A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Lade-, Laid-stern(e, n. Also: leid(e)- and -starn(e. [North. ME. lade-sterne (c 1400): cf. ON. leiðarstjarna. Cf. Lade-star,n. and Lode-sterne.]
1. A lodestar; the pole star.1513 Doug. i. xi. 101.
The rany Hyades … And eik Arcturus, quhilk we cal the laid [v. rr. leid(e)] stern, The dowbill Vrsys weil couth he decern Ib. vii. iv. 51.
Nowdyr the seys rage … has ws dryve Onto ȝour realm, … Nor ȝit the laid stern from our cours bywauyt
2. fig. ‘A guiding star’, a ‘guide’; also, a shining example, a paragon.1513 Doug. i. Prol. 8.
Lantarn, laid [R. lade, Sm. leid] stern, myrrour and A per se Ib. 454.
Thou Kyng of kyngis, … Thou be my muse, my gydar, and laid [Sm. leid] stern Id. viii. Prol. 9.
Leys, lurdanry, and lust, ar our laid starn 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4005.
Father of falset, … Leidsterne to lie 1568 Lyndesay Pref.
Our auld bischoppis … quhilkis war wont to be lampis, and as it war leidsternis, to all nations adiacent 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. in Pitsc. I. 277/7.
Leidstarne and lamp of liberallitie
