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.
Lever, n.1 Also: levar, -ir, lewer. [Late north. ME. and e.m.E. levyr (Towneley Plays); var. of Liver n. with usual change of î > ē as in Evil, etc. (but cf. MDu. lēver, lēvere and Sw. lefver, Da. lever).] The liver of a person or animal.c 1420 Liber Calchou 449.
In man ar iij principal partis and membris, the hart, the leuer & the harnys c1475 Wall. ii. 409.
Our thourch his rybbis a seker straik drewe he, Quhill leuir and lounggis men mycht all redy se a1500 Henr. III. 117/54.
My hairt is haill, my lever and my splene a1500 K. Hart 910.
I leif … To gluttony … This meikle wambe this rottin levir als1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 33.
Oppin that vaine of the leuer quhilk is situat in the inuart part of the armeIb. 25.
Lewer1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Hepar, the leuer 1595 Misc. Spald. C. II. 130.
Tua scheipis leuaris, tua hartis, with luingis and lichtingis
