Pa. t. and pa. pple. louted. Now arch., poet. and dial. Forms: 1 lútan, ȝluten, (lutien), Orm. lutenn, 4 lute (lote, louȝte, lutte), 5–7 loute, lowte, (5 loutte, lowth, lowtt), 6 lewt(e, 6, 9 Sc. loot, 4– lout. pa. t. α. strong 1 léat, pl. luton, 3–4 leat, pl. luten. β. weak 3 lotte, ? lute, lowtede, 3–5 lut(te, luted, 4–6 lowted, 4– louted. [Orig. a str. vb., OE. lútan, pa. t. léat, pl. luton, pa. pple. loten, corresponding to ON. lúta, pa. t. lǫut, pl. lutu, pa. pple. lotenn (Sw. luta, Da. lude), f. Teut. root *leut-: laut-: lūt-:—pre-Teut. *leud-: loud-: lūd-.
The primary sense of the root is prob. that represented in this vb.; it also appears in the senses ‘to lurk’ (see LOTE v., LOUT v.2, and cf. the cognates there mentioned), ‘to deceive’ (as in Goth liut-s hypocrite, lutōn to deceive, OE. lot deceit, lytegian to defraud) and ‘to be small’ (see LITTLE a.). Outside Teut., probable cognates are Lith. liūdeti to mourn, liûdnas sad, cast down, OSl. luditi to deceive, ludŭ foolish.]
1. intr. To bend, bow, make obeisance; also, to stoop. Occas. refl.; also with down.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter, xciv. 6. Cumað weorðien we and forð luten we biforan god.
c. 1200. Ormin, 11392. Þe birrþ biforr þin Laferrd Godd Cneolenn meoclike & lutenn.
c. 1200. Lay., 1880. Ofte hes luten a-dun.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5156. Hailsand forwit him þai lute. Ibid., 11614. Þai þam luted vnder him.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 798. Loȝe he loutez hem to Loth to þe grounde.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 253. Thar-with-all he lowtit, and his leyf has tane.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xii. (Tullem. MS.). Foure fotid bestis, þat hauen hedes loutynge doun to þe erþewarde.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xxxvi. 144 (Add. MS.). The Steward … lowted downe, and thanked the Emperour of his grete mercy.
c. 1450. Merlin, 98. The archebisshop lowted to the swerde, and sawgh letteres of golde in the stiel.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. ix. 84. The Troiane prynce down lowtis hym abone.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 30. He faire the knight saluted, louting low.
1658. Cleveland, Rustick Rampant, Wks. (1678), 403. The limber Knights … who … can kiss the Hand and lowt with more Grace.
a. 1755. G. West, Abuse Trav. (Imit. Spenser), xli. in Dodsley, Coll. Poems (1755), II. 98. Tho’ to that old mage they louted down.
1826. J. Wilson, Noct. Ambr., Wks. 1855, I. 147. Dinna loot wi that lang back o yours.
1891. Conan Doyle, White Company, iii. I uncovered and louted as I passed.
b. Const. dative or till, to, unto: To bow or make obeisance to, reverence. † Also trans.
971. Blickl. Hom., 223. Sanctus Martinus … leat forð to ðæm men ðe hine slean mynte.
c. 1200. Ormin, 8961. And till hemm baþe he lutte & bæh.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 12. Heo leat lahe to hire leoue lauerd.
1340. Ayenb., 239. Þer com on of þe princes, and leat to him.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxiii. (George), 343. Þat scho suld god lofe & lowte.
1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 306. Ȝif a frere be a mastir … he shal be loutid & worshipid.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 926. Why lowtt ȝe nat low to my lawdabyll presens?
1522. World & Child (Roxb.), B j. To me men lewte full lowe.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. iii. 5. Thrise lowted lowly to the noble Mayd.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., v. 78. All lowting lowe to him, him humbly they observe.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, IV. viii. To Rokeby, next, he louted low, Then stood erect.
c. fig. To bow, stoop, submit (to).
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 282. Þe ildes aboute alle salle loute vnto þat lond.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2900. He ga[r]te þe grettest to hire prison louȝte.
c. 1500. Elegy on Henry, 45, in Percy’s Reliq. To whome grete astates obeyde and lowttede.
1568. C. Watson, Polyb., 100. The Carthaginenses perceiving how they were not able at that present to cope with the Romans, louted for the time.
1801. Macneill, Poems (1844), 18. ‘He ne’er can lout,’ I musing said, ‘To ply the fleeching fawning trade.’
1819. Keats, Otho, III. i. 17. Was ’t to this end I louted and became The menial of Mars?
2. trans. To bow (the head); to let (the countenance) fall. rare.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2479. Hengist vaire him þonkede & is heued lotte [v.r. lowtede] adoun.
[a. 1300. Cursor M., 16350. Iesus thoght ful mikel scam, and luted dun his cher.
