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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.

Las, n. Also: lass(e, lase, lais, laes. [ME. (north.) and e.m.E. lasse, north. ME. lasce (Cursor M.), of uncertain etymology.Conjectured (H. Bradley, OED.) to be f. prehistoric ON. *laskw-: cf. MSwed. and mod. Swed. lösker free, idle, vagrant, unattached, unmarried, as lösk kona unmarried woman, lösker karl unmarried man (Icel. lösk-r idle, weak); with -s for -sk as in As n. ash, and v. ask, and Bus n. bush.]

1. A girl; a little girl or a young woman. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 544.
Herrod … did sa gret il A lassis ȝarnyng til fulfil
Ib. 632.
Til a lurdan las
a1500 K. Hart 359.
Pietie … that ilk prettie las
c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 465 (Ch. & M.).
Hutit be the halok lase
Ib. 503.
Ladyis leir thir lessonis & be no lassis fundin
1503 Treas. Acc. II. 395.
To the Italien las that dansit
1511 Ib. IV. 179.
To the litil las
1540 Lynd. Sat. 4520.
[He] is of age fourscoir of ȝeir, And taks ane lasse to be his peir, Quhilk is nocht fourteine ȝeir of age
1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 29.
To mak ane separatioun in the lector scholes betuix the lads and lassis
1597 Edinb. Test. XXX. 161.
Thrie huidis of welvet for lassis
1603 Philotus 117.
Ane bairnelie lasse lyke mee, Mair meit his oy nor wyfe to be
1604 Perth Kirk S. 282.
There was a number of young women and lasses … found … dancing
1642 Strathbogie Presb. 31.
A foolish litle on within tuell yeiris of age … .Ordayned … to mak search … for the said litle lasse
?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 33.
Et bobbare bene & lassas kissare bonæas
1667 Bk. Old Edinb. C. V. 137.
Aught hoors and a lasse sent to the corectiouen hous
1681 Cloud of Witnesses (1714) 78.
That was better debated already than a poor lass could debate it
Ib. 82.
Why did he not debate these things with men and not with lasses?
1681 Edinb. B. Rec. XI. 10.
Frieing the … high streets of many boyes and lasses whoe constantly molests … the leidges by begging upon the same

b. Applied to a woman of any age.As an affectionate, familiar, jocular or ironical usage. c1500 Crying of Play 52.
My grantschir … had a wyf was lang of clift, … The las was no thing sklender
1529 Lynd. Complaynt 239.
I knaw ane maid in Fyfe, Ane of the lusteast wantoun lassis
1567 G. Ball. 205.
The blind bischop, he culd nocht preiche For playing with the lassis
a1585 Maitl. Q. lxx. 98.
Thair gartenis knottit with a rois Puttis all the lassis in thair chois
a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 569.
Glassis and lassis are brukill wairs
Ib. No. 1088.
Love beginnis with a louse, lass, come luke my head
1686 Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 32.
Gin we chance through humane frailty, To meet a lass and give her kelty
1690 A. Shields Grievances and Sufferings 23.
They required every poor lad and lais in the country to give their opinion of the government

c. A sweetheart. c1590 Fowler I. 192. lv. 14.
O joyles, ielous man, That feares to loss the lass I never wan!

2. A female child, a daughter Also attrib. in lass-bairn, lass-chyld. 1562 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 152.
His last barne, being ane las, to be baptisit in his awin hous
1570 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.) 26 July.
Ane litill ȝoung las of myne wes seik
1576 Edinb. Test. IV. 208.
To Thome Diksouns twa lasis
a1578 Pitsc. I. 407/12.
Adew, fair weill, it come witht ane lase, it will pase witht ane lase
1580 Edinb. Test. VIII. 136.
To my bastard las
1596 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 361.
To Jon Rentoun pure, … for ane winding scheit to his las
1600-1610 Melvill 323.
In place of a sarie las that never leuche, God gave me of my wyff … a pleasand boy
1665 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 6 Sept.
I restrick hir to … ane thousand pund … to be taken aff tuelff hundreth merks therof aff the lasses and three hundreth merks aff Adame
attrib. 1614 Crim. Trials III. 270.
The bairne deit schortlie efter the beiring, being ane lass-bairne
1693 Argyll Justic. Rec. I. 146.
Being conceived with chyld she did bear ane lass chyld

3. A maid-servant, servant-girl. Also comb. in servant-lass, work-lass.(1) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 448.
Heir I protest for Hamelynes, ȝour las
a1568 Bann. MS. 217 b/34.
Oft tyme hes bene hard and sene Ane loird hes luvit ane las full weill And eik a laid ane lady scheyne
1571 Sat. P. xxix. 29.
[He] nethir wyth othir mannis wyffe nor maid, bot wyth his awin las lay
1614 Lanark B. Rec. 121.
And the las of the hous sine scho gavis me the kie til opin the dore
?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 79.
Saevas … lassas, Magaeam magis doctam milkare cowæas Et doctam sweeppare fleuras [etc.] … , Nansæam claves bene quæ keepaverat omnes
1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 222.
To the lass came up with the bowit to let us see home
(b) 1620 Grant Chart. 323.
To the laisses of drinksiluer
(2) 1632 Perth Kirk S. 310.
Janet Gibson, a servant lass, … is accused of indecent wantonness
1650 Brechin Presb. 38.
A servant lass being com in seik from her wark
1673 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 12 Sept.
To ane servant laes called Jannet
1674 Cunningham Diary 2.
Boarding of myself and my wife, her gentlewoman and servant lasse, and my man
1677 Ib. 91.(3) 1663 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp 2 b.
To Helen the work lase 02, 18, 00

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"Las n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/las>

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