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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1568
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Lede, n.3 Also: led, leid, leyd. [ME. lede, leode, OE. léod fem. a nation or people, pl. léoda (Northumb. líoda) people, related to Lede,n.2] a. A people or nation. b.People collectively, folk.Chiefly in verse, including alliterative.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints iv. 365.
Lele men of al kirsine led Sekis that cors c1420 Wynt. v. 5800.
Gyff … he Suld wyth-draw hym in to dede Fra hys kyn till ane wncouth lede a1538 Abell 91 a.
He prechand in ane leid all ledis ondirstude him(b) c1450-2 Howlat 750.
For ws … To thi son mak thi mane, … lady, luke to the leid that thé so leile lufis a1500 Golagros and Gawane 186.
Ȝe ar welcum … quhil ȝou … list to luge in this leid a1500 Ib. 653.
Schir Louys the lele, ane lord of that leid c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x. 227.
Thai me hayt mar na Sotheroun leid a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 480.
Leir efter the law of lipper leid 1535 Stewart 20791.
With ane greit armie in Cicilia For to subdew that leid and als the land 1535 Ib. 21115.
Tha [Scots] ar the leid culd neuir ȝit be leill 1535 Ib. 1081, 10616.
c. In, on lede, among people, on earth. As a verse tag.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii. 10317.
Thare is na leuand man on leid … Bot [etc.] a1568 Bannatyne MS 227 b/24.
I luf bot hir allone of all that levis on leid(2) c1450-2 Howlat 288.
The trewe turtour … lelest in leid c1450-2 Ib. 852.
Thir lordis, in leid nocht to layne it, He besocht of sucour a1500 Golagros and Gawane 172.
Weill gretis ȝow, lord, ȝone lusty in leid, And says [etc.] a1500 Ib. 954.
Lord, as thow life lent to levand in leid, … Grant me confort this day
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"Lede n.3". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/lede_n_3>
