Now dial. Forms: 1–3 flit, 3–4, 9 flite, flitt(e, 4–5 flyt, (5 floyt, 7 fleyte), 8 flight, 8– flyte. [OE. flît str. neut., f. flitan (see next): cf. OFris. and OS. flît (Du. vlijt), OHG. flîȝ (MHG. vlîȝ Ger. fleiss diligence, zeal.)
The flitt of the Cursor M., where spelling and rime indicate a short vowel, is prob. a parallel formation repr. OE. ȝeflit.]
† 1. Contention, strife, a dispute; also, abuse, an abusive speech. Obs.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. xlix. [l.] 21. Toȝeanes sunu modor ðine ðu settest flit.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 43. Ech þat is weorldes frend is ure drihtenes fo, and halt flit wið him.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24536 (Cott.).
| Bot quen i sagh þat face be-spitt, | |
| And thogh apon þat juus flitt, | |
| þe tere fell o min ei. |
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 93.
| Na mar moves me thi flyt | |
| Than it war a flies byt. |
1600. in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), IV. 281. As Sir John Carey wrote to Cecil, assailed him with many ‘fleytes and pretty taunts,’ on the high honours paid him by Elizabeth.
† b. A contest, struggle. Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 421. Þe arc … flote forthe with þe flyt of þe felle wyndeȝ.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 581. The duke of Bedforde, accompanyed with the erle of Marche & other lordes, had a great floyt and batayll with dyuers carykkes of Ieane & other shyppes.
2. A scolding-match.
1768. Ross, Fort. Sheph., I. 111. We’ll ablins get a flyte, an’ ablins nane.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxxix. ‘I think maybe a flyte wi’ the auld housekeeper at Monkbarns, or Miss Grizel, would do me some gude.’
1876. Mid. Yorksh. Gloss. There’s such a flite going on between them.
