Obs. Forms: 3 witeȝen, -iȝe, -ion, -ye, wete (?), 3–4 witi(e, wytie, 4 -ye, wetye; pa. t. 4 wited. [OE. *witian, as in bewitian BIWITIE.] trans. To keep, guard, protect: = WITE v.2
c. 1205. Lay., 2753. Heo biȝeten men þe heom cuðen witen [c. 1275 witie]. Ibid., 23738. Þat he … mid his riht honde witeȝe me wið sconde. Ibid., 32155. Þe pape hatte Sergius, he weteð Peteres hus.
a. 1290. St. Eustace, 92, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1881), 213. Wendeþ … godes way, Wytieþ oure soule niȝt and day.
c. 1290. St. Brendan, 299, in S. Eng. Leg., 227. Þat euerech frere of þat him leuez witiez to is soper.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9875. Saladin … let witie þe sepulcre þat no cristine ne com þer.
1340. Ayenb., 122. Þe baylifs þet gouerneþ and wytyeþ þe kingriche.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 176. Þis litel barn … couþe … kepe alle here bestes,… & wited hem so wisly.
a. 1400. Engl. Gilds (1870), 357. And þat seluer … be y-take to sexe godemen … for þe Commune assent, and treweleche wetye, and trewleche spende.
Hence † Witier, protector, guardian; † Witiing vbl. sb., guarding.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 678. [Bacus] wis witiere of win þat alle won bryngus.
13[?]. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903), 268. Of vr vife wittes a wel witiynge.
