I. ˈwīt, usu -īd.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wīte; akin to Old High German wīzi fine, punishment, Old Norse vīti fine, punishment, Old English wītan to look after, blame
1.
a. : a penal fine for serious crimes payable under early English law to the king or other authority having jurisdiction — see bloodwite
b. : an exemption from payment of such a fine
2. chiefly Scotland : responsibility for a fault or misfortune
now it's done … and who's to bear the wite of it — R.L.Stevenson
II. transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English witen, from Old English wītan to see to, look after, reproach, blame; akin to Old Saxon wītan to blame, Old High German wīzan to blame, punish, Old Norse vīta to fine, Old English witan to be aware, know — more at wit , v.
chiefly Scotland : to impute blame to : censure