A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Lakay, La(c)key, -ie, Laikie, Lecky, n. Also: lakai, la(c)quai, -ay, -ey, -ie, -é, leckie. [e.m.E. lackey (1529), la(c)ky(e, lacquay, etc., F. laquais : cf. Allacay n.] A footman, running footman, lackey.(a) 1582 Treas. Acc. MS. 34.
To the four laquais for their leveray claithis 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 280.
Phinlaw Tailyeour, laquay to his Majestie 1589 Exch. R. XXII. 31.
Hors schone, saidlair lakais, smythis, avenarimanis waigis 1594 Warrender P. II. 259.
Lacqueys carying in their hands thair masters lances 1596 Treas. Acc. MS. 79 b.
The pages and lakayis Ib. 80 b.
Lakey 1600 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 666/1.
40 pageis, 80 laquaies [etc.] 1601 Treas. Acc. MS. 86 b.
To ilk ane of thir fyve laqueyis aucht merkis in contentatioun of thair reid velvote bonnetis 1603 Ib. 221 b.
James Glen, laquey to the dames and gentilwemen 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 170.
The Ducke in a rage stepes ouer the coatch befor the lackey could lett doune the butte therof 1663 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp 4.
For a litill hatt to on of the lakies 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 57.
7 or 8 persons on foot going before his coach, and 4 or 5 lacquais behind 1669 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 85.
That every duke have no more than eight lackies in livery coates 1669 Douglas Chart. 342.
Lacquiesattrib. 1590–1 Exch. R. XXII. 119.
For lakais palfurneris waigis Ib. 196.(b) 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World Postscript 240.
The devil hath his laikies and pages with Christs livery upon them(c) 1622 Scot. Ant. XIII. 162.
Next followed 2 leckies cled in cullers or livery 1672 Thanes of Cawdor 326.
1 pair worstead stockines for your lecky
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Lakay n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Jan 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/lakay>