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-er(e, -ar(e, adv. phrase. Also: -ayr, -eir, -eyr. [Lang adv. 1 a (5), and Ere adv., Are adv.: lit. ‘long before’, but found only in the weakened sense. Freq. written as one word, as langer(e, langar(e, etc. (Cf. Lang quhill syne, Lang-syne).] Before, formerly, previously. Also of langere.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 615 (E).
As Ik diuisyt yow lang er [C. ere] c1420 Wynt. iv. 1306.
This were … endyt as yhe herd langere [C. langer] ?1438 Alex. ii. 1308.
To Ideas langer thay ȝeid And me abandoned Ib. 4850.
He and I straik sic ane straik lang ere [: fere] Ib. 1939, 4533, 10960, etc. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2292.
Quhat hard thow that this man hecht me lang eir [: to beir]? 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 659.
I am richt glaid thow art worthin sa wicht, Langeir me thocht ȝow [sic] had nouther force nor micht Id. Æn. v. Prol. 35.
Langeir [v. rr. Langer(e] in murnyng, now in melody Ib. x. x. 129.
Syk sawys war langer [v. rr. langare, langayr] furth of thy mynd Ib. xii. ix. 19.
Langeir Ib. xiii. i. 35.
The catall, quhilkis favorit langer [v. rr. langeyr, langere] The best ourcummyn as thar cheif and heir Ib. xii. xi. 40, 51. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 825.
Sa to purpois quhair of I spak lang eir(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 3892.
Ȝe can weill mare Of this play than I wenit langare Ib. 10416.
My steidis hals lang are [: mis-fair] War strykin in tua a1500 K. Hart 444.
My name is Age said he … May thow nocht heir langar how I culd schout(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 1298.
Said Gaudefere, War nocht ȝour counsall of langere We had discumfit bene
