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.
Lempet, n. Also: lempitt. [North. ME. (1312) and e.m.E. (1577) lempet, OE. lęmpedu: cf. med.L. lampreda, lemprida ‘lamprey’ (cf. Lamper-ele, Lampron) and ‘limpet’. Also in the mod. dial. as lempet, -it, -ed, -ad, -eck, -ic. Cf. also Lampet and Limpett.] A limpet.An apparent early occurrence is:c 1190 (13–14th c.) Liber Calchou 128.
Galfrido de Lempedlawea1500 Henr. III. 152/56.
The quhidder of ane quhaill, The lug of ane lempet 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 79 (B).
Thre quhailis … Ane him swelleit … And thair he levit on lempettis in hir wame 1549 Acta Conc. Public Aff. 588.
[The lady of Balcomy wrong in preventing] gadderaris of wilkis, lempettis and bait … upoun the sey sandis a1568 Scott v. 33.
Lapstaris, lempettis, mussilis in schellis 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Ware.
To gather wilkes, cokles, lempets, mussels, sandeiles 1683 Coll. Aberd. & B. 100.
Of all these shell fishes our seamen make bait, but mostly of the lempitt, muscle, and buckie or wilks
