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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.

Lether, n. Also: -ir, leather, -ir, leither, laither, lather, -ir. [e.m.E. lether, leather, ME. lether, leper, ME. and OE. leðer: cf. Ledder n.²Chiefly late 16th c. and 17th c., after e.m.E.]

1. Leather.(a) 14.. Acts I. 336/2.
Of sowtaris … That thai make schone, butis, and vther graitht of the lethir or it be barkit Ib.
Quhair thai suld gif thair lethir gude oyle and taulch [etc.] 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 318.
Bazell leather … , Muscovia lether or reid hydes barked … , perfumed lether … , Spanish lether … , Spruce and Danskene lether 1628 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire II. 195.
Ane approwen theiff and steiller of craft's lether 1650 Misc. 3rd Spald. C. II. 210.
To James Dimbreck for almes lether & making the purss thairof 1657 Musselburgh 113.
Thretteine peices of greene lether, which wes stollen from Patrick Cuthbertsone 1657 Glasgow Trades House 340.
[The] abundance of unsufficient tannit lethir sold be the … barkers of this burghe 1669 Acts VII. 560/1.
Spanish lether, mariken tand lether, wyld lether and all other sorts of lether except Muscovia lether 1680 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 283.(b) a1578 Pitsc. I. 117/20.
Ane gret Scheiff of arrowis knet together in ane quhange of leathir 1607 Acts IV. 369/2.
Cattell, leather, hydis and lynnen ȝairne … ar … nocht to be transportit … to England 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 328.
[He imported] seaverall quanteties of Irish leather and cheis(c) 1681 Fulis Acc. Bk. 95.
Head-staill and reinȝies to it of oyled leither 1703 Cullen Kirk S. in Andrews Bygone Ch. Life 159.
For … almed leither to fasten the cover [of a bible] to the brods(d) 1596 Dalr. I. 140/15.
The pennie he causet be cuinȝet of a buffill hyde, to wit of sik kynde of lathir, because [etc.] 1658 Brechin Test. VI. 163 b.
Ane choffer cowered with lather 1681 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 291.
Ane act … ordaining the toun to delyver wp the lather was seased on be them belonging to the Rankines in Grinok

b. Attrib. and comb.(1) 1623 Orkney & Zetl. Test. MS. I. 93.
Tuentie codis of lether tykin 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII. 10.
Fourtene velvot hoodes for haks and saxtene lether hoods 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 354.
A litle rushie lether chayer Ib. 357.
An inkpig, a gilded lether box(b) 1643 Edinb. Test. LX. 234 b.
Fower dossane of littell leather halk hudis 1666 Misc. Maitl. C. II. 538.
For earnest of the stamped leather hangings [£3] 1675 Wemyss Corr. 121.
Sewein peaceises of lyght ordnance, comenly cald leather gwnes wedillesed fowre peaceise caring twa pwnd ball and thre peaceses caringe fowre pwnd ball 1680 Breadalbane P. (Tours) MS. 6.
A leather-meall made after the fashion of a trunk(c) 1617 M. Works Acc. XV. 44 b.
For sex lather quhengis to the rind spindell vj s. 1643 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 55.
xij s. moneye deburst for the twa doossane of lather buccats 1661 Haigs of Bemersyde 470.
To William for to bay holen with to make bands of, and a pare of lather lynings 03 00 00 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 357.
2 lather houses, 9 old sadles — 1638-43 Household Bk. M. Stewart 40.
For ane pare dog's lathir gloofis to the Earle of Buchan, 12 sh.(d) 1649 Wemyss Chart. 233.
My laither beilt(2) 1688 Edinb. B. Rec. XI. 249.
He had sett the duties of the corn and leather mercats … for 500 merks(3) 1693 Greyfriars Interments 461.
Joseph Morris, leither gilder 1700 Index Edinb. Test. II. 300.
John Neill, lether-dresser

2. A piece of Ieather. 16.. Alchem. MSS. V.
Straine that which hes passed the cloth throch a lether 1673 Rothesay B. Rec. 247.
Fyve daikers of tannit leathers

3. An article made of leather.Also spur-, stirrup-, tar-lether, q.v. — 1653 Caldwell P. 107.
For starrop irnes & leathers to the lard 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 367.
In the workhorse stable … 8 ker-sadles, 8 pair eyer [= ear] lethers