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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.

Laich hous, n. Also: laych-, laigh(e)-, leaigh-, leich-, and lichows. [Laich a. 3 and 4.]

a. The lower or downstairs part of a building; the ground floor or basement. b. A basement apartment, a cellar.

c. A lower building, often one of a group of such buildings, attached to a principal building of several storeys; freq., in plur., the out-buildings or out-houses of a main building; also laich place, bigging, Laich a. 4.sing. (a) 1567 Crim. Trials I. 497.
Than thay tuk all the polks and carried thame within the said laich house 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots 536.
Parice hir familiar servand … was in the laich hous quhair she lay the nychtis preceding 1574 Prot. Bk. A. Millar 16.
The said Richerd oblisis him to reedifie the said sellar and laiche hous sufficientlie with the vmest land 1579 Reg. Privy C. III. 231.
[They] laid him in a laich house quhill on the morne at day licht that they sufferit him to depairt 1608 Dunferm. B. Rec. II. 50.
For bringing doun the daills of the tolbuith loft to the laich hous 1618 M. Works Acc. MS. XV. ii. 20 b.
For making a laich hous vnder the cadgers stair to my Lord Buckinghames horsmen to ly in 1635 Glasgow Trades House 174.
For mending the chymney in the laiche hous 1638 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 206.
[The council] had appointed for ane armour hous the west most laich hous under the jame of the parliament house 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII. 176 b.
I leive to my sister … a laiche house posest be Martin Asburne 1659 Lanark B. Rec. 171.
To build out his laiche hous als far out to the streit as the gavill of his out schote 1660 Ib. 182.
Richard Gillone, deane of gild, to build up the sessioun house with ane stair aff the streit … , he lofting the samine and keiping the laich hous for the sessioun and presbitrie, … payeand yeirlie the uphalding of laich house for sessioun and presbitre watterticht 1667 Kelso Baillie Ct. 35 b.(b) 1606 Dunferm. B. Rec. II. 22.
To Johne Ker for putting in ane boet in the dure check of the laigh hous under the tolbuith 1661 Rothesay B. Rec. 63.
Quhilk day the proveist [etc.] … hes agreit … for the laighe house besyde the old sklaitt house for to be a skuill house 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 22 Oct.
Ordaines Samwell Young to remaine in prissoune in the laigh hous … And ordaines Samwell Halliday to remaine in the high hous during pleaser(c) 1559 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 324.
[To] concur with him in poynding … of ane tenement of land within the yard and lichows thairof 1643 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 134.
[To remove from] the leich house and barne with the barne yaird therof presentlie possest be him lyand in the town of Westhouses 1653 Lanark B. Rec. 153.
The said James … to pit up in his back wall ane round oe above ane manis height in the leich hous and ane stone quhich wes cutt out round in the nixt hous als heich as it could for the loftplur. 1580 Reg. Privy C. III. 275.
[They] come under silence of nycht to the said … fortalice … and dernit thameselffis quietlie in the laich houssis 1610 Old Ross-shire I. 122.
His … loft above the hall, laich chalmer, cellar, kitchein, loft above the kitchein, and two laich houses built in the close 1621 Perth Kirk S. 299.
Those that dwelt outwith the castle gravel port in laigh houses 1649 Caldwell P. 102.
For mending and theiking of the laigh housses of Caldwell 1677 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 312.
If Andrew Forrester build his laich housses in the said Leith Weynd … his enterie to the same volts … can on … nawayes prejudge the good toune 1689 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II. 383.
[The said W's. possession of the yards and] leaigh houses 1693 Foulis Acc. Bk. 58.
To the men that tooke red out of the laigh houses [5 s.] 1696 Cullen B. Rec. 16 Apr.
The said croft & ston house off three house height now standing theron with all the laich housses bigings & yairds of the samen