n [m.]

(a) combat, battle, fighting: culu tria néit `(like) a chariot through battle', ACC 2 ( RC xx 148 ) = tría neit (.i. cath), LU 430. iar do néit (.i. iar do guin), LU 435 (ACC Comm.). néit ba hainm don kath, Corm. p. 13 s.v. cul. Be net (.i. badb) .i. be ben ┐ net cath . . . inde dicitur: bé nét fort, Corm. Y 168. néid ainm catha, Metr. Gl. Ff. 21 (neit v.l.). néid .i. cath; néid .i. guin, O'Cl. (? g s.) as attrib.: la mac fir néit (.i. guin) fadb corcra with the son of a fighting man are crimson spoils (?), LU 455. ciasu file, file neit? `a contentious poet', RC xxvi 14.14 . anroth ro ort namhaid neit (.i. cath), LL 393b2 = BB 134b1 , cf. Ält. Ir. Dicht. ii 22 , where Meyer emends: nāmat nēit the host of enemies, but the reading of the MSS. may mean battle-foe. goth néit (some kind of spear), TBC-I¹ 1915. ar cach roth nét (of a war-engine mounted on wheels), TBC-LL¹ 5604 St. (néd, neid v.l.). teora rotha net, 5660 . ? foll ner neít, IT iii 49 § 88 (see net).

(b) as npr. m. name of an ancient Irish war-god (perh. the orig. meaning): Neid .i. dia catha la geinti Goideal , Corm. Y 965 = Neith, Corm. p. 31. Net [Ned v.l.] .i. dia catha, O'Dav. 1289. Bé Neit .i. Neit nomen uiri. Be Nét mulier eius , O'Mulc. 132 , cf. Corm. Y 181 (Neid) and see Nemain. Neit mac Induí 's a dí mnaí Badb ┐ Némaind, LL 11b18 = Neid mac Iondaoi, Leb. Gab.(i) i 184.17 . in Bé Néit, MR 242.1 . Néit was the name of Balor's grandfather: Balar mac Doid meic Neít, LL 137a26 . Balar ua Néit, RC xii 58.9 ; 100.2 . hua Neitt, 74 § 50. B. mac D. meic Neid, 96 § 128.

Hence transf. a warrior? Aed net nat imcaibh oghru a soldier who shuns not battles (?), AFM i 408.3 (poem).