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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.

Luf(e)rent, n. Also: luferand, lufferand, luifrent. [Sc. metathesised form of north. ME. lufredene (c 1325), -redyn, and cf. also ME. loveraden (c 1425) and luue-, louered(e (14th c.), OE. lufrǽden, f. lufu Lufe n.¹, Luve n., and OE. rǽden condition: (cf. the Sc. forms haterent, kinrent etc.).]

1. The state or condition of loving or of being loved: love affection; devotion; amity, friendship. = Lufe n.¹ 1 a and 1 c.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 160.
Quhene he can luk One it [sc. an image of Christ], sic luferand he tulk That he thare dwelt in body & thocht 1548 Grant Chart. 102.
For singular fauouris and lufferand that the said James hes anent the said Ewin(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 7326.
He great lufrent to thame pruvit c1420 Wynt. v. 513 (W).
Claudyus send Waspasiane Outher with lufrent or with threte … To gar him [a deputy] pay that at he aucht Ib. 2369.
Syne, quhen he turnyt of that land, For lufrent thai with him past 14.. Acts I. 26/2.
That thai say it nocht for hatrent of the ta part na for luferent of the tothir part Ib. 12/2. 1456 Hay II. 76/29.
The peple of Pers gave sik a luferent till Alexander that thai lufit him better … na ony othir peple of ony of his othir conquestis Ib. 91/22.
[Not] to brek luferent na dissever thaire frendschip Ib. I. 185/14, 254/5, II. 88/30, 99/17. a1487 Gud Wife & D. 201.
And vyn lufrent of hir menȝe a1500 Bk. Chess 945.
Knychtis … amang thaim self suld be Off gret lufrent and of gret lawte 1517 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi. 32.
[The] auld band of kyndnes and lufrent maid betuix ther predicessouris 1543 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. (J).
The said gudis war frelie gevin … by him to his said dothir for dothirlie kindnes and lufrent he had to hir Arundel MS. 282/107.
Expell me nocht fra the sicht of thy grace & lufrent c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 36 b/141.
And be thy deid thy lufrent [for Christ] may be knawin

2. Sexual love; appar. chiefly in the unfavourable sense, sexual desire, lust.Also, an instance of this, an illicit love-affair.(1) 1456 Hay I. 263/4.
Gif a man has despyte at his wyf for haterent of hir or luferent of ane othir a1487 Gud Wife & D. 90.
Nakit lying lufrent will gendir c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 508.
All this come throw foull lust of luferent Ib. i. 277. Id. Seven S. 9879.
Scho … had me at sic haitrent Ane vther squyer scho cheisit in luferent(2) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 656.
I reid of ane did vs far mair decoir Our life wplift throw feruour and luifrentis [: inconuenientis, detrimentis etc.], Our ransoun pay [etc.]