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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.

Latter-, Letter-end, n. Also: lattir-, -yr(e)-, latere-; lettar-, lettir-. [ME. latere ende (13th c.), lattire end, e.m.E. latter end.]

The end or conclusion of anything, esp. of a period of time; the end of a life, one's death, also latter finale end. At (the) latter end, in the end, at (the) last, finally, eventually.(1) c1420 Wynt. vi. 1006.
Quhen he was in hys state heyast, In till hys thowcht ay wald he cast, Efftyr-hend hys statis all How the latere [v.rr. lattyr(e] end suld fall c1508 Ch. & M. Pr. viii a.
Heire begynnis the traitie of Orpheus kyng … and ane othir ballad in the lattir end c1515 Asl. MS. I. 236/14.
Title. Quhill the latter end of Aprile a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 141.
Truble … garris ws luik vnto the latter end Quhen we se nocht in erde ws till allure(b) c 1550 Balcarres P. 316.
Ane writing ... quhilk in the lettar end ... wald that I cum to Glasquho 1657 Balfour Ann. IV. 330.
About the letter end of this same mounthe 1676 Grant Chart. 356.
Anent the horses which wer stollen in the letter end of August(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 950.
To the latter end Of Heleyne the kynges … Consented nere forsooth in one c1475 Wall. iii. 159.
A sayr sailȝe forsuth thar mycht be seyne: Thai traistyt na liff bot the lettir end 1513 Doug. ix. xii. 75.
The last day of the batale that had be, And latter finale end to the … Troianys 1578-9 Reg. Privy C. III. 88.
Approcheing to his lettir end and death(3) a1500 Henr. Fab. 561.
For falset failȝeis ay at the latter end 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 17.
Quhen all wes lost thai se, at lattyr [Sm. lettir] end, With sik wapynnis thai schupe thame to defend