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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.

Lufe, Luif(e, n.¹ Also: luf, luff(e, lwfe, lwff; luiff(e, lwif(e, lwiff, luyf; louf, lowff, lowif; leuf(f; lof(e, loif(f. [ME. luf(e (Layamon, but latterly chiefly north. and north midl.), luffe (15th c.), (north.) lofe (15th c.), OE. lufu fem. Cf. also Lo and Luve.]

1. Love, as a state of feeling or disposition, in various usual applications.Const. in, of, to (till, unto), towards the object of love, or objective genitive.a. Affection, warm regard, friendship, loving approval, loyal attachment; loving concord, mutual goodwill; fondness, liking. See also Amité, Graciosité, Kindnes n. (3 and 4 b), Kinrent, Laute(e n. (1 and 1 b), Liking vbl. n. (1, 1 b and 4), Aw n.¹, Dredour n. 2 (c), and other synonyms and antonyms, and Bere v. 4 b, for further examples. See also Self-lufe.b. In the religious use: The love of God for humanity; a person's love of or devotion to God, Christ, a saint etc.c. Love between the sexes: romantic, conjugal or sexual love; also, an instance of this, a love affair. Freq. personified or identified with the god or goddess of love: see also luffis lace, Lace n. 1 (2) and Lace v. 1 c, lufis lair, Lare n. 1 c and 3 (3), luffis law, Law n.¹ 3 c, and Leit v.² Common in proverbs and proverbial sayings. Also attrib., and see also Lufe-ballet, -blenk, -drink, -drowry etc.d. Love of possessions, cupidity.a. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 166.
Sike lufe til hyre [Magdalene] had Jhesu swet Ib. xxi. 576. c1420 Wynt. v. 1360.
[To] regne and reule thaire reawte Wytht luffe and lauche and leawte 1456 Hay I. 77/4, 6.
Men seis Oft tymes that syndry citeis had had grete lufe togeder … anerly of lufe naturale Ib. 225/13.
Thare is nane sa grete lufe in this warld as is the lufe of the fader to the sone Ib. II. 91/18. c1460 Consail Vys Man 102.
Gyf euir thow thinkis to wyne his luf a1500 Rauf C. 857. a1500 Seven S. 1376.
Off it [this tree] my lord has biddin me haf Speciale luf 1513 Doug. vi. xiv. 39.
The feruent lufe [E. luif] of his kynd natyve land 1551 Hamilton Cat. 73. a1578 Pitsc. II. 141/21. 1581 Prot. Bk. J. Robertsone 9 b.
Sic notable … contrareity as hade bene … betuix him and … his spous quhair throw thay culd nocht remane in sober luff and cherety 1586 Jurid. Rev. (1926) XXXVIII. 313.
To keip mwtuall lufe secrecie and kyndenes with him … as our lufing freyendis 1604 Acts IV. 262/1.
They haue gevin ws pruif of thair luffe(b) 1533 Gau 20/18.
The lwiff that man hes to hyme selff Ib. 86/16.
Giff vs ane broderlie lwiff to oder 1561 Cal. Sc. P. I. 582.
[To] augment the freindship and luif which must spring of the lyklyhode of these two princesses a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xviii. 36.
So that our heid and leigis do confidder In peax and luif for to remane togidder Id. Ib. xxi. 27.
With luif thai did thair tennentis treit 1610 Rep. Southesk MSS. 14.
Sum qualite … to kendell my hart with luiff(c) c 1515 Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I. xxvii.
[Henry VIII] is the … moost dred with lowff of his … sugettis off eny prince(d) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 731.
Law warnis and lofe forbedis That ony child [etc.] Ib. xxvii. 1528.
Ferme in … cheryte & nethbour lof c1460 Regim. Princ. 18 (M).
Thy lof [v.r. lufe] suld gar thy liegis laulie leif(e) 1613 Grant Chart 211.
For intertineing of peace, … loiff and frenschip(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 5087.
‘Gude freind, for lufe of me, Len me that bow’ 1513 Doug. iii. v. 139.
Gret fest … wes maid for luf of ws 1558-66 Knox I. 289.
To absteane for my luif fra persuyt 1563 Melville Chart. 108.
For the lowif and fawour he beris to … his brother 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 24.
Not for luif thai beir to it [papistrie] a1578 Pitsc. I. 265/5.
The King of Scottis … invaidand his realme for lufe of France — 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI. 125.
Upoun luif quhilk thay beir to thair towneb. (1) a1400 Leg. S. iii. 670.
[H]ewynly luf hafand in thé [the Cross] Ib. xvi. 793. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 23/2.
Sen the synnare be his syn tynis the luf and amite of God a1500 Bernardus 303.
It is a gyft of … God abufe Sende … in to that man for luffe a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 782.
My syn and thi gret lufe a1578 Pitsc. I. 328/25.
All constante luf in God(b) 1533 Gau 20/23.
The commandis of God ar na oder thing bot lwiff 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3458.
That speciall luife ingent God had to man 1582 St. A. Kirk S. 477.
Thai ar all … in the luif and feir of God reconcelit togidder(2) a1400 Leg. S. iv. 206.
That fore the luf of God of hewyn … he wald hym heile Ib. v. 594.
That quha-se-euire vald almus crafe For luf of Sancte Johne suld hafe c 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 51.
We beselke … the Kyng for the lufe of Gode that … he walde kepe us … unwrangyt c1450 Cr. Deyng 254.
The sek man suld ask mercy … of the synis done agane the lufe … of God, and erar for the luf of God, than for dreid of ony payne a1500 Henr. Fab. 2777.
Help ower … For Goddis lufe a1500 Rauf C. 45.
Schir, tell me thy richt name, for the rude lufe a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 819.
Mak that course cruel, for Crystis lufe of hevin a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1070.
For luf of Jhesu devoid thé of thi wyce a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. lxx. 16.
O mankynd, for the luif of thé c 1580 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ix. 29.
Besekand you for the lwff of Allmychty God to … exsepe thes our sempell offarc. (1) 1375 Barb. ii. 520.
For luff is off sa mekill mycht That it all paynys makis lych a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 123.
Sa increly [her] lufit he, That he ne mocht hir luf for-ga Ib. xxxvii. 13. 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 383.
Euiry wy that are of luffe wes trew a1500 Henr. III. 147/39. c1475 Wall. vi. 19.
Be luffis cas, he thoucht [for] to persew In Laynryk toune 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 323 b.
Sic blind and daft luf that Paris and Elena had to gidder c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 463.
I wylis haif in luf Id. lxxxvii. 28.
O ȝing and tendir flour That with thi luff has all this regioun firit c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 110.
Sone remeid of lufe he gat 15.. Christis K. 24 (B).
Scho of lufe wes sillie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6960.
Ane bill of lufe to him scho leit doun fall Ib. 8003.
In lufis labour quhen euer that ȝe inlaik a1568 Scott xxxiv. 58.
Ȝit thair is lesum lufe That lawchfully suld lest 1567 Inv. Q. Mary lvii. n. 4.
Margaret Carwood quha wes preuie and ane helper of all thair lufe 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 43.
The King … lichtly beleuing hir be excesse of lufe 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 54.
Unitit … in spousale lufe and perfyte cheritie a1578 Pitsc. I. 362/30.
The ardant luffe that this gentillwoman buire to the King of Scottland(b) 1535 Stewart 26197.
And luiffis dart thirlit his hart so soir a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxx. 122.
I do ȝow trew luif hecht 1568 Haddington Corr. II. 271.
Judgeit with inordinat luiff a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 86.
Thir gay gallandis … Thair luif tareis bot for ane nicht or tway c1590 J. Stewart 92/458.
The lord of luife quho birns me all in fyre(c) c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix. 48.
Seik no louf of mee(d) c1600 Montg. Suppl. v. 16.
In spaitt of thé … Fra leuff I sell leif ever fre(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 7965.
He halely in lufe is laucht 1513 Doug. iii. v. 96.
Orestes … In lufe hait byrning for his spows byreft(3) 1375 Barb. ii. 515.
Ilkane for luff off thar husband 1492 Myll Spect. 291/3.
This lady schew vnto him how hyr lord deit for hyr luf a1568 Scott ii. 54.
To fecht with baith thair facis bair For lufe as is the gyis Id. vi. 27.
A leddy … for luf to tak Ane propir page a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xvi. 18.
For luif of ȝow ȝoung lustie ladyis gay(4) proverbs. a1500 Henr. Fab. 504.
The prouerb sayis, Als gude lufe cummis as gais 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1726. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8895.
Thay say lufe hes na lak a1568 Scott xxxiv. 66 (M).
Leill luif ay forloirn is 1567 Sat. P. iv. 28.
Hir licherous luife, quhilk kindlit ouer hait c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii. 26.
Sen luiffe is blind(5) attrib. a1500 Seven S. 137.
The empriour kist ye gay ladye And bad hir ask ane luf askingd. a1500 Colk. Sow I. 481.
For loif of pennyis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 10.
For lufe of rewardis a1578 Pitsc. I. 198/12.
Sum murdrest … for luiffe of this riche croun 1604 Crim. Trials II. 436.
Only for leuf of geir

e. Liking or desire to do something. a1500 Bk. Chess 1578.
Awarice … is luf inordinate To gadder gold or gudis 1533 Gau 5/30.
That we ma haif lwiff to reid and pray it [the Lord's Prayer]

2. A beloved person, a loved one, espec. a sweetheart. (Said of both men and women.)Often used as a term of endearing address. See also Lemman n. 1.(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 349.
Knychtis for thar luffs sak … wep a1400 Leg. S. l. 1118. c1460 Thewis Gud Women 156, 8.
The fyrst luf ay be lowyt best, That sche of luf have neuir repruf To do wnlawte to hir lufe [MS. lufee] a1500 Henr. Orph. 82.
Welcome, lord and luf, schir Orpheus 1490 Irland Mir. I. 135/18, 153/15. 1492 Myll Spect. 278/3.
Quha distroyeit Samsone … bot Dallyda his luf? 1549 Compl. 65/6. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2356.
Sum prayit to Uenus … That thay thare luffis mycht obtene a1568 Scott xv. 24.
Sweit maistres, lady luffe a1568 Bann. MS. 227 b/21.
Sen my gud luf was gone a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxx. 48.
My lufe he luifis ane vther lufe(b) a1570-86 Kennedy Maitl. F. cxvii. 1.
Leiff luif, my luif c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiv. 8.
Haue mercie, luif a1540 Freiris Berw. 186 (M).
How sche clippit him bayth hart and luif a1568 Bann. MS. 228 b/65.
This haif I cled my luif rycht weill a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 73.
Hairt and sueit luiff and onlie maistres myne Ib. lxvi. 112.
I will nather haue seruitour nor luif(c) a1568 Scott v. 50.
To kiss his loif on Buchone wyis

b. An illicit lover, a paramour. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 120.
I dar nought luk to my luf for that lene gib 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3448.
My wife … on hir lufe lyand in harlatrie Ib. 4147.
Kirkmen bene mair kinde to thair lufis Than vtheris ar a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1165.
Mak a licht luf of your awin sweir ers

3. ? Mourning-crape. = Luve n. 3. 1613 Edinb. Test. XLVII. 359.
Tua elnis callit luf at aucht s. the elne