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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.

Lepe ȝere, n. Also: lepe ȝeir, leip yeir, leap yeare. [e.m.E. leape yere, late ME. (Trevisa) lepe ȝere, and cf. ON. hlaup-ár.] Leap year. Also to make leap-yeare of, (fig.) to pass over. — 1588 King Cat. Sig. I. j.
This ordinair cowrse of the epact, … pairtly be the awaytaking of thre dayes in 400 ȝeres, is interrupted euerie hundereth ȝere, quhilk thairfore is nocht comptit lepe ȝere Ib. vj.
Giff quhen it is lepe ȝeir ȝe seike the place of the moone for the 29 of Februar a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1075.
Leip yeir was never a gude scheip yeir —fig. 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
As in ciuile entries to heritage … men can make leap-yeare of their father and seeke farther vppe, why may not thou in this case bissextile some bodily forebeares [etc.]