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.
Lait, Lat(e, v. [North. and north midl. ME. lait (Cursor Mundi), layt(e, latt, late (15th c.), ON. leita. Also in the later north. Eng. dial. as lait, layt, late etc.] tr. To seek, look for. —a 1447 Bower Scotichron. xiv. xxxi. (1759) II. 376.
The unlatit woman the licht man will lait a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 883.
Lechis war noght to lait a1500 Rauf C. 857.
‘I haue na lyking to lyfe to lat thé with lufe’ a1500 Henr. Fab. 734.
As he was thus … Luikand about his leuing for to lait [: bait, gait; B. late]
