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.
Lede, Leid, n.2 Also: led, leyd. Plur. ledis, leidis etc., also leid. [North. and west midl. ME.(14–15th c.) led(e, leyde, leod, leude, e.m.E. (? north.) lede, leed(e, plur. leoden (Layamon), leode, leodes, ludes, ledis, OE. léod str. masc. ‘man, prince’, plur. léode ‘men, people’: cf. Lede,n.3 As in ME., chiefly or only in verse, espec. alliterative.]
1. sing. A person (man or woman); also, a man.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 441(Ch. & M.).
Ȝon lustlese led so lelely scho luffit hir husband(b) c1450-2 Howlat 188.
Was neuir leid saw thaim lauch Ib. 371.
Flour delycis … that mony leid lovit a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 157.
Thair come ane laithles leid air to this place Ib. 264.
Ȝone lord haldis of nane leid Ib. 431.
Had euer leid of this land … Maid ony feute before Ib. 70. a1500 Rauf C. 396, 591. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2275.
Fy on the leid that is not leill and lufit Id. Test. Cress. 449. c1475 Wall. viii. 1639.
Thus he wrait … To Wilȝam Wallace as a conquerour: ‘O lowit leid [etc.]’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 44.
Gif that ever ȝe luffit leyd vpone lyf mair [etc.] Ib. 283.
I had a lufsummar leid, my lust for to slokyn Ib. 407, 497. Id. lxxv. 27. a1500 K. Hart 816. 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 119.
And as this leyd at the last lyggand me seys Ib. 159.
Quod I to that ray, Leyd [R. lede] lern me ane other lesson, this I ne like a1568 Bell. Bann. MS. 3 a/142. c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 96 a/12.
Sen throw the erd … Thow art the most illustir leid 1535 Stewart 11427.
The king of Pechtis with … mony leid weill clad in curage cleir, With barronis bald, burges and bachleir Ib. 31225.
Of euery leid, baith barne, man, and wyfe Ib. 32514.
We will ay be bot lakit with ilk leid Ib. 18805, 22753, 22785, 23169, etc. 15.. Dum Wyf 134.
Thair is na leid in land That hes … His wyff at his command a1568 Scott vi. 25, etc. 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 10.
Quhat leid in lyfe wald nocht lament his lose? a 1568 Id. Ib. xlvii. 29; 1572 Ib. xxxi. 39; 1573 Ib. xli. 3. a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 103. 1604-31 Craig ii. 86.
Thou seems to be a quick & liuing leid, And not a vmber Ib. v. 31/5.
When no leid for his life … could be leach
2. plur. People, folk, men.a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 277.
Mony ledis salbe loissit, and liffis for lorne Ib. 858.
Thai lufly ledis … Delis thair full doughtely mony derf dynt Ib. 369, 622 etc. c1475 Wall. ix. 56.
Frekis in forstame, rewllit weill thar ger, Ledys on luff burd, with a lordlik fer, Lansys laid out 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 107.
Lust is na lufe, thocht ledis lyke it weill Ib. 59, etc.
b. Freq. all (levand) ledis, leid, all (living) people, everyone.Also north. ME. (Cursor M.) al ledis, al lede.(a) a1500 Henr. III. 171/43.
All ledis lyvis lawles at libertee 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 27. c1475 Wall. (1570) i. 13.
Thocht all leidis wald have this land in thrall Oppone his power, God can aganis thame all 1572 Sat. P. xxxii. 5.
Quhat pouertie … Dois ring be Grange, all leidis on lyfe may se 1604-31 Craig i. 27.
To see thy shapp all leiuing leids excell(b) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 102.
Love al leid and nane to lak a1500 Henr. Fab. 2014.
I will thow mak to me ane aith, For to be leill attour all leuand leid c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 29.
Welcum, therfor, abufe all livand leyd a1568 Bann. MS. 218 b/9.
Ȝour hummill seruitur Quhilk luvis ȝow … Attour all leid that levis or de may
