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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.

Lest, v.¹ Also: leste, lesst, leist. [OE. lǽstan, ME. laste(n, also leste(n: cf. also Last v.¹]

1. intr. Of a state of things, a process or activity, or a period of time: To continue, go on. c1420 Wynt. viii. 4089 (W).
For mischief lestis nocht all wayis 1535 Stewart 26174.
Sick ydilnes [as] that ma nocht weill lest Bot insolence 15.. Clar. v. 2835, 6.
The feist … lestit inteirlie Ane monethes space, it lestit larglie With glaid disport [etc.] a1568 Balnavis Bann. MS. 138 b/2.
Langer lestis ȝeir nor ȝule 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 4.
Quene Margaret … did all with counsall of the lordis, bot it lestit nocht a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxii. 35.
Thocht fourtoun be thi fo Hir frowning sall nocht lest a1570-86 Maitland Ib. clxxiii. i.
Lord God quhowe lang will sic lawe lest c1590 Fowler I. 49/51.
O force most strange that dois not only lest, Bot growis be griefis

b. With complements specifying the time of continuance. Also to lest owt.(1) 1375 Barb. xiv. 202.
The stalward stour lestit weill lang c1420 Wynt. iv. 732.
The fychtyng thre dayis lestyd owt Ib. 1858.
The fyre … Sewyntene dayis wes ay lestand c1420 Ratis R. 577.
Gud hop lestis rycht to the ded Ib. 667. 1457 Peebles B. Rec. I. 120.
Thom Dekson … sal warrand … Jonot in hir tak … qwyl the termmis of four ȝeir lesstys a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 819.
Quhar pane of deid lestis bot a thrall 1533 Boece xiii. vii. 512.
Terremote and erding lestit daly fra the feist of Epiphanie to the kalendis of Februare 1551 Banff Ann. II. 379.
To indewir and lest thair eftir aye and quhill the said nyntene yeris be fullelie compleitt 1567 G. Ball. 16.
Our baptisme is not done all on ane day, Bot all our lyfe it lestis identlie a1585 Polwart Flyt. 650 (H).
Thy peild preamables our prolixlie lests 1637 Justiciary Cases I. 284.
Quhair such a violent … recept … beguid in October 1634 and lestit till January 1635(2) a1400 Leg. S. iii. 537.
The terrour is to dred … That ay sal lest Ib. xxxv. 70.
His ryke Is stedfaste lestand ay in lyke c1420 Wynt. vii. 2467.
Pes … To be lestand perpetuale Ib. viii. 6996.
God … This tholyd noucht lestand ay to be a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1227.
In langour ay lestand inly 1551 Hamilton Cat. 201.
The … feir of our Lord lestis for evirmair a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. vi. 94.
Joy that lestis ay

c. ? To proceed, turn out, eventuate.He demandit of Robert, ‘How he thoght this mater wald lest’ ? 1614 Crim. Trials III. 307.

2. To continue to be, endure, remain, in a condition specified by an adverbial complement. 1375 Barb. v. 520.
Weill fourte pundis vorth of land Till hym and his ayris lestand Ib. viii. 520.
His name suld be Lestande in full gret ranowne Ib. xvi. 531. c1420 Wynt. iv. 6.
A garland gottyn wyth gret peryle Grene suld lestand be lang quhile, Onwalowyd Ib. vi. Prol. 18.
The Scottis … Recoweryd swa thaire herytage Ewyr to lest wyth thare lynage c1420 Ratis R. 471.
He is heill and innocent That is [in] purpos lestand ay To wyrk wysly c1475 Wall. v. 853.
Lest he in strenth wntayne, This haill kynryk he wyll wyn Ib. vi. 92.
Thow [fortune] transfigowryt Wallace out off his weill Quhen he traistyt for till haiff lestyt best 1513 Doug. x. v. 50.
Cybele … has ws all translait … to be deificat As goddessys … Amangis the fludis forto leif and lest 1622-6 Bisset I. 83/18.
We sie the … Romannis and uthir … impyris lauchfullie rewled and thairby lang lestand … in prosperitie 1656 Drummond II. 270/5.
Wer these thine eies or lightnings from aboue … ? But lightnings culd not lest so long so bright

3. To continue to exist, remain in existence, unimpaired, undecayed, unexpired; to hold out, endure, remain, be permanent.(1) 1375 Barb. i. 14.
That it [the story] lest ay furth in memory a1400 Leg. S. v. 255.
Far palacis that sal leste euirmare c1420 Ratis R. 497.
He gaif hyme lyf and spretis than, That euer-mar mone lestand be c1475 Wall. iii. 32.
Mycht he him get to be his steidfast man … his conquest mycht lest than c1515 Asl. MS. I. 176/4.
Resoun, equite [etc.] … makis mychti men to lest Ib. 253/16.
The quhilk band lestis ȝit a1500 K. Hart 327.
Ane pallioun … With teiris weit ar rottin, may nocht lest 1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 85.
Gif ony will appear Fryday at nixtt cummis, quhill the day lestis 1530 Treas. Acc. V. 407.
Ten elnys taffate … quhilk lestit to the nixt ȝule in beltis, gartanis and tippettis to the King 1533 Boece i. vi. 44 b.
That euery ane … suld turs victualis to lest xl dayis 1531–2 Selkirk B. Ct. 8 Mar.
Jhone Achesone … promist pament at Martynmes day … quhill that day may lest a1568 Bann. MS. 258 a/5.
Ȝour luve lestis not, I had it bot of lane 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4996.
The fire lestit, and neuer mair ȝeid out 1562-3 Winȝet II. 37/17.
He … sumtyme precheit it to be coæternal and euir alyke lestand with the Sone of God 1567 Sat. P. vii. 42.
Quhat lordis hart culd luik on this and lest? a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xiv. 77.
Ewill gottin guddis lestyis never lang a1578 Pitsc. I. 322/33.
Lord Lyndsay gaif largelie of his landis … thinkand that court wald not lest lang a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 218.
They never sinder sa lang as the vivers dolest a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1016.
Kindnes can not lest on a syde(2) a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 108.
Til and [= breath] mycht leste Ib. xxxvii. 158. a1500 Rauf C. 784.
Quhill my lyfe may lest 1570 Sat. P. x. 36.
He sall with vs rest … sa lang as warld may lest

b. To lest with, to hold out against. Cf. sense 6. a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 94.
The lang acquyntans will nocht lest Vith fors of nature

4. Of persons or animals: To continue in life, remain alive, survive. Also with complement of time. 1375 Barb. vii. 65.
Gif the hund mycht lest on lif Ib. xx. 272.
In liff quhill he lestit … with all our fais dred war we a1400 Leg. S. vi. 120.
The suthfaste God that lestis ay c1420 Wynt. i. 1044.
Bot thai [foals] fayhle to be lang lestand Ib. 1388.
Thare nakyn best off wenym may Lywe or lest atoure a day ?1438 Alex. ii. 5500.
It is ferly that na hart bristis Or ellis that luffar leuand lestis Ib. 9305.
Thay lashit on quhill thay micht lest c1420 Ratis R. 1303, 5.
Bownte, … Be scho weill tretit … Scho wyll lest als lang as thow And eftir ȝit at thou be ded Scho wyll be lestand in thi sted 1456 Hay I. 59/20.
His hert … belit sa that unes mycht he lest [pr. left] for ire a1500 Bk. Chess 577.
Langar to lest it was nocht hir [Lucretia's] entent Than to declair hir mynd was innocent 1513 Doug. xi. iv. 64.
Bot had this hasty ded … Haue sufferit bot my son a stound to lest Ib. 99. 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 317.
I will newyr refws quhill I may lest 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9639.
Sa lang as I on lyfe is lestand heir 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl. 107.
I will discurs sum thing … Tuiching this lamp, on lyfe quhill he did lest

5. To extend in space, to reach. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 154/25.
Europia strekis dounwart … and lestis till the gret see Ib. 158/12. Ib. 168/19.
The realme of Suery and Juda that lestis to Jerusalem c1510 Prester John 311 b.
This land lestis xl dayis jurnay on baitht the sidis

6. quasi-tr. a. To last out, to endure or persevere with to the end. b. To hold out against, withstand. a1500 Colk. Sow iii. 47.
My long legend quho so lestis The euwangell the trewth thairof attestis a1500 Lanc. 810.
Al to few thei war and mycht not lest This gret rout that cummyth one so fast