Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LAIF, n. Also laiff, lafe, †leaf. Dim. †laif( f )ie (Abd.). Pl. laifs; la(i)ves (Fif.); †leaves (Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 40). Sc. forms of Eng. loaf (Per., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; e., wm. and s.Sc. 1960). See P.L.D. § 32. [lef]Ags. 1700 A. J. Warden Burgh Laws Dundee (1872) 354:
All laves made and to be made for the wellfare of the said [baxter] trade.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 229:
Keep as mickle of your Scots Tongue as will buy your dog a Leaf.Abd. 1781 W. Edwards Poems (1810) 56:
Wi' laives o' diff'rent shape, an' weight.Kcb. 1817 W. Caesar Poems 11:
Thae fine laifs the gentry eat.wm.Sc. 1835 Laird of Logan 169:
Tak' a bit laif to your egg, man.Lnk. 1890 H. Muir Rutherglen 94:
A' thir laifs new aff the reel.Rxb. 1921 Hawick Express (27 May) 3:
Th' breid in Glesca bein' reduced a ha'penny th' quarter laif.

Phr. and comb.: 1. a broken laif, used fig. of a woman who has lost her virginity; 2. laif-breid, flour-bread, baked as loaves, as distinct from breid alone = oatcakes. See Breid, n., 2. There is a sim. distinction in Eng. dial.1. Edb. 1801 J. Thomson Poems 44:
A' ken foul water slockens fire: And some will be so great a knave, As wish he had a slice or shave Aff what they ca' the broken laif.2. Lnk. 1822 Clydesdale Wedding (Chapbk.) 1:
Whar there's nought but leaf bread and some butter.Per. 1835 J. Monteath Dunblane Trad. (1887) 96:
Her “leaf-bread, eggs, and butter.”Lnk. 1880 Clydesdale Readings 189:
Ait meal bannocks, laif-bread, barley scones.Peb. 1899 J. Grosart Chronicles 19:
The extravagant woman! A weaver's wife drinking tea! And had lafe bread till't.