Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Lichting, vbl. n. Also: lychting, -yn(g, lighting. [ME. liȝtyng (14th c.), ligthing (14th c.), lighting, lyghtyng, Licht v.¹ (also OE. líhting alleviation, relief).]

1. a. Relief, comforting, cheering (of one's heart). 1456 Hay II. 121/16.
Efter that thou sall clethe thé with gude and faire and riche clething, for that is lychtyng to thy hert a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 394.
Changeing of warks is lichting of harts

b. Unloading (of a boat). 1597 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 18 a.
For the schipis pairt for lichting hir in the raid xxxv s. 1602 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 142.
Gif ane skipper cumis vpoun ground … , giff he can cum be ony … lichter to lois afe the guidis in the schip … than sall the skipper mak coist vpoun the lichting of the schip 1610 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 83.
v merkis for his pairt of the wages gottin for lichting of ane schip of salt in Air

2. Alighting from horseback, dismounting. Also with doun and of(f (af) one's horse. Also b. Dismounting at the end of a journey, hence contextually, arrival. c1420 Wynt. viii. 5389.
The Scottis men in the lychtyng Maid thaim so hard a walcommyng That thai War slayne ilkane c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 415.
A blyth semblay wes at his lychtyn doun 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 57.
Betuix ther entres in the town and ther lychting of thar hors 1619 Criminal Trials III. 482.
[He] schote him in his lichting af his horse with tua bullettis c1650 Spalding II. 293.
Aluayes the Lord Gordoun, efter his lichting, went down to the lower counsal-hous

3. ‘Landing’, alighting, after a fall. 1597 James VI Dæmonol. 39.
If one fall off an small height, his life is but in perrell, according to the harde or soft lighting