grith noun. [grɪƟ] obsolete exc. Hist. Also (esp. in sense 1b) girth [gǝ:Ɵ]. LOE.
[Old Norse grið domicile, home, (pl.) truce, peace, pardon, quarter.]
1. a. Guaranteed security; protection, defence; safe conduct. LOE-M17.
b. A place of protection; a sanctuary, an asylum. ME.

2. Law (now Hist.). In Anglo-Saxon England, security, peace, or protection guaranteed under specific limits of time or place; (more fully church-grith) sanctuary, security within the precincts of a church. LOE.

3. Peace. LOE-LME.

4. Mercy, quarter, esp. in battle. ME-L15.

Comb.:
grithbreach breach of the peace; the penalty for this; grith-man a man, esp. a criminal, who has taken sanctuary.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲