a. 1300. Cursor M., 828. Alle blurded þat was for-wit bliþe.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 155. With blyþe blaunner ful bryȝt.
1621. Beaum. & Fl., Thierry & Theod., V. i. A bonny countenance and a blithe.
1808. Scott, Marm., I. x. A blithe salute The minstrels well might sound.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. I. iv. 50. Blithe sounds of festal music.
1857. H. Reed, Lect. Eng. Poets, xiii. II. 136. The rightful gayety of those blithe early years.
3. Of men, their heart, spirit, etc.: Joyous, gladsome, cheerful; glad, happy, well pleased. Rare in Eng. prose or colloquial use since 16th c., but frequent in poetry; still in spoken use in Scotland.
971. Blickl. Hom., 7. Bliþe mode heo sang.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Ex. xviii. 9. Þa wæs Iethro bliðe for eallum ðam þingum ðe Drihten dyde Israhela folce.
c. 1205. Lay., 1636. He was swiðe bliðe for his muchele biȝate.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1020. With good hope and herte blithe.
c. 1440. York Myst., xv. 86. Breder, bees all blythe and glad.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. iii. 4. Bardolph, be blythe.
1663. in Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1829), 25. Blyth to win away with his life.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 625. To whom the wilie Adder, blithe and glad.
1715. Rowe, Lady J. Gray, IV. (1746), 217. I trust that we shall meet on blither terms.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., 114. ‘I’m blythe to hear ye say sae,’ answered Cuddie.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 49. His spirit was blithe and its fire unquenchable.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, ix. 11. Know ye happier any, any blither?
† 4. Yielding milk. Obs. or ? dial.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Blith (Brit.), that yeelds milk milky.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., 322. Blith, yielding Milk.
B. sb.
† 1. A blithe one: cf. fair. Obs.
a. 1548. Song, Murning Maidin, xvii. Into my armes swythe Embrasit I that blythe.
† 2. a. Compassion, mercy, good-will; b. Gladness, mirth, pleasure, delight. Obs.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 354. & sech hys blyþe ful swefte & swyþe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2196. Ger hom bowe as a berslet & þi blithe seche.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum, 36. Coloure hit with safrone, so have þou blythe.
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 47, in Babees Bk. (1868), 300. Loke thy naylys ben clene, in blythe.
1585. Will A. Robinson, Kendal (Somerset Ho.). To William Pott wyfe for hir greate blythe of drinke.
C. adv. [OE. blíðe.] † a. Kindly, benignantly. Obs. b. Blithely, cheerfully.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. liv. [lv.] 17. Þu me milde and bliðe … ahluttra.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11635. Iesus loked on hir blith.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 338. The chyldyr namys I wolle telle blythe.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, E vij b. The man to his mayster spekyth full blyth.
1785. Cowper, Faithf. Bird, 7. They sang, as blithe as finches sing.
D. Comb., as blithe-hearted, † blithelike, blithe-looking adjs.
1570. Sempill Ballates (1872), 77. Ze plesand Paun & Papingaw Cast of zour blyithlyke cullour.
1848. Lytton, Harold, xi. vii. Leofwine, still gay and blithe-hearted.
1848. Dickens, Dombey (C. D. ed.), 47. A blithe-looking boy.
