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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Luvit, Lovit, ppl. a. Also: luvid, -yd, lwvit, -yt, -yd, luwyt, -yd; luyt; lovite, -itt(e, -yt, -id, -et(t, -ed(e, -ete, -eit, -at, lowit, -yt, -et, -ed. [ME. loued (Cursor M.), loved (Spenser); f. Luve v.¹ Cf. Lufit (and Lude p.p. and Lute p.p.).] Beloved, dear. (Cf. also Belovit and Wele-luvit.)

1. In general use.(a) c1420 Wynt. v. 3515.
Saynct Jerome Wes hys luwyd famyliare Ib. vii. 2034. 1513 Doug. vi. vi. 40 (Sm.).
His luvit [R. louit] fadir 1533 Boece ii. xi. 79 b.
Thare wyiffis … to the tratouris thai offerit thare persons in vane for salfte of thare luvit husbandis(b) a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 39.
My maste swet & lowit thing [sc. her husband] c1475 Wall. viii. 1639.
O lowit leid 1490 Irland Mir. MS. 306 b.
As the lord anoernys with precius clething his hartlie louit lady 1513 Doug. x. xiii. 46.
I awow … My lovit son Lawsus forto cleith With spulȝe Ib. xiv. 89.
My lovyt foillabsol. a1400 Leg. S. l. 1152.
My dere lowit, cume to me(c) 1533 Thanes of Cawdor 159.
Lyk as I suld do to my luyt and tender freyndis

2. Very common in formal epistolary or, chiefly, official or legal style.Esp. in non-notarial deeds and royal gifts, mandates, warrants, etc. (see Letter n. 7), in various contexts.Qualifying a. the designation of a relative, friend or dependent, or b. a personal name or the designation of an office.When referring to more than one person appar. regularly with the plural ending (cf. the earlier usage of Lufit a. 2); also occas. when referring to a single person.a. sing. (a) 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 50.
Til … our lvuyt cosyn or til his atornayis 1426 Reg. Great S. 11/1.
Til our luwyt chapellayne Sir Wilyeam Myddilmast Ib./2.
Lwvit 1473 Stirlings of Keir 241.
Luwyt(b) 1399 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 43.
To my louit cusing Schir William Dowglas 1457–93 Breadalbane Coll. Mounted Ser.Box 1, No. 11.
Be it kende … vs Colin Erll of Ergill … to haue promittit … to our lovet frende Evyne M^cevel at [etc.] 1458 Exch. R. VI. 391 n.
Lovett 1460 Ib. 590.
Louede, louet 1470 Lennox Mun. 81.
James … King of Scottis till oure louete cousing Johne Lord Dernele … greting 1478 Reg. Morton II. 243.
Louite 1494 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 428.
Be it kend … vs Jhonn … abbot … of Couper [etc.] … till haue set … till oure lowet frend Wilyame of Forbes … oure landis of Murthlie 1500 Coll. Aberd. & B. 317.
For the fauoris we haue to our louite squiare Johnne Chene 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 268/1.
His [the King's] lovat familiar George Dundas 1522–3 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 214.
Oure lovite neighhoures and towne burgesses 1524 (1530) Reg. Great S. 200/2.
Forsamekle as it is cleirlie knawin … that our louit clerk and oratour … has chosin his lovit freind and discipill … to be conmaister with him in to the said skule 1532 Peebles B. Rec. I. 57.
Louit 1538 Misc. Spald. C. II. 189.
Louitt 1543 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 189.
Lowyt 1551 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 182.
To haue sett … to our lovit nychtbour and conburges Maister Robert Chalmer … ane half nettis fyschyng 1580 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxix, 1594 Red. Bk. Grandtully I. lxxx.
Louitplur. 1447 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 196.
Til oure luvidis cosingis Robert lorde of Erskyn [etc.] … and al vtheris our … subditis within the castel of Kildrumy … greting 1545 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 217.
To our louittis cousingis, bailȝeis, counsale and communitie of Abirdene 1563 Reg. Privy C. I. 238.
The Quenis Grace … grantis … to hir lovittis familiar clerkis and counsalerisb. sing. 1473 Red Bk. Menteith II. 300.
To oure louet James of Menteithe and his aeris 1483 Grant Chart. 35.
Lowyt 1503 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 662.
To ansuere at the instance of our louit Mongo Home 1518 Glenartney Doc.
James … to our lovit Johnne Drummond of Innerpeffre 1542 Annandale Corr. 3. 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 150.
Makand … hir louitt Francis Tennent prouest of Edinburgh hir iustice in that parte 1553 Reg. Privy S. IV. 318/1.
Be oure lovit Johne Faw, lord and erle of Litill Egept 1557 Ib. V. i. 34/2.
We … understanding that oure lovitt Maister David Rollok … is oftymes vexit with the gravell [etc.] 1573 Reg. Privy C. II. 269.
Lovitt 1581 Acts III. 240/2.
Louite 1583 Reg. Morton I. 141.
Lowit 1668 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. IIII. 99. 1677 Irvine Deeds 3 Aug.
For certan … good deeds … done to me he my lovitt William Francis wryter in Irvineplur. 1455 Melville Chart. 39.
Till our lowedis Jamys of Auchlek [etc.] … gretyng 1495 Reg. Paisley 404.
Lovittis 1500 Acta Conc. II. 473.
Be it kend … me … til haf made … richt honorable men and our lovittis Robert Erskin our son … , Schir Alexander Setoun [etc.] … our procuratouris 1503 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 662.
Louitis 1508 Reg. Cupar A. I. 273, 1542 Ib. II. 18, 20, etc.
Louittis 1514 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 145.
The … counsall … oblissand thame … till thair louittis Maister Adame Otterburne [etc.] 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 174; 1527 Bk. Dunvegan I. 68.
James … to our louittis Alexander Caremaig messingere our schireffis in that part … greting 1535 Thanes of Cawdor 163.
Lowittis 1540 Treas. Acc. VII. 362. 1546 Stirling Chart. 199.
To my louittis Waltere Cosland … and Jonet Alschindir his spous … all and haill my land [etc.] 1561 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 281.
Maister Johane Wynram superintendent … to my lowyttis minister readar of Crayll or ony othir 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xlviii.
Marie … to our louittis Lyoun King of armes and his brethir herauldis and to our louittis messingeris our shereffis in that part 1585 Reg. Morton I. 145. 1610–11 Peterkin Orkn. & Zetl. App. 78.
Louittes 1624 Justiciary Cases I. 17, 1631 Ib. 151.
Louittis 1637 Sc. Prayer Bk. Proclam., 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 126 (24 Feb.).
Lovits 1677 Irvine Deeds 13 Nov.
To my loveitis Johne Lowrimer … and ilk ane of yow conjunctlie and severallie 1686 Dunkeld Presb. I. 230.
Wee … Lord Bishop of Dunkeld to our lovits Mr John Fyfe [etc.] … greeting

c. absol., quasi-noun. (Appar. only in plur.). 1459 Ayr Chart. 31; 1460 Ib. 34.
Til our lovidis the alderman [etc.] 1471 Ib. 36.
Lovittis 1509–10 Peebles B. Rec. I. 42, 1518 Ib. 46. 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 274.
Be our louittis the wyf harnis kyn & frendis of wmquhill Alexander Eleston 1542 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale App. iv.
To our lovitts 1566–7 Reg. Privy C. I. 497.
Hir Hienes … hes constitute and namyt hir lovittis underwrittin … to quhome [etc.] 1604 Stewart Mem. 109.
Too louittis oure shireffis in that pairt … greting 1622-6 Bisset II. 58/28.
The summonis … to be direct to our lovittis with ane blank in the lettir to put in the executouris names 1638 Aboyne Rec. 285.
Attour to our lovites and ilk ane of thame … our baillies … greiting 1668 Glasg. Chart. II. 140.
They … constitute their lovites [blank] and ilk one of them … their bayllies