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.
Life-, Lyf(f)-day(is, n. (plur. and sing.) Also: lif-, live- and -dais, -day(e)s. [ME. plur. lif-, lyf(f)-dayes, -dawes, -daȝes (12th c.), e.m.E. lifedaies (1568), ME. (c 1400) and e.m.E. lyve-day(e)s, ME. sing. (dat.) lifdaȝe (13th c.), -dawe, e.m.E. liveday (1538), OE. lífdæȝ, chiefly plur. -daȝas.] (The) days of one's life, length of life, (one's) lifetime.plur. 1375 Barb. iii. 293.
And haiff he lyff-dayis, weill mai fall That he sall eschew it all 1454 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. iii. 10.
The … mayn landis of Hownum … to be haldyn … for al his lyfdayes 1456 Hay II. 42/21.
And fra thyne furth for all his lyf dais 1461 Peebles B. Rec. I. 141. c1475 Wall. vii. 460.
Sum grymly gret, quhill thar lyff dayis [1570, life days] war gayne 1494 Loutfut 121 b.
Gif God lennis him lifdais a1578 Pitsc. I. 356/10.
He wowit singullarlie gif he had lyfe and dayis [I. lyfdayis, 1728 live-days] he sould recompence them quho was the hinderaris of his iournay c1650 Spalding II. 210.
Yit few wes their lyf dayis in the second mareagesing. 1375 Barb. xiii. 544 (E).
He … held him lely his fay Quhill the last end off his lyf-day a1400 Leg. S. x. 506.
He … vith thame of Rome & Perse ay Had fereme pece al his lyf-day
