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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Lewd, a. Also: lewde, lowde, leud(e, leaud. [ME. and e.m.E. lewd(e, leude, early leawde, OE. lǽwde, lǽwede: cf. Lewit and Lawit.As an examination of the entries will show, the forms Lewd, Lewit on the one hand, and Lawit on the other, differ both in application and in chronology.]

1. Untutored, unpolished. = Lewit a. 1. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 125.
I mon draw furth the ȝok lyis on my nek, As of the place to say my leude auise 1604-31 Craig i. 32/26.
Why should the leaud and lasie asse to numered lyus be juge?

2. Of a person: Low-class, common, vulgar. 1545 Douglas Corr. 156.
It is no gudnes that siche ane lowde fallo, that hes marit my ostes, sowld heif my gudis 1570 Sat. P. xxii. 13.
[To make] mychtie men lyke wretchit Irus fall And ly alaw lyke loytring lubbers leud

b. Of deeds: Befitting, or characteristic of, a low person; unworthy, base. c1475 Wall. xi. 266.
The king … Rewid … at it was hapnyt sa, Sa lewd a deid to lat him wndyrta 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I. 296.
[I am sorry to see … that my servant Nesbet's] lewd handling [is occasion of his punishment and hindering my suit] Ib. 511.
[I wish him by severe punishment to understand that he has played a] lewde part 1606 Reg. Privy C. VII. 488.
[If earls wear their robes in Parliament] thay committ ane leude error in doing thairof

3. Of persons and their actions: Bad, vile, evil, wicked, nefarious. Also transf. to things. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 49.
Bot sic vyle actis ar not wont to be committit be nobill and gude men bot be leud and wickit ministeris 1601 Elgin Rec. II. 91.
Na pastyme … sic as caitching … or poirtboules or any other lewd pastyme 1611-57 Mure Ps. ci. 8.
Betimes the leude ones of the land Shall be cutt off by me; That of all wicked workers thus, God's citty purg'd may bee 1622 Highland P. III. 313.
That man, whose bipast lyffe … hes bene so lewde and violent in bloode, thift, reafe and oppressioun 1649 Brechin Presb. 8.
His leud lyff and abominable sin of homicid … being taken to consideration 1664 S. Ronaldshay 45.
An infamous, lewde and scandalous persone 1669 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 121.
Jonet Shearer, … for her bais and leud cariage in her druckines, in keeping company with sojoris, to be bennished ?1644 W. Guthrie Serm. Mark viii. (1709) 25 (Jam.).
The sin of an adulterous generation, when they have … casten at his ordinances and turned otherwise lewd and profane in their way 1681 Lanark B. Rec. 205.
A company of leud and irregular persons did the last night make ane infall upon this burghtransf. a1568 Scott i. 156.
Kirkmennis cursit substance semis sweit Till laud men with that leud burd lyme ar lyttit

b. Lascivious, unchaste, lewd. c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii. 117.
Lat leude affectionis and all impieteis Be mortefiit in to our membris all 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 87.
Scho unaduisitly … has slane ane lewd ȝoung man, ane adulterer 1621 M^cPherson Primitive Beliefs 126.
[No one is to be found at the lykewake] singing bawdrie songs nor na lewd fassones 1682 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 13 Sept.
The … counsell finding severall presumtiones of basnes evidenced aganst Marioune Heughane … and that hir cariage has been from tyme to tyme lewd … does ordaine the said Marioune … to be banished

c. quasi-adv. and comb. in leud-leiwand (= -living). 1635 Banff Ann. I. 73.
Kathereine Tailyeour … idill vagabound and leud leiwand persone suspect of thift, was banischit