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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.

Late, Lait, a. Also: laite, laitt, layt(e, laeyt, leait; leit(e, leitt, leyte; leat(e, leatte; lyit; let(t. Compar. laitter. Superl. latest, leitest. [ME. late (13th c.), OE. late, latu etc., declensional forms of læt Lat a.]

1. Occurring after the due or advantageous time, deferred, delayed.Freq. (it is) to or ouir late (to do something).(1) c1420 Wynt. i. 639.
To cry mercy is to late The wayne than standard at the yhat(b) c1475 Wall. ix. 1647.
On fut he gat, and wald haiff beyn away. Our lait it was; Dowglace strak up the dur 1535 Stewart 4530.
It is ouir lait to juke quhen that the heid Is fra the hals a1585 James VI Maitl. Q. lxvii. 10.
Houp ay at last thocht it be lait To thyne intent for to attene a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxii. 39.
Quhen ȝe haif lost, it is too lait to leir(c) 1558-66 Knox I. 116.
Thei begane to suspect (albeit it was to lett)(2) 1557 Black Bk. Taymouth 127.
This symmyr vas deyr ewyl hayrst and layth [sic] in the heland 1584 St. A. Test. II. 40.
Ane kow with ane lait calf c1610 Melville Mem. 140.
He … dispysed consaill, sa that I was compellit to say that I fearit ouer lait repentance 1623 Melrose P. 549.
The seasoun of the yeir wes suche, that it threatned a laite and bruckle haruest(b) c1600 Montg. Suppl. 245/56.
My penitence is no to leitt [: estait]

2. Advanced in point of time, late of hour or date.(1) 1375 Barb. xiv. 164.
That nycht, For it was layt, thai wald nocht ficht c1475 Wall. v. 244.
‘Quhat art thow walkis that gait?’ ‘A trew man, Schyr, thocht my wiagis be layt’ 15.. Clar. ii. 250.
Be they had speirit all it waxit lait 1588 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 38.
It wes very lait at evin or thai com hame 1633 Cullen B. Ct. 22 Feb.
Byding thair quhill it wes leitt and candle being lichtit(2) 1513 Doug. vi. xvi. 34.
[The] liones and the beir, … all the lait nycht rumesand Ib. vii. viii. 38.
[The hart] wald … return hame war the nycht neuer so lait

3. a. Who was until recently or lately (as designated) but is not now. 1446 Reg. Cupar A. I. 125.
Item the … altarage of the Kyrk of South Alveth to our laeyt tenand Johne Wilȝamson for all the dayis of hys lyfe a1578 Pitsc. I. 157/7.
King Edwart … being varnit that Harrie the leit king was cummand out of Scotland 1614 Crim. Trials III. 296.
Chalmerlaine to Patrik, laite Erll of Orkney 1667 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 318.
James Skeine and John Crukshank leatt fermers of the said town 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 183.
David Merkie let tennent in Gaitgill

b. Having recently occurred; recently made, performed or completed; belonging to the recent past. 1559 Fam. Rose 229.
Contrar the tennour of the leyte appownment mayd 1562-3 Winȝet I. 81/3 n.
Maister Caluine denyis nocht to be thre [sc. sacraments]; Melanchthon and wtheris lait wretaris four Ib. II. 69/22.
[Not] al hæreseis ar on this manere to be impugnit, bot the new and the lait onelie 1568 Pref. Lyndesay 9.
Gif he had leifit in thir lait dayis 1569 Reg. Morton I. 49.
Throw the leitt tressonable … murthoure of umquhill James Erle of Murray 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 17.
Be the occasioun of … troublis that hes chansit … of laitt tyme past 1578 Acts III. 95/1.
The appaising of the saidis lait trublis 1588 King Cath. Tr. 206/12.
Paule Craw, Seir Valter Mil, and vthers of liate [sic] memorie 1600 Red Bk. Grandtully I. lxxxi.
For his lait seruice done 1600 Crim. Trials II. 232.
Ane lait intendit treasoun be Johnne Erll of Gowrie 1609 Ib. III. 48.
The leatt escheap of the Lord Maxwell furth of our Castell of Edinburgh 1627 Montgomery Mem. 288.
Commander of a Foote Company of the leite Fleete that came from Cales 1649 Lamont Diary 10.
In the tyme of the leatte engagement against Englande c1650 Spalding I. 214.
The acts of the lait assemblie holdin at Glasgow 1666 Glasgow Chart. II. 104.
That Glasgowis interuptiones are bot lait, viz. in the tyme of the Inglishes 1685 Bk. O. Edinb. C. XI. 41.
Suspected guilty of the laite insolensie comitted by some footmen in the owtter houscompar. & superl. 1596 Dalr. I. 5/7.
[The circumference of Britain was] xx hundir thousand pace as Cæsar maid mentione, bot the laitter historiographors affirmes it lesse — 1594 Acts IV. 72/2.
The pleges to be deliuerit in keping to the noble men baronis and gentilmen that hes ressauit grytest and latest harmes of the saidis thevis 1604 9th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ii. 197/2.
Thair is na newis heirway worthe the wreitting thocht the leitest is [etc.]

c. Most recent, latest, last. 1515 Selkirk B. Ct. 42 b.
Wm. Loremer vii s., the lait Mertymes iii s. vi d. 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 233.
Be your leat parliament, Lethingtoun and sindrie vtheris are forefalted a1578 Pitsc. I. 155/31.
Margret … vent to Ingland … trovand to have … beine revengit on Edwart the lait king hir enemye 1645 Red Bk. Grandtully I. xcii.
According to my leat varrant to exact four hundreth merkis for yowr hors as deffisient 1657 Maxwell Mem. II. 290.
Sir George Maxuall, the leait bayare of those landes

4. Recently deceased. 1498 Halyb. 144.
Fynans … awand to the lyit John Fressall 1560–1 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 189/1.
Hir hienes moder, the lait quene regent 1562-3 Winȝet I. 7/27.
Ȝe nobilis specialie, and ȝouris lait progenitours, … hes destroyit the trew religioun 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 80.
Our Soveranis laitt husband 1649 Lamont Diary 2.
He euer had beine loyall to the leate king 1665 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 50.
Auchinmutie, doer for the lait bischops bairnes

5. O late, of late, of the late, of late, recently, lately. (Cf. of (the) ald, of new.)(1) 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Trewis war tane & sworne o late 1416 Red Bk. Menteith I. 285.
And now o late we wrot to ȝhow(2) c1475 Wall. v. 757.
Sen I off laitt now come owt off the west c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiv. 46.
Sa mony jugeis and lordis now maid [v.r. maid now] of lait 1513 Doug. xi. xi. 14.
This luf … is nocht cummyn of new, Nor ȝit of lait in Dyanys brest vpgrew 1514 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 147.
He had brokin the priuiliegis of the burghe … specialie now of lait in the bying of certane schippis 1567 G. Ball. 206.
Of lait I saw thir lymmaris stand [etc.] 1604 9th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ii. 197/2.
Sua that their is a greit mischeif of leit begun betux thame c1650 Spalding I. 215.
Notwithstanding the many disorderis committed of lait(3) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9016.
Of the lait was new deceissit thair King a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiv. 2.
Sair is the recent murmur and regrat Amang the leges rysin off the lait 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. xxxiv.
Thy grace to, and face to, Is alterd of the lait

b. Of lait, = late, behind time. a1578 Pitsc. II. 235/32.
Thair mynd was to have reskewit the said castell of Brichin bot thai come all of lait