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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.

Lidder, a. (adv.), (n.). Also: liddir, lydder, -ir, -yr. [Late ME. and e.m.E. lider (Prompt. Parv.), ledyr (Towneley Plays), lyddyr (Skelton), var. of Lither a. The commoner Sc. form.]Common (in sense 1) in Stewart.

1. Of persons: Slack, slow, sluggish, lazy; also, wanting in spirit, cowardly. Also absol. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 613.
Win fast be tyme and be nocht lidder 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 302.
Ye men that callis ladyis lidder And licht of laitis 1535 Stewart 133.
I se ȝe do bot tyre And wax lidder lang or ȝe werk begin Ib. 7099.
Without lathen, that tyme he wes not lidder Ib. 2361, 3909, 7762, etc. 1570 Sat. P. xxi. 28.
The lordis and counsall of this rome Of lait that war growin lidderabsol. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2913.
Thow art ane loun and that ane liddir

b. With complements: Slow, hesitant, behindhand, in doing something, etc. 1513 Doug. xi. xiv. 29.
Ȝe war not wont tobe an lyddyr ilkane At … workis venerian 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 75.
Thocht I be in my askyng lidder 1570 Sat. P. xx. 54.
Ponder thame [sc. my wordis] for ȝour awin schame, To mark thame be not lidder

c. Of an action: Feeble and indecisive. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 104.
After lang mint lidder dint

d. (To come) lidder speid, slowly, making slow progress. 1513 Doug. I. Prol. 392.
I mycht also, percace, cum lyddir speid 1535 Stewart 4848.
Thai wald cum lidder speid To fecht in feild agane thame on the morne Ib. 24779.
In so grit perrell … Without ȝour help I will cum lidder speid Ib. 49936.
Quha spurnis airlie cumis lidder speid

e. adv. Slowly, sluggishly. a1568 Scott ii. 68.
Thair lancis come to lidder & slaw

f. quasi-n. = Liddernes, Lithernes. 1535 Stewart 5478.
For na lat, without lithen [sic] or lidder, Sone … [they] convenit all togidder

g. transf. to one's appearance: Lazy-looking, slouching. 1513 Doug. vi. v. 13.
His smottrit habyt, owr his schulderis lydder, Hang pevagely knyt with a knot togiddir

2. Of a thing: Poor, sorry, worthless; out of condition, impotent. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 326.
For commoun folk will call thé lawit and lidder 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii. 95.
I trow thair be no denger Becaus his lome is larbour grown and lidder