Obs. Forms: 6 syrte, 6–7 sirt, 7–8 syrt. [ad. L. SYRTIS. Cf. F. (pl.) sirtes, syrtes, It., Sp. sirte, Pg. (pl.) syrtes.] = SYRTIS.
1575. Mirr. Mag., Albanact, lvi, As doth the shipman well forsee the storme, And knowes what daunger lyes in syrtes of sande. Ibid., Madan, vii. As hee that striues in soakte quicke sirts of sand Still sinkes.
1618. Bolton, Florus, IV. xii. (1636), 328. The Musulamians and Getulians, who border upon the Syrts.
1626. trans. Boccalini’s New-found Politicke, I. 42. They discouered the … Ocean of the Courts to be all ouer full of flats, shelues,… quicksands,… rocks, gulfs, whirlpools, sirts [etc.].
1627. May, Lucan, IX. 354. These Syrts … Nature as doubtfull left twixt sea, and land.
c. 1715. Young, Ocean, xvii. The syrt, the whirlpool, and the rock.
1718. Rowe, trans. Lucan, 369. These Syrts shall all be dry and solid Ground.
