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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.

Likand, Lykand, ppl. a. Also: lyken and Liking. [ME. (a 1350) and e.m.E. lik-, lyking, f. Like v.]

1. Pleasing, agreeable, acceptable; attractive, pleasant, pleasurable; desirable, needful (food, sleep etc.); favourable (wind). Also likand to se.a. predic. Const. to, till (a person etc.), also in impersonal const., and absol.(1) 1375 Barb. i. 9.
And suth thyngis that ar likand Tyll mannys heryng ar plesand 1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 20.
He ys alsa mast lykand to the men of the land c1420 Wynt. ii. 378.
Full powere To do that lykand tyll hym were Ib. vii. 2920.
Then chesyd thai Dawy off Barname … That to the Pape wes welle lykand 1440 Cop. St. A. 201.
That the said Androis wif, or ane of his sonnys mast likand till him, joyis the tak 1513 Doug. v. i. 50.
Thar is na land mair lykand to myne entent Nor quhar me lyst sa weil(2) 1375 Barb. xx. 216.
And sen ȝhe all assentit er, It is the mar likand till me 1399 Holyrood Chart. 113.
It sall be Iikand to the said Davy … that the said religious men … jois freli the said fife mark c1420 Wynt. ii. 74.
Thai sulde in all be als fre As it mycht lykand to thame be Ib. viii. 5196.
And it likand ware yhow till(3) c1420 Wynt. viii. Prol. 26.
Sen schort thyng is mare pleyssande, And to be herde is mare likande ?1438 Alex. i. 1894.
For the wordis richt lykand weir a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 241.
The land wes likand in large and lufsum to call a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 175 (Harl.).
Sic scaffing may be callit mydding corne: Luke lele gifit be lykand and lestie

b. attrib. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 208.
A likand wynd thame sett to land c1420 Wynt. i. 1604.
Best and byrd and fysch … Had at thaire chos all lykand fwde c1475 Wall. vi. 95.
Him thow our threw out off his likand rest Ib. xi. 70.
Wallace … held about rycht likand landis braid a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 373.
Ladys likand to se a1500 Henr. III. 146/1.
Forcy as deith is likand lufe a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 35 (Asl.).
Thy likand lustis lestis bot a thraw c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 29.
A ryuir ran … So lustily agayn thai lykand lemys 1513 Doug. iv. xii. 15.
O sweit habyte and lykand bed, quod sche

c. In Orkney. Of a cow paid as part of the price of land: ? Of acceptable or satisfactory condition or quality, in good shape, healthy, sound. 1542 Orkn. & Sh. Rec. 76.
Ve … haue sellit … the land … to owre bruder germen … extenden to the said Merrene part, ane lyken cow vyth ane gillat [etc.] … and to the said Cristene part, ane lyken cow and xvj scill. of syluer [etc.] 1573–4 Rec. Earld. Orkney 290.
[I] grantis me to have ressavit … ane lykand cow with calff, and ane kirtill … in compleit payment … of my sister pairt of land and lous gudis

2. Of a person: In an (unhappy etc.) mood, (ill) content, (dis-.)pleased. See Like v.¹ 2 a (7) and Liking vbl. n. 1 c. a1500 Rauf C. 40.
Euill lykand was the King it nichtit him sa lait And he na harberie had a1500 Bk. Chess 1892.
Denys the king … Richt sad of cheir & hevy was lykand