Obs. Forms: α. 1 suot, 12 swot, 25 swote, 35 suote, 5 swoote, 7 swoot. β. 46 sote. γ. 47 soot, 56 soote, 67 sout(e. [OE. swót, var. of swéte SWEET a., influenced by swóte SOOT adv.]
A. adj. 1. Sweet to the smell or taste; sweet-smelling, fragrant.
α. c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John xii. 3. Þæt hus ʓefylled uæs of suot stenc ðæs smirinese.
a. 1000. Passio St. Margaretæ, in Cockayne, Narrat., 49. Mid swotum wyrtum.
a. 1100. in Napier, O. E. Glosses, 226/2. Odoramentis, swotum bræðum.
a. 1200. St. Marher., 4. He is swotest to smeallen; ne his swote sauur mei neauer littlin.
c. 1275. Passion our Lord, 561, in O. E. Misc. Þo seyh heo þer twey engles myd hwite cloþes and swote.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 8. A suote smul þare cam of heom.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. X. 119. Riht as þe Rose þat red is and swote.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 60. The erth wexith proude For swote dewes that on it falle.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 176. With swote drinkes and with softe.
c. 1430. Life St. Kath., 12. As þe fayre and swoote rose spryngeth amonge þe thornes.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., XI. 147. Yf me make a knotte on euery roote, They wole be frogh ynough & tender swoote.
β. a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 1425. Thorough moisture of the weile wete Sprong up the sote grene gras. Ibid. (c. 1386), Millers T., 19 (Cambr. MS.). A chambre had he Ful fetously i-dight with erbis sote.
141220. Lydg., Chron. Troy (1555), I. vi. And them [sc. branches] With sote blosmes freshly to repayre.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 2083. A sote sauore þe lafte styll þere.
γ. c. 1386. Chaucer, 2nd Nuns T., 229. Ne never moo ne schul they roten be, Ne leese here soote savour.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 10881. The mor that ther be flourys fayre, Lusty, soote, & fressh off hewe.
a. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. lvii. 135. Swetter þan eny soot encence.
1492. Ryman, Poems, xxxv. 4, in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr., LXXXIX. 202. O Iesse rote moost swete and soote.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, I. v. 78. Wine wherin are enfused many soote odours and drugges.
1567. Golding, Ovids Met., VIII. (1593), 114. A roote Of Radish, and a jolly lump of Butter fresh and soote.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XV. xlvi. The height was greene with herbes and flowrets sout.
1611. Cotgr., Soëf, sweet, delicious, delicate, soote.
2. Of persons, qualities, etc.: Pleasant, agreeable, gentle, mild, gracious.
α. a. 1225. Ancr. R., 102. Þes cos, leoue sustren, is so unimete swote & swete.
c. 1250. Hymn, in Trin. Coll. Hom., App. 256. Leuedi milde, softe & swote, ic crie þe merci.
c. 1275. in O. E. Misc., 89. For his swete moder luue þat is so veyr and swote.
c. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., xviii. 57. In myn huerte thou sete a rote Of thi love, that is so swote.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5412. Unto men more profit doth The froward Fortune and contraire, Than the swote and debonaire.
c. 1425. Castle Persev., 2057, in Macro Plays. Þerfor, vij systeris swote, lete oure vertus reyne on rote!
β. c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 1194. To whom this tale Sugre be or Sote. Ibid. (c. 1385), L. G. W., 1077, Dido. To sum folk ofte newe thyng is sote.
c. 1403. Lydg., Temple Glas, 1264. And so to ȝow more sote and agreable Shal loue be found.
1477. Paston Lett., III. 181. Lest the French Kyng with sum assaults shuld in eny wise distourbe yow of yowr soft, sote, and sewre slepys.
1503. Hawes, Examp. Virt., v. 66. With helpe of vertue so swete and sote.
1558. G. Cavendish, Poems (1825), II. 67. Onles that grace have on the rewthe, To plant in the some vertue sote.
b. Of sounds: Melodious; harmonious.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 752, Thisbe. And on that othir side stod Thesbe The sote soun of othir to resseyue.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 14693. With ther soote mellodye.
1593. Barnes, Parthen., Sonn. xl. With thy notes harmonious and songs soot.
1614. J. Davies (Heref.), Eclogues, Wks. (Grosart), II. 19. As swoot as Swans thy straines make Thames to ring. Ibid., 20. But now ne recke they of soot carrolling.
B. sb. That which is sweet; a person of sweet disposition.
c. 1430. Hymns Virgin (1867), 29. Me þinkeþ myn herte wole al to-breke Whanne y þinke on þat soote.
1620. Brathwait, Five Senses, in Archaica (1815), II. 29. For even by the smell do we apprehend all varieties of flowers, sootes, sweets. Ibid. (1638), Spiritual Spicerie, 227. Nor bee these Soots lesse redolent in odour Which grow by Tiber.
b. In wine-making: (see first quot.).
1682. Art & Myst. Vintners (1703), 52. Take 30 gallons of Soot, which is Wine boyled to a Consumption of half, to a Butt of Wine. Ibid. Some instead of Soot make of Sugar Molosses and Honey.