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.
Lump, Lomp, n. 1 Also: lumpe, lwmp(e; lowmp(e. [ME. (Cursor M.) and e.m.E. lump(e, lomp(e, of uncertain origin: cf. e.m.Du. lompe frustrum, frustulum, massa (Kilian), 16th c. Da. lumpe lump, Norw. and Swed. dial. lump block, stump, log, lumpe a sort of cake.]
1. A lump, a more or less bulky compact mass of no determinate shape, a gobbet. Also fig.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 373.
Thane Decius … Thame commawndit … With lompes of led to dyng hym fast Ib. 335. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 462 (Ch. & M.).
Thou spewit and kest out mony a lathly lomp 1531 Bell. Boece I. liii.
Arrivit ane gret lomp of this goum [sc. amber] in Buchquhane(b) a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 461.
With lumpis of led 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 83.
[The Cyclops] Bokkis furth … Raw lumpys of flesch and blude blandyt with wyne 1533 Bell. Livy I. 256/27. 1533 Boece ix. xviii. 335.
In certane of Pichtis regiouns … cheis in ane mas and lump of blude was changeit 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 50.
Had nocht bein I loutit in that steid I had strikin ane lump out of my heid 1587 Carmichael Etym. 9.
Gleba, a peit, a lump, a morsel 1632 Lithgow Trav. 500.
Our monasteries … like to the ruines of Troy, … lumpes of wals, and heapes of stones 1665-76 Lauder Journal 40.
Sabots … made of one intier lump of woodfig. 1631 Wodrow's Life of Bruce 156.
Yet He condescends to feed me with lumps of sense(c) 1494 Loutfut MS. 28 a.
The papillon … before hir ded tynis hir wingis and hir body worthis seke and in a litil lowmp 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 79.
The cressound stok being brokin, … thair wes within the samyn ane lowmpe of tre holkit for the oyle
b. fig. A ‘bit’, a piece taken out, a share (of land).1570 Misc. Bann. C. I. 39.
Gar thame daunce heidles, and than ilke guidfellow may gat a lumpe of thair landis
c. A lifeless or soul-less mass of material, a dead thing.Also lump of clay, applied disparagingly to the human body (as also in ME. (a 1400) and e.m.E.).(1) c1420 Wynt. v. 2113.
Yhon similakare … is bot a lumpe but lyve Ib. 2142 (W).
Thai ar bot lumpis withoutin live 1565 Gathering of Halie Signes 7 b.
Vther vicis … quhairin all men ar fallin smelling of the lomp corruptit in Adam 1598 Melvill Spirituall Propine 72.
Heauie lumpes that lyes, I [Faith] make them virgurous and light(2) 1567 Sat. P. iii. 7.
Ane king at euin, … At morne bot ane deformit lumpe of clay, With tratouris strang sa cruellie put downe 1603 E. Melville Godlie Dreame 64.
O save us Lord, out of this pit profound, And reif us from this loathsum lump of clay
2. a. A closely packed body of troops, a ‘bunch’. b. A heap, cluster or clump (of various things).a. 1375 Barb. xv. 229.
About him slayne lay his menȝe All in a lump, on athyr hand Ib. 342 (E).
The Dowglas saw thair lump all hale And … That thai for ane of his war twa Ib. xix. 377.
His hors him bar Emang the lwmp of Inglis menb. c1420 Wynt. viii. 3547.
Qwhen he cummyn was to the plas And sawe the lwmpe [sc. the heap of dead bodies] sa lathely ly 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Rudus, lapidum frusta, & ruinarum materies, Ane lomp of fallin stanis 1591 R. Bruce Serm. 275.
To take a lump of dry figs and make ane emplaster 1632 Lithgow Trav. 469.
Vermin, which lay crawling in lumps … about my body: yea hanging in clusters about my beard
c. In til a lumpe, by (the) lump, all of a piece, as a whole, wholesale.c1420 Wynt. viii. Prol. 23.
Than thoucht I … pesse be pesse ay for to wryte Sa that the fors al of my dyt In til a lumpe to be our-tane And to be defamyt as a rayne 1661 Wodrow Hist. I. 102.
I find few instances before this of voiding and cassing parliaments by the lump and wholesale c1679 Kirkton Hist. 21.
In Scotland the whole nation was converted by lump
3. A protuberance or excrescence (on the body of a person or an animal).a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 340.
Thy lustie lyre ouirspred with spottis blak And lumpis haw appeirand in thy face 1513 Doug. iv. ix. 87.
Thai seik alsso … The lump [R. lomp] betwix the new born folys eyn 1532–3 Selkirk B. Ct. 169 (4 Mar.).
Ane oix of blak coulour, gray hornit with ane lump of his cheik 1600-1610 Melvill 64.
The twa men war verie read and tead-lyk faced, for ploukes and lumpes 1579, 1617 Despauter (1617) 82.
Furfures, lumps in the head
4. A mass of iron in the process of manufacture.In late e.m.E. (1686– ) and mod. Eng. = a bloom or loop of malleable iron.1507 Rentale Dunkeld. MS. 27 b (= ed. 93).
Et pro empcione sex lie widdyis j clowe ferri j lowmp (27s. 8d.) [marg. ferrum] 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV. 465.
For the mending of ane ancor to the berk, xx s. Item for ij lompis of irn tharto, ij s. 1513 Doug. viii. vii. 118.
The irne lumpys in tha [sc. Vulcan's] cavys blak Can bys and quhissill Ib. 186.
With the grippand turcas oft alsso The glowand lump thai turnyt to and fro 1513–14 Rentale Dunkeld. 290.
[Alister Smytht, working 35] lie lumpis [of iron for horseshoes and wheels] Ib. 284. 1603 Inverness Rec. II. 12.
To … pay … nyn lu[m]pis or clowis iron … or ellis the pryces thairof nyn pundis money Scottis
