Also 9 dial. speet. [a. MDu. or MLG. spit (Du., LG., WFris. spit, NFris. spet, spatt; also MDu. speet, MLG. spêdt): see SPIT v.3]
1. Such a depth of earth as is pierced by the full length of a spade-blade; a spade-graft: a. Followed by adjs., esp. deep.
The sing. is sometimes used after numerals instead of the pl.
1507–8. in Gage, Hist. Suffolk (1838), 145. For making of a diche … ij spitte depper then the cast of the cawsy now is.
1645–52. Boate, Irelands Nat. Hist. (1860), 128. A good clay (which commonly lyeth one or two spits deep).
1670. J. Smith, Eng. Improv. Reviv’d, 36. The ground is delved two spit deep.
1691. Ray, Coll. Eng. Wds. (ed. 2), Pref. We say a Spade-graft or a Spit deep.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 25. Whole beds of chalk, an half spit thick.
1763. Museum Rust., I. 254. I make my labourers dig up the intervals one spit deep.
1807. Vancouver, Agric. Devon (1813), 285. These drains … should be made one foot (or spit) wide, and one spit deep.
1882. Gard. Chron., XVII. 84. The best method of preparing the soil for the reception of young trees is to dig or trench it at least two spits deep.
b. In other contexts.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 66. At Teynton also, within a spit of the surface, they dig a sort of earth they there call Lam.
a. 1679. Sir J. Moore, Eng. Interest (1703), 47. I … digg my hole 4 Foot square, but no deeper than one Spit, or thereabout.
1792. Trans. Soc. Encour. Arts, X. 4. The soil was dug one full spit, and the turf inverted.
c. 1842. Lance, Cottage Farmer, 11. Digging one acre of Wheat Land, twelve inches deep, by two 6-inch spits.
1862. O’Curry, Lect. Anc. Irish, xxxiii. (1873), III. 291. It [a curious harp] was raised by labourers at the depth of twelve spits or spadings under the earth in Coolness Moss.
c. A thrust of the spade in digging.
1844. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, II. 552. Manure, which should either be dug down 18 inches deep with a double spit of the spade, or ploughed down with a double furrow.
2. A layer of earth of a spade’s depth: a. With adjs. denoting the relative position of the layer.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 53. Brickmakers are accustomed to dig the top spit … and to throw it with the other clay.
1670. J. Smith, Eng. Improv. Reviv’d, 36. The second spit or undermost earth is laid upon the first spit or spadeful of earth.
1706. London & Wise, Retir’d Gard., I. ii. The first Spit, or Top Earth is always allow’d to be better than that which lyes under it.
1757. Mrs. Griffith, Lett. Henry & Frances (1767), III. 217. The Difference … may be compared to [that between] the upper Sod, and the under Spit, of the Earth.
1824. T. Hogg, Carnation, 23. Loam … should consist of the top spit and crumbs only.
1851. Glenny, Handbk. Fl. Gard., 9. Use a compost of two-thirds loam, from the upper spit of a pasture, and one-third sand.
1882. Garden, 28 Jan., 54/1. The soil … is entirely composed of the top spit of a neighbouring meadow.
b. In other contexts.
1780. A. Young, Tour Irel., I. 63. He dug it over, levelled it, and burnt the spit in great heaps.
1791. Trans. Soc. Encour. Arts, IX. 42. Covering them [potatoes] with straw and a spit of earth.
1805. R. W. Dickson, Pract. Agric., I. 323. He only digs one spit fourteen inches deep with the bottom land-ditching spade.
1844. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., V. I. 9. He returns and with another spade longer and narrower than the last cuts out the next spit or lower part of the drain.
3. The quantity of earth taken up by a spade at a time; a spadeful.
1675. Lond. Gaz., No. 1031/4. The River side,… where the Lord Bishop diggeth the first Spit.
1733. Tull, Horse-Hoeing Husb., xx. 292. You will find … most of the Pieces or Spits, which are dug out of your Sight, to be of twice that Thickness.
1792. J. Belknap, Hist. New Hampsh., III. 119. This being dug in spits of a proper size, and dried, becomes valuable fewel.
1837. Flemish Husb., 20, in Husb. (L.U.K.), III. Digging out spits of earth with the spade…, and setting them up on the surface already ploughed.
1881. Whitehead, Hops, 43. The modern diggers … do not lift each ‘spit’ up on their spuds and throw it over, as the old-fashioned workmen did in other days.
b. A series of spadefuls taken in a line.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 21. Farmer Bond … carried a spit [of dung] all along from the heap, and spread it near to the brink of the furrows.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 374. A spit of earth out of the trenches is … to be cast amongst the plants of coleseed in the rows.
4. dial. A special form of spade (see quots.).
1828. Carr, Craven Gloss., Spit, a spade with a mouth almost semicircular.
1830. Cumb. Farm Rep., 65, in Husb. (L.U.K.), III. A narrow-mouthed spade (technically called a spit) corresponding to the breadth of the tile to be used.
1866–. in dial. glossaries (Lanc., Yks., Linc., Glouc.).
5. attrib. and Comb., as spit-deep adv., -dung, -shovel.
1693. Phil. Trans., XVII. 826. Some of these Tubera, which lay *Spit deep under ground.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 311. Digging, spit-deep, sixteen rods, at three-pence per rod.
a. 1800. Pegge, Suppl. Grose, Spit-deep, the depth of a spade only.
1672. F. Drope, Fruit-Trees, 2–3. Upon this Bed must be laid some *spit-dung (i.e. such horse-dung as is rotted in the heap, and may be digged with a spade).
1778. [W. H. Marshall], Minutes Agric., Observ., 111, note. The ordinary distinction of Long-Dung and Short or Spit-Dung.
1825. Greenhouse Comp., I. 115. Loam with … vegetable mould, or mould of spit dung.
1864. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XXV. II. 329. I … buy good spit-dung, ready for use, as I want it.
1678. Phil. Trans., XII. 946. The *Spit-shovel is to be made of a thin streight Iron ten Inches long, and five Inches broad, with a Socket in the side of it to put a staff or handle. Ibid. (1728), XXXV. 568. A narrow Spade, commonly termed a Spit-shovel.
