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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.

Lang, adv. Also: lange; layng. [North. and north midl. ME. lange, lang, midl. and south. longe, long, OE. lange (lǫnge). Cf. Long adv.]

1. Long (in time). In various collocations and applications. (Cf. Lang-time).Sa lang as, (9), also = provided that, if.a. positive (1) 1375 Barb. x. 55.
I oysit lang that travalling c1420 Bute MS. fol. 173.
He may nocht ly lang in the schip a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 323.
And cause me nocht the cause lang to declair c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 202.
Thow held the burcht lang with ane borrowit goun 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 7.
Hys hawbryk quhilk was lang furth of usage 1535 Stewart 37753.
Lang and mony da a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxv. 42.
Ȝe that with curteouris hes bein Acquentit lang a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. 153.
Job was deiecked and iuged lang iniust a1578 Pitsc. I. 233/22.
Thir tuo bodyis lang conteinuant to the aige of xxviij ȝeiris 1596 Dalr. II. 360/15.
The fox can neuir leiue lang out of her awne hole a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) No. 245.
Earlie maister, lang knave 1617 Old Ross-sh. 32.
I have stayed lang on your promise(2) 1375 Barb. xiv. 202.
The stalward stour lestit weill lang c1420 Ratis R. 437.
Thow sall se few of gret outrage Oucht lange in gud heil lewande be 1474 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 32.
Because … the tyme of his chesing was sa lang byrunnyn it is ordanit [etc.] c1475 Wall. ix. 1655.
For that the ȝet so lang wnstekit was a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 155.
To lang 1535 Stewart 1674.
And so thai did richt lang and mony ȝeir Ib. 24481.
Sic multitude ocht lang fra hame to byde c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5969.
Full lang 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4079.
Ouir lang ȝe haue vs mockit 1590 Fraser P. 153.
I haue bene lang aneche frustrat thairanent 1596 Dalr. I. 13/14.
The … monasterie … had sa lang continued in a happie state 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 218.
God let us never fast ov'r lang — c1475 Wall. i. 262.
This lang quhar has thow beyne? 1562-3 Winȝet I. 101/1 (MS).
We confes … that this lange the maist part to hef bene admittit 1567 G. Ball. 175.
This lang and mony ane day Ib. 189.(3) c1420 Wynt. v. 5288.
The devill askyd, how lang he bade ln paradice a1500 Henr. Fab. 278.
Ȝe, dame, quod scho, how lang will this lest? c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 6.
How lang will ȝe with danger deill? c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5267.
Quhilk hes declarit … How lang it is sen the warld began a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiii. 1.
Lord God quhowe lang will sic lawe lest(4) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 69.
The lichtis that wer sene out of the hiest part of ȝour hous all the nicht lang wer … put out(5) 1567 Sempill Sat. P. vii. 1.
Not lang ago, as I allone did walk 1591-2 Rob. Stene 23.
As lang ago — 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Lange befor the brynninge of Berwike c1420 Wynt. ii. 871.
The Scottis cummyn were … lang beforne Ib. iv. 1172.
Thare oys wes ay Lang to rys wp befor day 1456 Hay I. 66/12.
Kingis was lang before the emperouris 1615 Lanark B. Rec. 125.
Becaus lang befor ane sow eat ane barin … in creddill 1622-6 Bisset I. 4/35.
Lang befoir that — 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI. 523.
Nawayis exprimand how lang befoir the invasioun … [he] causit hyd the chenye — 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 123.
That he lent the King … lang of before 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 262.
Ane minister … wes … pynnit in the beittis lang of befoir, and borne to the jebbat — c1420 Wynt. v. 992.
Lang forow day — Ib. iii. 598.
Lang thare eft 1535 Stewart 18672.
Maximus … lang eftir brukit Britane Ib. 39165.
Lang efter syne quhen that the ise wes fawin c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3028.
In those dayis Nor lang efter a1578 Pitsc. II. 166/28.
Nocht lang efter this — 1535 Stewart 99.
Lang of the ald thair wes thair sepultuir — c1420 Wynt. viii. 2649.
Lange or the sone ȝheide downe a1568 Gyre-carling 34.
Lang or Betok wes born Scho bred of ane accorne c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 45.
Lang or nicht 1535 Stewart 36314.
Lang or none 1547 Ex. Processes MS. (Reg. H.) No. 1.
The schip … brak lang … or scho come to the partis libellit 1562-3 Winȝet I. 58/3.
It suld hef bene layng or now(6) 1375 Barb. vii. 252.
I thynk to se or oucht lang Hym lord … our all the land Ib. ix. 749. 1596 Dalr. I. 111/3.
In … God is … a certane … medicine … , quhilke we hope he sal adhibite or it be lang(7) 1562-3 Winȝet II. 11/2.
Layng may thai heir protest, or ony man … be moueit a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 218 (L).
Bot lang mycht I haiff luikit so Or Cupide cum agane a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1566.
They may lang follow yow or five s. fal fra yow — a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) No. 379.
He that fishes afore the net, lang or he fish get a1598 Ib. MS. No. 958.
Lang or ye cut Falkland Wood with a pen knyf a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1035.
Lang or drinking mak a laird Ib. No. 722, 930, 1072.(8) 1399 Melville Chart. 15.
Schir William … sal als lange joyse thaim … as he or thai ar skathit 1428 Liber Aberbr. 58.
Als lang as the forsaid abbot beis within hym at innys a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1189.
Alse lang as we leif 1479–80 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 335.
He sal remain … alslang as it likis the toune til hald him 1540 Lynd. Sat. 106.
For als lang leifis the mirrie man As the sorie 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 13.
He wald underly the same [burden] alslang as he mycht 1597 Elgin Rec. II. 61.
The haill inhabitantis … to buy catecheis as lang as the merchantis ar in the toun 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 24 b.
Als lang as ane man is in servitude(9) 1513 Doug. ix. viii. 133.
Sa lang as thai sammyn vnsyverit war 1531 Reg. Privy S. II. 123/1.
Sa lang as he remains in the Ilis for ingetting of the malis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 182/18.
Sa lang as I am dressare of concorde 1549 Glasgow Test. I. 49 b.
That is to say the insycht sa lang as my wife mareis nocht to remane 1551 Hamilton Cat. 12/1.
Concupiscence is … na dedelie synne, sa lang as we consent nocht with ane deliverit mynd c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 295.
So lang as tha seyk him carnallie Tha can no wayis posses him spirituallie 1558-66 Knox II. 419.
So lang as protestantis ar not eschameit … so lang can nocht the mynisteris of God ceise to cry c1590 Fowler II. 53/19.
Sa lang as he was on lyf a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1409.
Sa lang as ye are comming and going the way is never tume 1632 Cullen B. Ct. 6 June.
Johne Gordone … to be anserable for George Ruill … sa lang as he duellis in the said Johnes hous and bigging allenerlie 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 98.
Ay and sua lang as it sall happen to remain wnpayit(b) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 106/8.
Can a man luue his brother sa layng as he nocht only nocht helpis him in his mistar, bot [etc.](10) 1534 Wemyss Chart. 1256.
Alssone and how lang the said xij pannis gangis 1596 Dalr. II. 391/15.
The Dolphine craues … he suld be named King of Scotis, how lang the Quene lyuetb. compar. (1) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 276.
Swet sawoure, That lestit langare thane ane howr c1420 Wynt. vii. 2963.
Langare na that nycht the King Wald [not] mak duellyng 1497–8 Acta Conc. II. 111.
That thai hald na alderman langyr in his office maire than ane yeire 1549 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 146.
Ony fawldis … that hes lyin ony langer nor ane yeir bypast a1568 Balnavis Bann. MS. 138 b/12.
Langer lestis ȝeir nor ȝule 1581 Acts III. 225/2.
That nane … sall hald onie … horsis at hard met ȝeirlie langer nor the fyftene day of Maij(2) 1442 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 7.
The said … custume of this instant yeir that cummis and for na langer a1500 Henr. Twa Mys 118.
For euermair, I wait, and langer to 1596 Dalr. I. 25/12.
Sa mony stickis … to be fyre to … xl persounes … the space of ane ȝeir, ȝe and langer(3) 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 58.
Thar has grete commissaris … poynctit trewys langare in lyke effect to contynw c1420 Wynt. vi. 2959.
He … wald hawe gert hym byd langare 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 246.
Quhat suld I langar on hys errouris dwell? 1535 Stewart 18038.
Octauius … or he wald langar blyn, With mony rout … he raid 1560 Rolland Seven S. 923.
His maisters … that war langer leirit in the law 1569 Reg. Morton I. 48.
Giff it had plesitt God to haiff grantit langer sik ane servand to ȝoure heychnes 1596 Dalr. I. 212/14.
Langre — 1375 Barb. ii. 385.
This bargane neuir may langar last a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 250.
Contene hyre langare scho ne mocht 1533 Bell. Livy I. 176/18.
Thai wald nocht … be ony langare frustrate a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 62.
Onne layngar 1596 Dalr. I. 159/20.
Skairs war thay able to retaine thair awne ony langre — a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 740.
For-thi I byd here no langare 14.. Acts I. 355/2.
Than he is halding to be borghe for him na langare a1568 Gyre-carling 32.
Na langer scho tareit 1513 Doug. ix. xiii. 72.
Hys scheild na langar mycht sik rowtis sustene 16.. Hist. Kennedy 51.
Thair wes na langar tyme(4) a1400 Leg. S. vii. 623.
& ay the langare he sat sa, The mare grew his sorow c1460 Wisd. Sol. 414.
For the langar he leif, the mar synes … and the schorter the les a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1126.
Quhair ane fairis weil the langer sould he byde 1535 Stewart 35092.
Seand thair power convales … Ilk da be da the langar ay the moir 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 160.
The langer dirt is hidden, it is the stranger 1573 Cal. Sc. P. IV. 601.
[But the good regent here] is ever the langer the better luiffit c1590 Fowler II. 76/29.
It is requeseit … thow be furneshed with mair … hap … to retene sic pepill the langar in subiectioun a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) No. 798.
The langer we live, the mae farlis we seec. superl. c1460 Regim. Princ. 67.
For to compeir quhair thow sall langest duell c1515 Asl. MS. I. 194/16.
We war … ay wexit with vther nacionis … and langast be the Romanis 1570 Sat. P. xxvii. 50.
Thatt freindschip … langest will indwir

d. comb.The langar or langast levar or levand (= the survivor): see Levar, Livar and Levand, Livand.(1) c1420 Wynt. ix. 1632.
Quhen this Clement pape wes … The lang lestand scysm began 1577 Old Ross-sh. II. 2.
The lang lestan weill of his hous — 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 50.
The lang declinand and ourslippand nyght(2) 1580-92 James VI Lusus R. 32.
Quhat ioy uas thaire … At oure lang uishit meeting Ib.
How ue sa soone uar shedd & lost oure lang desirit ioy 1596 Dalr. I. 129/1.
That lang confirmet & constant kyndenes(3) c 1500 Loutfut Poem on Heraldry (E.E.T.S., Extra Ser. 8, p. 94) 15.
Quhill efter the langest leving men … lernis more … wit [etc.]

2. A long way, far. 1531 Bell. Boece I. xxx.
On the tothir side, the watter of Clyde, eftir that it hes roun lang towart the north [etc.]