Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LACHTER, n.², v. Also lauchter, lo(u)chter, luchter; laughter, l(o)(u)ghter (Uls. 1886 Patterson Gl.). Also in simple form †lucht, †lught (Slk. 1825 Jam.). [′lɑxtər, ′lǫxtər]

I. n. 1. A lock, tuft or wisp of hair, wool, grass, etc. (Ags. 1808 Jam.).Abd. 1704 T. Mair Ellon Rec. (1898) 288:
He saw a laughter of Barns' hair pulled out and lying on the floor.Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs I. 84:
Three lauchters of his yellow hair.Slk. 1822 Hogg Siege Rxb. III. vii.:
Wha ever saw young chields hae sic luchts o' yellow hair hingin fleeing in the wind?Gall. 1884 D. McWhirter Musings 24:
Wi' care I lift a growing louchter Tae shield the nest that he had wrocht her.

2. In reaping: the amount of corn grasped in the hand, cut at one stroke of the sickle and laid on the sheaf to be bound up (Arg. 1882 Arg. Herald (3 June); Kcb.⁴ 1900, luchter; Cai., Per. 1902 E.D.D.; Uls. 1953 Traynor, luchter); specif. the last sheaf to be cut in harvest, the Hare, Clyack, etc. (Uls. 1930); a bundle of hay or straw of this amount, a handful (Per., Twd. 1808 Jam., lochter; Cai. 1960).Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poetry I. 152:
In ilka loughter, cheery, comes The kirn, and eke the fee.Dmf. 1821 Blackwood's Mag. (Jan.) 403:
He casts his sickle sae glegly round the corn, and rolls a lauchter like a little sheaf.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 323:
Some reapers are better than others at rowing luchters; that is to say better at rolling a neat handful of grain when they cut it.

3. Fig. A large amount, a “heap”.Dmf. 1822 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 19:
Peace be i' the house, and luchters o' luck to the bride.

II. v. To lay in lachters in reaping, to gather up handfuls (of corn). Hence ppl.adj. ¶loughtered, holding a lachter.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poetry I. 152:
I've mark'd your loughter'd hands kind care, That nae a strae fell through.