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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1590
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Lof(e, Loif(f, v. Also: loff-, loife, loyf(f; louf, lowff and Luf(e. [ME. lofenn (Orm); variant of Love v.]
tr. To praise, extol, glorify, honour. = Love v. 1.Also, to commend (a medical specific).See Lak v. 3 for further examples.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints iii. 469.
I sall ger men thé crucify One the croice thu lofis sa a1400 Ib. xx. 184.
Quhene he schaw he wald nocht Lof his godis a1400 Ib. xxxvi. 475, 6.
Na man may Lofinge inuch of Sancte Johnne say, Quham Criste hyme-self lofit had, & to be lofit sa worthy made a1400 Ib. l. 167.
Catone … Forbad his sowne … To law hyme-self or lof gretly a1400 Ib. ii. 393, v. 352, xiii2. 145, etc. ?1438 Alex. ii. 6972.
Thay suld be Menskit and lofit wele the mare c1420 Wynt. vii. 234.
Loffit 1424 Cambuskenneth Let. to Jas. I (Reg. H.).
Of the quhilk we ar richt heli … reiosit lofand God and continuali praiand tharfor 1456 Hay II. 82/13. 1456 Ib. 100/20.
Than sall his subjectis ufe him and lofe him, honoure him [etc.] c1460 Consail Vys Man 405.
Gar thi gud deid lof thi persone a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1145.
Ledis lofit thair lord, lufly of lyere 1490 Irland Mir. I. 89/20. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 506.
Lowd thai lewch all the laif and loffit [M. lovit] hir mekle 1551 Hamilton Catechism 65.
I will lofe and call on the Lord c1450-2 Howlat 755 (B).
All thus our ladye thaj lofe(b) (c 1580) Alex. i. 567.
For pure men sa vnwourthy is Vneis that ony will thame pryse Or loif (c 1580) Ib. ii. 2455.
For thy of thame I loif me mare a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 127 (Asl.). 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 180. c1500 Fyve Bestes 268.
Now God I loif this day has send ws this 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 421.
Virgill dyd diligens … Eneas for to loif and magnyfy 1513 Ib. xiii. viii. 17.
Extoll and loif thai can The gret apperans of gud in sik a man 1531 Bell. Boece II. 471.
Mony noblis of Ingland wer present … ; nocht ceissing … to loif maist thameself1531 Bell. Boece II. 481.1531 Bell. Boece (M) II. 141. 1533 Id. Livy I. 141/3.
Valerius … began to loif the grete felicite of Brutus his colleig 1533 Ib. II. 34/3. 1533 Boece vi. xii. 210 b. ?a1500 Remembrance of the Passion 294.
O Lord Jesu, … Grant me in word and deid to loife thé 1551 Hamilton Catechism 13.
That the special faith suld be loiffit and … luffit for mony excellent operations … in christin men and wemen 1570 Satirical Poems x. 247.
All burghs and commounis, halelie did thai loif him, Bot sindrie said, that thay wald haif nane of him a1585 Montg. Maitland Quarto MS lxiv. i. a1605 Id. Devot. P. iv. 46.
Luiffaris leif of to loif so hie Ȝour ladyes c1580-90 Rules of Health (Moray Mun.).
Quhairfore I prayse and loifis greitlie the use of cassia(c) 1533 Gau 68/4.
Thay quhilk ar slane sal … vaik wp and lowff God(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 7630.
Ȝit am I lofe God haill and feir c1420 Wynt. v. 3889 (C).
Bot lof God … This is bot hailsum medicyne For the wodnes of my syn(3) absol. c1420 Ratis Raving 489.
The fyrst [virtue] … is traist … In God, … To louf and lufe and dout, al thre a1500 Henr. Fab. 596.
Flatteraris … To loif and le that settis thair haill delite a1500 Bernardus 51.
Gef ane loffys, ane othir discomendys
b. To lofe (gerundial infin. used as adj. phrase), = to praise, honour, etc.; praiseworthy, admirable.See Lak v. 3 d for further examples. ?1438 Alex. i. 1070.
A! gentill duke of pris, Abone all knichtis to loif [F. a proisier] thow is
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"Lof v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 24 Apr 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/lofe_v>
