Sc. and north. Obs. Forms: [? 1 wáð], 3–5 waith, wayth, 3–6 waithe, 4 wath, 5 wathe, 8 veth. [a. ON. veið-r fem., hunting, fishing, catch of game or fish = OE. wáð fem., hunting (also wandering), OHG. weida (MHG., mod. G. weide) hunting, fishing, food, pasture (also wandering, roaming):—OTeut. *waiþō, *waiþi-z, f. root *wai- perh. cogn. with L. vēnārī to hunt. It is possible that the OE. form wáð may have coalesced with the Scandinavian word.]

1

  1.  The action or practice of hunting or fishing; chiefly, unlawful taking of game; also, the right to hunt game.

2

[a. 1000.  Boeth. Metr., xxvii. 13. Deað … eʓeslic hunta, a bið on waðe.]

3

c. 1400.  Awntyrs Arth., xxxiv. We arene here in the wode, walkande one our wathe.

4

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., III. 235. For in his waith son eftyr þat Thre hundyr foxis qwyk he gat. Ibid., 533. Qwhar þat he trawalit mony day In waithe [v.r. weyth], in ware and in bargan.

5

15[?].  Murning Maiden, 94, in Maitl. Folio MS. (S.T.S.), I. 362. Ȝour deir may walk quhair euir þai will, I win my meit with na sic waithe.

6

1707.  [see VERT sb.1 2].

7

  2.  Game for or obtained by hunting; spoil of the chase; also gen. spoil, booty.

8

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3522, 3524. Esau went for till hunt,… Bot þat dai wayth [Fairf. waiþe, Gött., Trin. gamen] þan gatt he noght, For haf man neuer sa gode graith It es noght ilk dai, dai o waith.

9

13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1381. Here is wayth fayrest Þat I seȝ þis seuen ȝere in sesoun of wynter.

10

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 3233. That I ne wiste no waye whedire that I scholde, ffore woluez, and whilde swynne, and wykkyde bestez; walkede in that wasternne, wathes to seche.

11

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 2350. Till mydday and more myght we not fynde, ffor to wyn as for waithe in þat wode brode.

12

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., iii. 486. Noe. I will cast out also Dowfys oone or two: Go youre way, go, God send you som wathe!

13

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, I. 386. Waith suld be delt, in all place, with fre hart.

14

c. 1480.  Henryson, Two Mice, 7. The vther wynnit Uponland … Quhylis in the corne, and vther mennis skaith, As outlawis dois and leuis on thair waith.

15