vbl. sb. Forms: 5–7 coyt-, 6 koyt-, quait-, quayt-, 7 coit-, 7– quoit-. [f. as prec. + -ING1.] The action or game of playing at quoits.
1467. Nottingham Rec., II. 264. Luserunt ad quendam ludum illicitum et prohibitum vocatum ‘le coytyng.’
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 574/2. Suche prety playes … as chyldren be woont to playe, as cheristone, mary bone,… or quayting.
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 9 § 11. Any common house, aley or place of boulynge, coytynge [etc.].
1563. B. Googe, Eglogs, vii. (Arb.), 58. Suche thynges, wherin we Shepeheardes haue delyght, As in Quaiting.
a. 1619. Fotherby, Atheom., II. i. § 8 (1622), 188. Running, Wrestling, Leaping, Coyting.
1799. E. Du Bois, Piece Family Biog., I. 16. Wrestling, running, quoiting,… and every description of rural sport.
1836. Lytton, Athens (1837), I. 179. At first only the footrace was exhibited, afterwards were added wrestling, leaping, quoiting.
Comb. 1530. Palsgr., 488/2. I Coyte. I play with a coyting stone.
1827. [see QUOIT sb. 1 c].
1897. Crockett, Lads’ Love, xviii. 203. He thrust his arm through mine, and fairly dragged me into the quoiting-ground. Ibid., 209. The matter of the quoiting-match.
† b. A method of cheating at dice. Obs. rare–1.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., I. (Arb.), 54. If they be true dise, what shyfte wil they make to set ye one of them with slyding, with cogging,… with coytinge as they call it.
