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.
Lach(e, a. and adv. Also: lacht. [Less common var. of Laich or perh. in some instances Lauch.] Low in height, in position, also in price. Also lach house, = Laich hous n. c.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 492.
I … giffis a lacht place of duelling [L. vile habitaculum] & takis a place of bewte(2) Ib. xlvi. 171.
Tho that place [a prison] ves lacht & myrk 1668 Lauder Jrnl. 187.
He said he cared not tho the highest stone of Restalrig ware as lach as the lachest(3) 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 218.
For ix … wyndokis to the ix lychtis of the lach [pr. lath] chalmeris under the chapell 1539–41 Ib. 290. 1546 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 4.
Ane chairtour of few ferme … off ane lache wolt with the bak chopis under the new tolbuith 1587 Paterson Ayr & W. (1863) I. 168.
In the lache kitching, ane irne chimnay 1595 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 22.
Robesonis heiche buith, … David Robesonis lache buith 1653 Soc. Ant. XXIII. 304.
The three lach sellers to the west Ib. 305.
In the fift lach chamber(4) 1603 Black Bk. Taymouth 338.
Off lang chenyeis in the presoun heich and lach … iiij(5) 1649 Reg. Episc. Brechin II. 248.
Unacum fundo lie Lachtstead domi ruinosae jacentis 1663 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 608.
For sax hundreth dyvots for blaidings of the lach house(6) 1646 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 133.
The lachest pryce of Tullibody … and als the laichest pryce off the ludging in Stirlingb. adv. c1420 Wynt. iv. 1370.
He fand Ane eddyr lach [C. laithe] on erd crepand
