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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lachet, Latchet, n. Also: la(t)chat, -it, laitched. [ME. lachet, lachette (c 1350), lacchet, e.m.E. latchet, OF. lachet, dial. var. of lacet dim. of las Lace n.With the (Aberdeen) form laitched cf. the mod. Caithness dial. form latchard (EDD.).]

1. a. A loop of ribbon, stout thread, lace or thong, attached to the edge of a cloth covering, curtain, garment or the like, for hanging or fastening purposes.(1) 1511–2 Reg. Soltre 165.
Pro duabus vlnis de le canues altari … pro hemmyng and latchettis vj d. 1533 Treas. Acc. VI. 182.
Ane pair of courtenis to the Kingis bed, … for rubannis to be latchatis to the samyn courtennis, xiij s. 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 72.
Ane waill to the hie alter. … Ane pund … of quhit birge threid to be bandis and lachattis to it 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 565.
Ane skyn off broune ledder to mak latchettis to the thre grene claythis 1597 Ib. 668.
For making of tuelf round heidit naillis for outputting of the latchettis of the claith of the pulpit 1600 Treas. Acc. MS. 77 b.
Grene wirset pasmentis to be latchettis abone the silk pasmentis 1694 Logie Par. Hist. 320.
To … Hendrey Fogo … to buy latchets to the pulpit cloath(2) 1550 Treas. Acc. IX. 416.
Half ane elne bukrame to be lachettis to my lorde governoures dule cote, to knet his pointis to in het wedder(3) 1568 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 658/2.
The mending of the sadill … with twa buckillis to the pilgat, ande an curpill buckill, ane [sic] lachetis [pr. lathetis] to it

b. A shoe-lace, a thong to fasten a shoe. Comb. in shoe-lachet. c. Used as the type of something of trifling value. 1624 Crim. Trials III. 586.
Thay spend more in thair gairtanes and ribbens in the latchettis of thair schooes than thair fatheris bestowis in the intertenement of thair haill famelie 1640 Intentions Army Scotland Declared 40.
We shall not take from our friends … from a thried even to a shooe-latchet, but for our own moneyes 1645 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXX. 146.
Having put new clothis upoun to the least shoe lachet ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III. 193.
They will not tacke so much from England unpayd for as a latchett or a roote of garlicke

2. a. One of the pieces of wire or metal-work making up a window-lattice; a lattice for a window. 1612–13 Misc. Spald. C. V. 90.
For 14 ellis of ȝeallow wear to be latchettis for seruing the vindouis, and mending the rest, 17 s. 1624–5 Ib. 100.
For dressing the haill windowis, and giweing them new laitchedis, 4 lib. 1663 Stirling Comm. Good MS. 14 b.
To the schoole window 90 latchetis at 6d. the peice

b. ? A strip of metal for fixing lead-sheeting to a roof. 1635 Glasg. B. Rec. II. 30.
The said Mathow wndertakis to … haif ane cair of the haill leid vpoun the … Metrapolitane Kirk and laich stiple thairoff … and to mend the samynn be putting to of latchitis quhair it wantis