Obs. Forms: 1–2 stíðe, 4 stith(e, styth. [OE. stíðe, f. stíð STITH a.] Strongly, stoutly, firmly; violently; harshly, severely.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., xlii. 30 (Gr.). And hu stiðe se landhlaford spræc wið hiʓ.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1006. Forþan þe hi hæfdon ælce scire on West Sexum stiðe ʓe marcod mid bryne.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., 99. Bote er aȝeyn the [God] stith y stod, Er ant late, loude ant stille.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom. (1862), 4. Hou thai mai … stithe stand igain the fend.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 3173. He says … Þat ay þe styther þat ilk man here Gyves his lykyng … Til veniel syns,… Þe langer sal he pyned be In purgatory.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 631. Hure strokes fulle so styþ & sare þay schulde so doþ þe þonder.
b. Comb. In Layamon prefixed to adjs. of ppl. form, forming combs. equivalent to parasynthetic derivatives of STITH a.: stith-bewalled, strongly walled; stith-imained, having a strong force; stith-imoded (cf. OE. stíðmód), stout-hearted.
c. 1205. Lay., 25820. And forð he gon steppen stið imainede eorl. Ibid., 26022. Arður gon step vorð stið imoded kempe. Ibid., 30697. Eorð-hus heo hureden stið biwaled on eorðen.
