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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†LENTREN, n.¹ Also lentrin, -ron, -ran, -ryne, -ern; lantren, -ryne, -ern.

1. Lent, the period before Easter, the season of spring. Also attrib. and fig.Abd. 1735 Marquess of Huntly Cock o' the North (1935) 154:
At Midlentrin Market, buy George Steel a sute of Course gray Cloth Cloas.Per. 1757 Caled. Mercury (19 Feb.):
The Perth Market, commonly called, The first whole Week of Lentron.Abd. 1771 Invercauld Rec. (S.C.) 110:
By the lentran work, Eight horses with hands to work them with, in the muck miden.Per. 1821 T. Atkinson Three Nights 51:
At Beltane, or Lantryne, or hairst time, I'm blythe.Slk. 1823 Blackwood's Mag. (Feb.) 177:
Our good helsome prie that used to keep the hearts o' a' the ewes hale in the lang lentrin days.n.Sc. 1832 H. Miller Scenes and Leg. (1857) 472:
The burns were rinnin' big wi' spate, Lentron win's blew gurly and snell.Clc. 1850 J. Crawford Doric Lays 48:
Owre love's untimely urn, That scaith'd the lentryne o' thy life.Arg. 1882 Arg. Herald (3 June):
Ye ken I bocht last Lentron a gran' palonie tae oor Leezie.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (21 May):
We heard 'at dey wir ta marry i' da first o' da lent'rin.

2. The skin of a lamb that has died soon after birth, sc. in spring (Sc. 1825 Jam.).

3. Combs.: (1) lantern broth, broth or soup made with vegetables only, without meat stock; (2) lentrin kail, lenten-, id.; cabbage boiled in water and then served up in milk (Rxb. 1825 Jam.).(1) s.Sc. 1887 Fishing Gazette (2 July) 3:
Yitmeal Brose, Pedder's Brose … Trumlin' Jamie, Lantern Broth.(2) Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 182:
To think the bowl that warms the fancy … Must mak, neaist day, my lovely Nancy Sup lentrin kail!Per. 1816 J. Duff Poems 32:
Much I admire yere lentran kail, They've made me mony a heelsom meal.Sc. 1820 Scott Abbot xiv.:
In the mood of the monks when they are merriest, and that is when they sup beef-brewis for lenten-kail.Rxb. 1902 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 10:
It [the food] consisted of milk and meal and what was called “Lenten Kail,” an expression now rarely heard in the parish [of Teviothead]. It consisted of barley boiled with a few vegetables, but without any animal food.