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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.

Lap, n. Also: lappe, lape. [ME. lappe, OE. læppa.]

1. A loose or overlapping part of a garment, forming a flap or fold; latterly, a lapel. Also fig. Also to shake one's lap (against another) as a gesture of anger or reproach.(1) ?1438 Alex. i. 1823.
Syne of his coit ane lap [F. tout le pan] he schare, And band his felloun wound c1420 Wynt. iv. 2319.
Wyth his rycht hand … off hys gowne a lap tuk thare, And cuveryd befor hys eyne bare Ib. 2322.
Wytht his left hand he held downe The nethir lape thare off his gowne c1500 Interlude Droich 71.
Scho fischit all the Spanȝie seyis, With hir sark lap [Asl. lape] betuix hir theyis 1513 Doug. xi. xv. 19.
The forbreist lappys … with gyltyn trappys Or cordys fyne was buklyt with a knot 1535 Stewart 32141.
His staf also he hid than out of sicht Wnder his lap 1596 Fraser P. 227.
Ane … cluik of blak lynit doun the lappis with grwgrane taffetie 1600 Crim. Trials II. 210.
Perceiving that there appeared something to be hid under his cloke, hee did cast by the lappes of it 1603 Treas. Acc. MS. 280.
Lane to be tuelf ovirlayeris with lappis eftir the new fassioun 1613 Edinb. Test. XLVII. 226 b.
Tua pair of sateine cloik lapis at vj lib. the pair 1622 Ib. LI. 282.
Ane cloik … lynnit in the lapes with flowerit satein 1627 Brechin Test. IV. 291 b.
Ane gowne … with lapis of saittinge pryce xx lib. 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII. 308.
Ane house goune lynit in the lapes 1660 Moses Returned from Midian 15.
Not a lap of his garment can be touched, but the tender heart is smitten 1686 Depred. Clan Campbell 114.
Ane broun cloath cloak, with big buttons theron, and lyned in the laps with stuff(2) a1500 Seven S. 2628.
The child quhen that the king said sa His master be the lap couth ta And said [etc.] 1572 Lanark B. Rec. 66.
I tuik hir be the clok lap, and bad hir tak the said laif and pey me thairfor 1584 Sat. P. xlv. 870.
[He] tuke him by the lap and lewch(3) fig. 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 85.
The planys … By natur nurysyt … On the fertill skyrt lappys of the grund Strekyng on breid ondyr the cyrkyll rovnd 1586 in Calderwood IV. 526.
Lurd ignorance lurked under that lap of learning(4) c 1680 Anal. Scot. II. 91.
Hamiltowne was but a knave When he his lap did shake Ib. n. 1.
At the Lord's Supper he used to shak his lap against them who would break the Covenant

b. A flap or overlapping part of bed-clothes, of a curtain. 1624 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 137.
Being in ȝour bed, ȝe layed by the lap of the claithes 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 200.
Let me beseech your lordship to draw by the lap of time's curtain and to look in thro' the window to … eternity

c. transf. The ‘skirt’ or outlying part of an army. a1578 Pitsc. I. 314/28.
[They] sett on fercelie wpoun the lape and winge of the laird of Ballclucheis feild

2. a. The flap of a saddle. b. The flap or overlapping part of a leather bag. c. A fold of a document.a. 1540 Treas. Acc. VII. 327.
To cover the lappis of the samin sadillis under the velvet, xij cordewall skynnis a 1700 Bk. Dunvegan I. 205.
Ane house and laps streckled with silver twistb. 1663–6 Household Bks. Archbp. Sharp 26.
For a new lap to the clokbag and some iron plaittis thertoc. 1596 Highland P. I. 188.
He tuik the contract out of his bosome … he folded a lap of it, for quhat caus I know not

3. The lobe of the ear or of the liver. 1661 Elgin Rec. II. 298.
John Rind did tak him … be the lap of the lug 1696 Knoop & Jones Sc. Mason 83.
Under the lap of my liver where all the secrets of my heart lie

4. A fold over the breast of a garment forming a pouch for carrying. 1513 Doug. i. x. 67.
Softly the goddes in hyr lap hym bair 15.. Wyf Awcht. 39.
Scho put alsmekle in hir lap As micht haif serd thame baith at nwne c1590 Fowler I. 311/24.
As the glainers empty lapp Do shaw the barren land

b. fig. = bosom. 1615 Melrose P. 235.
His resolution is, to cast himselff in sum great mans lap, who will interceid … for him 1626 Garden Worthies 54.
So Fortoun … lul'd me in her lape of late