v. Obs. Forms: 1 ʓitsian, ʓietsian, ʓidsian, 2–3 ȝitsen, 2–4 ȝissen, (2 ȝitcen, 3 ȝiscen, ȝyscen, ȝescen, ȝietcen, ȝetsen, 4 yisse; in vbl. sb. 3 ȝittsunng, yssyng, 4 icinge). [OE. ʓítsian, ʓídsian = OHG. *gîtisôn (MHG. gîzen, gîtsen, G. geizen), f. Teut. gīd-, whence also OHG. kît (MHG. gît, G. geiz) covetousness, OHG. kítac (MHG. gîtec, G. geizig) covetous; ultimately related to Lith. geidžu to covet, Lettish gaida desire, OSl. židati to expect.] trans. (in OE. const. gen. or dat.) and intr. To covet. Hence Yisser, a covetous person; Yissing vbl. sb., coveting, covetousness.
Beowulf, 1749. [He] ʓytsað gromhydiʓ.
c. 700. Epinal Gloss., 82. Appetitus, ʓitsung [Corpus Gloss. ʓidsung].
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xiii. § 1. Sio ʓitsung ʓedeð heore ʓitseras laðe. Ibid., xxvi. § 2. Ælc bit þæs reaflaces þe him on ʓenumen bið, oððe eft oðres ʓitsað. Ibid. (c. 897), Gregory’s Past. C., xli. 298 (Cotton MS.). Hu ʓewitende ða ðing sint þe hie ʓidsiað [v.r. ʓietsiað].
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 233. He wat wel þat maniȝe men bieð sa ful of ȝescung.
c. 1200. Moral Ode, 271 (Trin. Coll. MS.). Þo þe waren ȝietceres of þis wereldes aihte.
c. 1200. Ormin, 4560. Ȝæn ȝittsunng & grediȝleȝȝc.
c. 1205. Lay., 5332. Þe kidges beoð ȝunge Of æhte ȝissinge.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 202. Al so ȝisceð a ȝissare [v.r. ȝiscere] þet moni þusunt muhten biflutten.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3515. Ne ȝisce ðu noȝt ðin nestes ðing, Hus, ne aȝte, ne wif, in ðin ȝiscing.
c. 1275. Passion our Lord, 35, in O. E. Misc., 38. Mid yuernesse and prude and yssyng wes þat on.
c. 1315. Shoreham, IV. 357. Þorȝ ȝeskynge efter gode.
1340. Ayenb., 16. Icinge, in cle[r]gie auarice oþer couaylise.
a. 1400. in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903), 251. Ȝissinge and glosinge and felsship beon riue. Ibid., 269. Worldes yissyng Me haueth schent.
