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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
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Lard, Laird, n.¹ Also: larde, larid, lairde, layrd, lerd, leird, leard. [North. ME. lard (Cursor M.), e.m.E. (once) leard (1560–77), contracted f. laverd Lavird n.: cf. Lord n.]

1. One who has dominion over others; a prince, chief or lord. Also fig.The more common, and after Douglas the regular, word for this is Lord n. 1384 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 5.
This endenture made … be twix noble lardes and meghty siris Henry Percy Erle of Northumbr. … and Archibald of Douglas lord of Galway, … and than it fell in spech be twix the forsayd lordes [etc.] c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 55.
This tretys … I made at the instans of a larde, That had my serwys in his warde, Schyr Jhone of the Wemys Ib. ii. 339.
He [Joseph] refoysit that curtasly For the wyrchype of his larde That all hys gude put in hys warde Ib. 376. Ib. 1125.
Off his ost the lardis Ib. iii. 921.
As nowe lardys [v. rr. lordis] be renowne Ar comoune off condityoune Ib. v. 2801.
He may be cald … a larde That mercy haldys in to warde ?1438 Alex. ii. 1257.
It fallis na lard [F. baron] that land suld hald For to missay nowthir ȝoung nor ald c1420 Ratis R. 1527.
In dout that syk and war than he Amang our lardis levand bee 1456 Hay I. 180/24.
The King of Ingland, ȝour awin lard c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2030.
It is my will thow heir be king and laird [: rewarde]Ib. 2770. a1500 K. Hart 40.
Dancing disport … With bissines all blyth to pleis the lairde [: rewarde] 1513 Doug. v. v. 48.
Ilkane of thame, furth pransand lyke a lard [: reward] Ib. xiv. 11.
Befor the laif, as lodis man and lard [: fard], … Went Palynure Ib. x. v. 4.
Eneas, the Troiane prynce and lard Ib. xi. i. 62.
Befor all corpsis of tha lardis Ib. xii. xiii. 150.
To ples the lard [sc. Jove] 1571 Sat. P. xxvii. 91.
Thair lairdis thay loup, thatt reigne is les and lesfig. c1420 Ratis R. 640.
Sice dedis emples maist to grace That suld be lard to thi purches

b. Applied to Christ, in various collocations: cf. Lord n. 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 16; 1394 Argyll Cart. MS.
This endenture made … the ten day … of Junij the yhere of oure lard millesimo ccc^mo octuagesimo nono c1420 Wynt. v. 2601.
For Jhesu Cryst, hys lard, That hewyn has gyvyn hym for rewarde Ib. 2835.
Syne to Cryst thi werray lard, Thow sall mak sa gud rewarde 1566 (1669) P. H. Brown Early Trav. 246.
Laird Jesu Christ, that crownit was with thorns Ib.
Grant, o laird, quhat euer of hir proceed, Be to thy glory 1602 Colville Parænese 56.
The form hou the supper of the lard suld be administrat

2. The landlord or overlord of landed property or an estate, espec. one who was a ‘laird’ in sense 3.Cf. also Land(i)s-la(i)rd.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 195.
Crawis and cais … That with the leif of the lard Will cum to the corne ȝard 1457 Peebles B. Rec. 124.
Geyf thar was ony of the arris wald com … and pay the mallis bygan bruk wel thar land, and geyf thai wil noch the lard wil maynowr hys land has lau wil 1493 Acta Conc. I. 305/2.
The said George … allegeand him vndouttable lard of the sad landis 1496 Ib. II. 29.
Wilȝeam Tyrie … to call his lard to releif him of the haile annuale 1512 Crail Ch. Reg. 21.
[Alexander Borthuyke] lard of fee of the landis of Balhulfie and Gordonishall 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 255.
The said Johne Kellok wes noucht the lardis househald man nor his tennent a1538 Abell 20 b.
At the wirginis, now marit, the first nycht suld be with the lard of that land 1569 Crim. Trials III. 395.
And speciallie sall assist the Lard of Bukclewch and vtheris lardis ewest to the saidis thevis 1596 Breadalbane Coll. (Reg. H.) 19 Nov.
It is statute be the larde that quhatsumeuir officar or officaris [etc.] Ib.
The said officar or officaris contrauenand salbe in the lardis will and thair haill gudis … to be confiscat to the lardis use 1674 Ayr & W. Coll. IV. 115.
Ane hundreth pund to be to the lard for cost, skaith and damadge(b) 1424 Acts (1566) c. 20 (J.).
Quha sa vsis not the said archarie, the laird of the land sall rais of him a wedder a1500 Henr. Fab. 2742.
His hors, his meir, he man len to the laird c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxix. 29.
Lairdis in silk harlis to the eill, For quhilk thair tennentis sald somer meill a1568 Bann. MS. 143 b/9.
And we durst spill the lairdis bed a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxiv. 46.
Scho sall thairfoir be callit madame Bot and the laird maid knycht Ib. 53.
The jakmen and the laird debaittis 1579 Edinb. Test. VII. 25.
He levis … to satisfie the laird of the grund for thair tak fourty pund 1590 4th Rep. Hist. MSS. 512/1.
Quhilk day the laird and ladie come to hald hous in Ballach a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) No. 53.
All fellows, Jock and the laird 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 55.
Peter the lairdis man for gripstair xi s. 1605 Dundonald Par. Rec. 74.
Vpoune the seing of Adame Fullartoun, the lairdis sone, and Johne Hunter, the lairdis officer, gaddering the grvnd herring 1633 Lithgow Poet. Rem. 91.
From laird to laird, in their camelion state, The tennants suffer all 1659 Stitchill Baron Ct. 16.
The q[uhi]lk day the laird himself being personally present 1661 Elgin Rec. II. 294.
To goe to another lairds land and tak thrie handfulls of the crops 16.. Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II. 39.
The laird can … raise a good number of weell armed prattie men ?a1640 Copie of a Baron's Court (1821) 16.
The laird was like for to go mad the day(c) 1673 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 29 May.
Mor to the lerd eightinpwnd(d) 1674 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 377.
Ane spead and ane borrow to the leards peats c 1680 Bk. Dunvegan I. 205.
Shews waxed for the leard £2. 8. 0.

b. A landlord of property in a town. = Land(i)s-La(i)rd b. 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 39.
That the lard of that land quhar thai duell sall fynd souerte to the ballies that thai sall remoif at the next terme 1555 Peebles B. Rec. 225.
The maister or lardis that ressavis sic pykaris to be thair tennentis to pay … the skaithis … done be thame

3. A landowner who was a tenant-in-chief of the sovereign, a baron or a freeholder; after the 14th c., chiefly or only one of the smaller barons or landowners.From an early date applied only to the ‘smaller barons’ or smaller landowners generally, as opposed to the greater or titled barons or ‘lords’ (Lord n.): see espec. Dickinson Carnwath Baron Ct. (S.H.S.) xliv f.

a. As a title or designation. The auld or eldar laird, = the present laird; the ȝoung or ȝounger laird, = the heir-apparent. b. As a mock-title or nick-name. c. In general use. Also, more loosely, a member of this class, a minor landowner.a. (1) 1379 Chart. (Reg. H.) (Suppl.).
Schir William the Lyndesay lard of the Byres 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 16.
Scyr Jon of the Wemys lard of Kyncoldrom 1445 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 311.
Maister William Turnbul, larde of Provand and Priuie Seele 1456–70 Liber Aberbr. 106.
In the tyme of Vilyam of Meldrum than lard of the sam 1528 Crail Ch. Reg. 53.
[Alexander Myrtone] layrd of Randelston 1541 Acta Conc. & Sess. fol. 44 (J).
His fader, gudschir, grandschir, and forgrandschir, lardis of Fingiltoun 16.. Hist. Kennedy 2.
[They were] callit lairdis of Donour 1651 Wemyss Corr. 96.
Leard of Glenorquhay 1663 Lamont Diary 208.
Ch. Maitland, laird of Hatton 1698 Fam. Innes 37.
Margarett, sister of Lairds Alexander and Johntransf. 1644 Sc. N. & Q. 2 Ser. III. 34.
Imprinted by Edward Raban, Laird of Letters(2) 1428 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI. 143.
To the lard off Sanchar v s. 1467 Acts II. 91/2.
For the barons … the lord Lindissay, the lord Lyle, the lard of Caldorwod 1500 Acta Conc. II. 460.
He requerit the lard of Westnisbet til subscrive the compromys betuex him and the sade lard 1544 Reg. Privy S. III. 120/1.
Walter Stewart of the Crag, ourlard to the lard of Blakwod 1556–7 Reg. Soltre 120.
The lardis of Estir Vemis hes beyn ald and kyndle tenentis to ws 1562 Will A. Betoun.
The marriage of hir said sone the lard c 1575 Wemyss Corr. 74.
I knaw off … the conuocatioun of the Kyngis legis be the sam lord [of Arbroath] and larid of Loychtlevin 1600-1610 Melvill 8.
He moved the lard of Anstruther … to dispone the right of the teind fisches, … it pleasit God to move the lard to offer it to my selff 1672 Corshill Baron Ct. 100.
Court holden … be the … lard of Corshill and Johne Deane, his baliȝee 1679 Rothesay B. Rec. 370.(b) 1523 Carnwath Baron Ct. 4.
The laird of Jarisvod dosyrit at my lord to proced c 1560 Stirlings of Keir 414.
Allan Lany, brithir son to the laird of Lany 1576 Orkney Oppress. 60.
The parochinaris beneith Tingwall … ar complaynters on the laird 1576–7 Ib. 71.
The complaynt … upon the laird of Cultemalindie a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. xi.
The laird of Lethingtounis counsale to his sone a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1737.
Heading. Ye are windie ye are lyke the laird of Diserts meir 1615 Black Bk. Taymouth 52.
The laird of Laweris beand bot taxsman of the said sex merkland to vmquhile Andro Toscheoche of Monȝie 1625 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. I. 178.
The Estaittis nominat … the lairds of Keir, Tracquair [etc.], for the small barronis c1650 Spalding I. 293.
Haveing in his company the mid laird of Geicht, the laird of Park, Hector Abircrummy of Fetterneir … , the lairdis of Foverane and Muresk, with divers vther gentilmen 1650 Moray Synod 109.
I may say I am lik the laird of Melros, I never lost my ill cause and I never won my good cause 1672 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 430.
The Lord M^cDonald and the laird of Lochȝeell to inact themselfs 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. i. 51.
In taverns … Some cry, ye disturb the laird(c) 1582 Wemyss Corr. 77.
To the rycht honorabill the lerd of Wemyss 1583 Ib. 82.
[The] matter betuix yow and the leird of Balmowtow vpoun the leird of Seiggeis suitt 1602 A. Hay Nobility 76.
The lerd of Bargany(d) 16.. Breve Cron. Earls Ross 41, 2.
Hugh Ross, 3 leard, … Myself is the 15th laird 1638 S. Leith Kirk S. 29.
The q[uhi]lk basons … appoynted to be made be the leard of Pilrig 1657 Edinb. Test. LXIX. 532.
Awin … be the leard of Pollocke xix lib.abbrev. 1649 Lamont Diary 10.
The comissioners … werre the L. of Naughtin and the L. of Feings(3) 1482–3 Acta Conc. II. cxvii.
The some … refusit be the said lard Luss because it was blak mone 1499 Exch. R. XI. 435.
The said lard Innes to comper befor the King 1573–4 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI. 91.
For tua pund of poder … at the justefeing of the laird Ormestoun 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 121.
This daye the laird Grant communicat 1623–4 Peebles B. Rec. 412.
Gewine to laird Bullo to bring vp the vther tua trieis c1650 Spalding I. 8.
This justice court wes fensit in the Erllis awin name and in the name of the laird Innes, the laird Broddie, Mr Samuel Falconer of Knokcorth [etc.] … his deputis(4) 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. 12.
Ane cot of the auld lairdis of Vesthall 1526 Ib. 46.
The ȝoung lard of Vesthall 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 108.
Befoir thir witnes Thomas Kennedy, ȝoung lard off Coiff [etc.] 1558-66 Knox II. 379.
The Quene asked counsall … of the old laird of Lethington 1562–67 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 29.
To William Reidpeth young laird 1589 A. Hay Nobility 62.
The layrds of Farnyhurst, elder and younger 1590 Digest Justiciary Proc. 17.
Loskie Loncart schott thrie schott at the said ȝownge laird 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 197.
Gif the young laird of Foulis deit, the young laird of Balnagoun wald mair the young Lady Foulis 1620 Grant Chart. 329.
The young laird came to Blair vpoun his journey southe 1650 Falkirk Par. Rec. I. 170.
The old laird of Bantaskin was ceitit befor the session for drunkenness 1658 Lamont Diary 106.
The old lairde of Samford, surnamed Dudiston, depairted out of this life c1680 W. Row Blair 250.
The young laird of Swinton … was suspected to favour the enemy a 1706 Fife Laird in Watson's Coll. i. 29.
When the young laird became vain, And went away to France and Spainb. 1456–70 Liber Aberbr. 107.
The said smyth … in skorne with the nychtbowris vas callit lard of Caute in derisioun 1557 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 30/2.
Willielmi Irvin, vocati Will the laird c 1561 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) App. 341.
Thome the lard 1589-1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 74 b.
Jhone the lard is awne me vi s. 1666 Dunkeld Presb. II. 66.
A comon countrie man, called the laird, … with a ladle to mendc. (1) 1488 Acts II. 208/1.
Thir lordis vnderwrittin … to gif thame pouer to caus vtheris smale lardis within thar boundis … to … assist to thame … the Lord Kennydy for Carrik, … the lard of Cragy for Kile, the lord of Montgummery for Cunygham [etc.] c1475 Wall. vi. 140.
Sen ye ar Scottis, ȝeit salust sall ye be; Gud deyn, dawch lard, bach lowch banȝoch a de c1515 Asl. MS. I. 231/25.
The lord of the Ilis & erll of Ros and all the lardis of the Ilis 1535 Stewart 53194.
That euery man, als frie as ony lard, In his awin steid suld duell at hame a1538 Abell 11* a.
Turmaturis of puyr men now ar lardis 1596 Dalr. II. 110/33.
Mony friehalders, quhom now commounlie we cal lardes or barounis 1649 Cupar Presb. 136.
He hard hir say … ‘He is but a silly drukin larde’(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliii. 21.
Thir lairdis ar, methink, richt far Sic ladeis behaldin to 1543–4 Treas. Acc. VIII. 257.
Lettres direct to Angus to summond certane lairdis and gentillmen thairof c 1560 Stirlings of Keir 415.
The avld family of Lany, quhairof … thair wes alauin knights, and sauin lairds, befoir thay war surnamit Buchquhananis a1568 Bann. MS. 261 b/3.
At hame remanis the silly lairdis 1570 Bann. Memor. 6.
When the principallis are thus dispatched, ȝe may doe with the gogy lairdis what ȝe list a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1276.
Thair is lairds as ther is lyce pairt grit pairt small a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1791.
Young lairds and gray freirs are alyke ritch 1625 Reg. Great S. 287/2.
Rex creavit … hereditarium statum baronetti … cum precedentia … ante omnes barones (lie lairdis), armigeros (lie esquyris) et generosos (lie gentillmen) Urquhart Rabelais iii. ii. 26.
His worship the new laird ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I. 28.
Four esqwrys (or lairds), … to represent the small barrons 1661 True Character Ragged Presbyter 35.
He looked as bair as a Scotch laird in sackcloth 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 85.
Two three beggars who turnd lairds Mackenzie Wks. II. 583.
Such as did hold their lands of the prince were called lairds; but such as held their lands of a subject, though they were large, and their superior very noble, were only called good-men a 1706 Fife Laird in Watson's Coll. i. 28.
Changing time … puts a laird in th' goodman's place(c) 1629 Lowther Jrnl. 10.
One little stone tower … such be all the leards' houses in Scotland(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxix. 15.
Ane laird hes with him bot a loun 1535 Stewart 10029.
Of euerilk loun so hes he maid ane laird 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 391.
Custronis … Loupis vp frome laddis, sine lychtis amang lardis [: bardis] 1547 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXVIII. 143.
Their appareil so base and beggerly, whearin the lurdein was … all one with the larde and the lounde wyth the larde(3) 1516 Treas. Acc. V. 85.
To poynd xiiij lordis and lardis absent fra the assis of Montgomery 1531 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 54.
Gyf ony burgesses, lordis, lardis or vthir fremen, induellars or vnfremen [etc.] 1535 Stewart 49766.
Sum be maid lord, and vther sum be maid lard 1596 Dalr. I. 302/27.
This king diuydes the kingdome in baronies, ouer quhilkes he settis lordis and lardis(b) 1522 Acts II. 284/2.
Quhatsumeuer tennent, gentilman vnlandit, or ȝeman hauand takkis or steidingis of ony lordis or lairdis spirituall or temporall 1535 Stewart 10025.
Fra lord and laird for to recogneis land 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 12.
Greit lordis and lairdis the court wald hald in hand a1578 Pitsc. II. 203/21.
The maist pairt of the westland lordis and lairdis come furth of Hammiltowne a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cx. 57.
Helpe the commownis, baythe lord and laird 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 266.
With lord or laird to ryde to burrowis towne 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 154/6.
Beginne not lyke the young lordis & lairdis youre first uarris upon youre mother 1676 Welsh Gospel Summonds 5.
There is never one of the lords and lairds and great men (as ye call them) for him 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 35.
If Wallace' beard was black or yellow? … raised … a great discord Between a western laird and lord(c) a 1638 Orkn. Misc. I. 55/1.
In Scotland they have gudemen and leards and lordes

4. Applied (with the patronymic) to the chief of a Highland clan. 1552 Breadalbane Coll. (Reg. H.) No. 84.
The saidis … hes ranunsyt … thair cheyff the lard M^cGregour … and chosin … the saidis … Collin and his ayieris thair cheyff 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 23.
He beheiddit the laird of M'Gregour himselff 1604 Crim. Trials II. 439. c1650 Spalding I. 3.
Considering thair younge cheif the laird of M'Intoshe wes bot ane barne who … micht not be anssuerabill for their misdeidis