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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LANG, adj., adv., n., v. Gen.Sc. form and usages of Eng. long. Compar. langer, langir, Superl. langest. Hence langish; langwayes, -wise, lang-end-wise (Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 175), langrodds, lengthwise (Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xx., Abd. 1975). See Read, n., 5. (4). [lɑŋ]

Sc. forms:Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 27:
The langest day's been and the nichts come doon
mair quickly noo. Ay, the dairk's back,
there's foost on the blast.wm.Sc. 1989 Liz Lochhead Mary Queen of Scots got Her Head Chopped Off 33:
Wi' yir lang hair lik' a flag in the wind an advertisement o' lust tae honest men ... Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 18:
Ye're a dumb breet, nae wirds hiv ye,
Yet aa the joys by Man e'er pree'd
Yer tongue can tell; na, ye've nae need
To spiel a lang langamachie.Sc. 2001 Sunday Herald 19 Aug 10/4:
Politically they are lang Scots miles apart.

Sc. usages:

I. adj. 1. As in Eng. Sc. combs. with ppl.adj.: (1) lang-chafted, -chaffed, long- or lantern-jawed (ne.Sc., Ags. 1960). See Chaft; (2) lang-craiget, see 6. (12) below; (3) lang-drachtit, -draughted, scheming, cunning. See Draucht, v., 4.; (4) lang-eed, sharp-eyed, quick to observe; (5) lang-gabbit, loquacious, chattering; prolix, tedious, boring (Lnk. 1960). See Gab, v., 3.; (6) lang-heidit, of boots: long-legged; (7) lang-kent, known for long, familiar (I. and n.Sc., Ags., Fif., Lth., Ayr., Dmf. 1960); (8) lang-leaft, of a book: with long pages; (9) lang-leggit, having long legs. Hence lang-leggit taylor, the daddy-long-legs (Sc. 1800 Farmer's Mag. 406; Rxb. 1825 Jam., s.v. Jenny-spinner). See Tailyer; (10) lang-luggit, see 6. (36); (11) lang-nebbit, -nibbit, -neebit, -naibbed, having a long Neb, nose, beak, proboscis, or the like, lit. (Gen.Sc.) and in various fig. senses: (a) of long, tapering or pointed objects (Ork., ne.Sc., Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr., Dmf. 1960); (b) of persons: having a gnome-like or supernatural appearance, elfin (Uls. 1905 Uls. Jnl. Archæol. 124; Ork. 1960); (c) acute in understanding (Per., Fif. 1825 Jam.), sharp, astute, having an eye to one's own advantage or gain (Ayr. 1910; Ags., Fif., wm.Sc., Rxb. 1960); (d) prying, inquisitive, critical (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh., Abd., em.Sc.(a), Ayr., Dmf., s.Sc. 1960); (e) of words: long, polysyllabic, sesquipedalian, hence ostentatiously learned, pedantic (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc.; (12) lang-shankit, having long shanks, long-legged (Uls. 1953 Traynor; ne. and em.Sc.(a), Lth., Ayr., sm.Sc., Rxb. 1960); having a long shank or handle (ne.Sc. 1960); (13) lang-taed, see Tae, n.; (14) lang-tailed, fig. in phr. long-tailed whistle, the spreading of gossip; (15) long-teethed, ? 'long in the tooth', long-established, of old family; aged (Abd., Ags. 1975); (16)lang-wint, long-winded, wordy (ne.Sc. 1960); (17) lang-wist, long-wished-for. See Wiss; (18) lang-wund, long-wound, involved, prolix (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Sh., Gall. 1960). See Wind, v.(1) Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 249:
No ken the Soor-milks? The Yeomanry, to be sure, wi' the hairy-heel'd, long-chafted naigs.Fif. 1853 J. Pringle Poems 199:
The lang chaftit saunt Forgets his dull cant.Gsw. 1884 H. Johnston Martha Spreull 88:
He wis a thin, gaunt, lang-chaffed man, wha said little, and minded his ain plate.(3) Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce III. ix.:
Ye are a lang-draughted loonie, Francie. — But keep a' this in your ain heart till we meet again.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller 207:
Forrester must be a very clever, clear-headed, long-draughted person.Per. c.1890 D. M. Forrester Logiealmond (1944) 5:
Men and women who were “true, leal, and aefauld”, had no “brew” of people described as “loopy, lang-drachtit, and far-socht”!(4) Ayr. 1883 W. Aitken Lays 43:
Lang-eed Aundry comes aboot, and nane's sae smairt as hide frae him.(5) Sc. 1842 D. Vedder Poems (1878) 59:
The lang-gabbit Tailor's as mute as a maukin.(6)Abd. 1925 D. Scott Hum. Sketches 83:
A curn lassies wi' lang-heidit beets, wirkin amon' fish.(7) Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 43:
An' faur hae ye freens like the lang-kent freens?(8) Abd. 1844 W. Thom Rhymes 40:
Syne clew his elbow an' leuch to mark The lang-leaft buik brocht doun.(11) Sc. 1823 Lockhart Reg. Dalton ii. iii.:
Here's snipes, I see, and they'll do weel eneugh at a pinch, for langnebbit waterfowl's nae flesh meat, I trow.Ags. 1857 A. Douglas Ferryden 26:
Yon lang-nibbet, lingal-tailed hizzy.Sc. 1883 J. Kennedy Poems (1920) 37:
Lang-nebbit, bizzin', bitin' wretches, That fire my skin wi' blobs an' splatches.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Raiders xvii.:
The Herons are but lang-nebbit paddock-dabbers to the Faas.Lth. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow 168:
Blackaviced, lang-nebbit chiels they were, every one of them.Gall. 1928 Gallov. Annual 87:
Yon lang-nebbit yalla-faced skate!(a) Slk. 1823 Blackwood's Mag. (March) 317:
He had a large lang-nebbit staff in his hand.Sc. 1858 Sc. Haggis 122:
Twa or three hours spinnin' aboot a wheen meeserable lang-nebbed bottles, is eneuch to cowp them heels ower craig.Edb. 1869 J. Smith Poems 33:
Willie Craig's lang-nebbit tawse.Abd. 1875 G. Macdonald Malcolm ii.:
Gang oot like a lang-nibbit can'le.Abd. 1906 Banffshire Jnl. (5 June) 3:
He made his wa's aye rael strong ribbit An' likit stanes were gey lang nibbit Tae tak' gweed baun at Drachlaw.(b) Sc. 1816 Scott B. Dwarf ii.:
There's a' sort o' worricows and lang-nebbit things about the land.Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize II. xxii.:
Witches and warlocks, and a' lang-nebbit things.(c) Sc. 1706 Hist. MSS. Comm. Report (Mar and Kellie MSS.) 247:
He had written severall times. but “secretarys are long naibbed things not to be medled with.”Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 177:
Impos'd on by langnebit Juglers, Stock-Jobbers, Brokers, cheating Smuglers.(d) Rxb. 1815 J. Ruickbie Poems 239:
O ye lang-nebbit pryin' race, Who kittle words an' letters trace.Sc. 1955 J. Beith Corbies 122:
There'll be no long-nebbit busy-body speiring where I am the night.(e) Slk. 1818 Hogg Wool-Gatherer (1874) 63:
Let me hear nae mair o' siccan langnebbit fine-spun arguments.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xlvi.:
His words grew, if possible, longer-nebbit and more kittle than before.Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 130:
“The idiosyncrasies — ” “What a lang-nebbit polysyllable!”Rnf. 1870 J. Nicholson Idylls 50:
Ae day a queer word, as lang-nebbit's himsel', He vow'd he would thrash me if I wadna spell.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 87:
He comes wi' his lang-nebbid words in favour o his new-fund faith.Abd. 1887 J. Cowe Jeems Sim 32:
I like tae use lang neebit wirds.Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories 103:
It's a lang-nebbit word, an' I canna twine my tongue roond it richtly.Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 184:
It was beautifu' and edifyin' to hear him caa' his gird, usin' queer-soondin' lang-nebbet words, lyin' like a mill-shillin'.ne.Sc. 1957 Mearns Leader (21 June):
Accordin' tae the Dominie wi' his lang-nebbit wirds.Gsw. 1994 Alasdair Gray A History Maker xv:
A History Maker shows that good states change as inevitably as bad ones, and should be carefully watched. My pedantical lang-nebbed notes at the end try to emphasize that. (12) Sc. 1727 P. Walker Six Saints (1901) I. 329:
The broth was hell-hot in these days; they wanted long-shanked spoons that supped with the devil.Sc. 1823 Scots Mag. (June) 684:
It wasna sae, when the elders gade o'er a' the kirk wi' the lang-shankit ladles.Lth. 1866 J. Smith Merry Bridal 108:
What is't ye're wantin' At this time o' day, ye lang-shankit disgrace?Lnk. 1895 W. C. Fraser Whaups iv.:
A lang-shankit besom will be seen in its hand.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 168:
Anither kin' o' Hill-folks verra lang-shankit too.(14) Dmf. 1822 Scots Mag. (May) 642:
Willie Dandison immediately published the news, by means of a long-tailed whistle.(15)Kcd. 1933 L. G. Gibbon Cloud Howe (1950) 16:
With the long-teethed gentry up and down the Howe.(16) Lnk. 1885 J. Hamilton Poems 55:
Sic lang-wint, lang-nebbit cracks.(17) Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 265:
An' ye may mourn your lang-wist marrow; Ye may at Cairo bleed.(18) Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 2:
He makes nae lang wund stories.

2. Of persons: tall. Gen.Sc. Now only colloq. and obsol. in Eng.Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 503:
But a lang trypal there was snap, Came on him wi' a benn.Ayr. 1788 Burns Jumpin John i.:
The lang lad they ca' Jumpin John.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley xxxv.:
Lang John Mucklewrath the smith.Ags. 1880 J. E. Watt Poet. Sk. 51:
Lang Peter Swankie, o' the East Ferryden.Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sk. and Poems 20:
He's a braw lang sheeld.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 178:
A muckle stour man aboot six foot lang.Abd. 1956 Bulletin (5 Dec.) 4:
Another famous climber, Dr Kellas, saw the Lang Man at a distance on Macdhui — saw him passing a 12-foot cairn, and noted that the Man was as tall as the cairn.

3. Of sums of money, prices, etc.: large in amount, high (Abd. 1960). Colloq. and obsol. in Eng. exc. in phrs. as long odds, etc. Phrs. a lang penny, — siller, a lot of money.Ayr. 1790 Burns There's a Youth iv.:
There's lang-tocher'd Nancy maist fetters his fancy.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poet. Wks. 243:
Farewell to the freaks o' the market, The lang wage and braw gentle house.Dmf. 1830 W. Bennet Traits Sc. Life III. 163:
But a trifle wi' you 's a lang penny wi' me.Ags. 1872 J. Kennedy Jock Craufurt 18:
The tack ran oot, an' then the rent Was raised lang forty-five per cent.Per. 1881 R. Ford Readings 55:
Adored by a lang third o' the young men o' the parish.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 118:
It was a lang siller she wanted for the hoose.Ags. 1893 F. Mackenzie Cruisie Sk. viii.:
It's a lang price for sic a beast.Abd. 1949 Buchan Observer (17 May):
The farmer never grudged a “lang fee”, if he could find ways and means to meet it.

4. Of clothes: reaching far down the leg, specif. of the Lowland coat as opposed to the short Highland jacket.Arg. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XI. 280:
The Highland dress has not made such rapid progress among us, as with our neighbours to the North. We are more clad in the long coat, hat, and breeches, than the inhabitants of any of the Hebrides.

5. With o( f ): slow or tardy (in), dilatory (about). Gen.Sc., o representing Eng. on-, a- with the gerund. See O, and cf. Late, 2.Sc. 1756 Chrons. Atholl & Tullibardine Families III. 423:
The timber teakes so long time of sawing.Sc. 1773 Boswell Tour (1909) 4:
We shall not be long of being at Marischal College.Slk. 1820 Hogg Tibby Johnston's Wraith (1874) 187:
She had been rather lang o' winning away and had muckle ado.Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate viii.:
The light foot of Mordaunt Mertoun was not long of bearing him to Jarlshof.Ayr. 1821 Galt Annals xxvi.:
The dinner was a little longer of being on the table than usual, at which he began to fash.Lth. 1856 M. Oliphant Lilliesleaf xxiv.:
I got a letter from Mary, the which, as I have been so long of mentioning her, I will put in here.Sc. 1896 A. Cheviot Proverbs 237:
Like Royal Charlie, lang o' comin'.

6. Combs.: (1) lang airm, in phr. mak a lang airm, i.e. “stretch out your arm and help yourself”, as an invitation to a guest at table (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen.Sc. Also in colloq. Eng., obsol.; (2) lang ale, lemonade, ginger-beer or other kind of soft drink, so called because sold in taller bottles than the alcoholic variety of ale (ne.Sc. 1900–60); (3) lang-band, a cross-beam or purlin of a roof (Sh. 1960). Also in form langmint (Foula); ‡(4) lang-bed, = Flatchie, q.v. (Sh.⁷ 1935); (5) lang-board, a long table in a farm-house, “at which master and servants were wont to sit at meat” (Lth. 1825 Jam.); (6) lang-bowls, “a game, . . . in which heavy leaden bullets are thrown from the hand. He who flings his bowl farthest, or can reach a given point with fewest throws, is the victor” (Ags. 1825 Jam.). Cf. (7); (7) lang-bullet, id., “an iron bullet, and sometimes a round stone, about which a broad garter is wound [as a sling]” (Sc. 1818 Sawers). Cf. Bullet; (8) lang-cairt, a two-wheeled cart with a long body and sparred sides, used esp. for carrying grain in harvest-time (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; n.Sc., Lth., Ayr., sm.Sc., Uls. 1960); (9) long carriage, a duty formerly exacted from agricultural tenants of carting goods for the landlord. See Carriage; (10) lang chair, -shire, = (48). For -shire, cf. P.L.D. § 92; (11) long corn, fig., the application of the whip (to a horse). Also in Cum. dial.; (12) lang craig, a long neck, used fig. (a) of a long leather purse; (b) of an onion which does not form a proper bulb but runs to stem (Sc. 1825 Jam.); (c) ppl.adj. lang-craiget, long-necked, of a bird (ne.Sc., Wgt. 1960); fig. long, lengthy; (13) lang day, in various phrs.: (a) afore or ere lang days, before long (Uls. 1953 Traynor); (b) the lang day, the Day of Judgment; (c) to tak a lang day, to give long credit on a debt; (14) lang drink (o wa(t)ter), a tall, lanky person (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen.Sc.; (15) lang ee, see Ee, n., 2. (1); (16) long eleventh (of June), the longest day of the year, 22nd June, by Old Style reckoning (Uls. 1886 Patterson Gl.). See June; (17) lang fleuk, see Fleuk, n.¹, 2. (12); (18) lang forties, a fishing-ground in the North Sea about 75 miles east of the Aberdeenshire coast, where the sea is nowhere deeper than 40 fathoms; (19) long game, that part of the game of golf which consists in driving long strokes from the tee along the fairway as opposed to the short game or putting on the greens; (20) lang-gown, a judge, advocate, counsel; (21) lang hat, a top hat (Ags., Ayr., Slk. 1960); (22) lang-heid, a shrewd intelligence; one who has this, a wise or sagacious person (Cld. 1880 Jam.). Gen.Sc. Hence lang-heidit, of great foresight or judgment, discerning, sagacious (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc.; (23) lang-helter, see 1845 quot. Also attrib.; (24) lang hour, twelve o'clock, esp. midnight, being the hour with the largest number of strokes of the clock. Cf. sma hour s.v. Sma; (25) lang ingans, = (29) (ne.Sc. 1900); (26) Lang John, a brand of whisky (Kcb., Uls. 1960); (27) lang-kail, -kell, see Kail, n., 5. (39); (28) lang land, see 1773 quot. Still found in field-names; (29) lang leeks, a variety of leap-frog (see quots. and cf. (25)) (Abd. 1951); (30) lang length, see 7. (1) and Lenth; (31) lang lentern, -lantern, the period of Lent. Arch. See Lentern; (32) lang lie, see Lie, n., 1.; (33) lang lip, a sulky or morose expression, the sulks, a sulky person (Bnff. 1880 Jam.; Bnff., Uls. 1960). Hence lang-lippit, sulky-looking, sour-faced (Id., Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor); (34) lang look, a longing look. Cf. (15); †(35) lang lourie, a name for the great bell of a church (Sc. 1887 Jam. s.v. Lawrence). See Lowrie and cf. (53); (36) lang-lugs, one with long ears, a jocular name for a donkey (Cld. 1880 Jam.; Ags., Kcb., Rxb. 1960), for the hare (Rxb. 1926 Watson W.-B.; Cai. (taboo), Ayr. 1960), for a person given to eavesdropping and picking up gossip (Cld. 1880 Jam.). See also Lug. Hence lang-luggit, -ed, long-eared, lit. and fig., quick of hearing, given to eavesdropping or listening for one's own advantage (Sc. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Fif., Lth., Ayr., Slk. 1960), shrewd, fly, “all there” (Ags., Per., Fif., Lnk. 1960); (37) lang Meg, a variety of apple, the paradise pippin; (38) lang neb, (i) a kind of sea-shell (see quot.); (ii) the curlew (Lnk. 1960); (39) long paper, the papers submitted to the court in a process at law, including e.g. the summons or petition, the defences, condescendences, etc., prob. so called because such papers used to be on quarto or foolscap and are folded longitudinally. The expression is not in official usage; (40) lang reed, see quot.; †(41) lang reel, a reel danced at a fisherman's wedding in ne.Scotland, specif. connected with Collieston in Aberdeenshire; (42) lang rig(g), see Rig; (43) long rood, see quot.; (44) lang run, the life-time of a fishing-boat (see quot.); (45) lang Sandie, the heron, Ardea cinerea (Bnff., Abd. 1960). Also long-legged Sandy (Bnff. 1860 Zoologist XVIII. 6846); (46) lang sands, a long process of litigation, a metaphor appar. taken from a sand-glass as marking time; (47) lang seat, = (48) (Abd. 1825 Jam.); (48) lang-settle, -sad(d)le, a long bench used as a settee in farm kitchens, often with a folding table attached and a set of drawers below (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Dmf. 1960), some being constructed to serve as a bed-settee; (49) lang sheep, one of the Cheviot breed of sheep; (50) langshire, see (10) and cf. P.L.D. § 92; †(51) langspiel, a kind of harp or cithern associated by Scott with Shetland [from Norw. langspel, O.Dan. langspil, id.]; (52) lang stick [′lɑŋstɪk], see quot.; (53) Lang Strang, the name of the bell in Forfar Parish Church steeple. Cf. (35); †(54) lang tedder, the right of a tenant in the run-rig system of agriculture to pasture his animals on the arable land of the community during winter; (55) lang ten, the ten of trumps in the card-game of catch-the-ten, see Catch, I. 2. (7). Also fig. = Eng. trump-card; ¶(56) lang-tholance, -tholing, long-suffering. See Thole; †(57) lang twas, a type of large, long candle made at the rate of two to the pound of wax or tallow; (58) lang-war-day, a period of dearth in March. Cf. (40) and for war see Ware, spring; (59) the Lang Raw, a local name for the village of Eaglesham in Dumfriesshire; (60) the Lang Toun, a nick-name for various towns in Scotland from their configuration, e.g. Auchterarder, but esp. Kirkcaldy. Gen.Sc.; (61) the Lang Whang, see Whang.(2) Bch. 1913 W. Fraser Jeremiah Jobb 11:
We hidna nae fusky, min, jist a bottle o' lang ale atween's.ne.Sc. 1954 Mearns Leader (20 Aug.) 6:
Bottles o' lang ale an' jinsh-breid.(3) Sh. 1898 W. F. Clark North. Gleams 57:
Da byre rüf wisna very strong, an' as he cam' doon ipun hit wi' a boose, da langbands an' ovy gied wy.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 58:
Olie, we'll clift een o' yon eens, he'll mak graand laandbands [sic] fur dy barn ruif, fur he's trooly needin it.(4) Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sk. and Poems 107:
If I wis ta tell o' cairdins, an' lang beds, an' rants, an' sae on, I cud fill a mill-büdie wi' my mannyscrip'.Sh. 1962 New Shetlander No. 63. 26:
Nae weddin ever feenished ithoot da langbed.(5) Ags. 1776 C. Keith Farmer's Ha' 23:
They a' thrang round the lang board now, Whare there is meat for ilka mou'.m.Lth. 1794 G. Robertson Har'st Rig (1801) 42:
A' the langboard now does grane Wi' swacks o' kale!(6) Slg. 1845 Stat. Acc.² VIII. 365:
The colliers play at quoits, and also at long bowls, which consists in hurling a four or six pound shot along the high road.(8) Rxb. 1845 T. Aird Old Bachelor 172:
See the little urchin slily watching the exit of the “lang” cart from the stackyard.Bwk. 1877 Joiner's Acct. Bk. MS. (20 Nov.):
To Reparing long cart with a new cod 9 ft. long a pair of New Shilments and 7 Standerds.s.Sc. 1949 Scotsman (7 May):
3 Long Carts; Long Cart Body; 7 Cart Frames.(9) Rnf. 1735 in Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) L. 26:
Few dewtie 10/10 as ancient ffew Dewtie with 2/4 augmentation, and six pennies of Boon-silver — extending to 13/8, together with nyne Poultrie, and half a long carriage.e.Lth. 1794 G. B. Hepburn Agric. e.Lth. 56:
For feeding their horses when employed in what we call long carriages; that is, laying in, during the summer, a stock of coals for themselves and their landlords, for the winter.Bnff. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XIII. 398:
Long carriages, as they are termed, that is, carriages to a specified distance from the proprietor's house, are sometimes exacted.(10) Gall. 1822 R. Trotter Lowran Castle 88:
An old woman on a lang chair of black oak, supping milk porridge from a wooden dish, called a timmer goan in those days.Kcb. 1897 T. Murray Frae the Heather 34:
In spite o' trade, his hough maun bow To bink, or stool, or lang-chair, O.Rxb. 1916 Kelso Chron. (12 May) 2:
Gordon . . . has long been famed for its ruined castle, its moss, its “langshires,” and its “gowks.”(11) Rnf. 1927 J. Millar Scotland Yet 98:
'Twad saved him [pony] just twa nasty braes, Besides his hurdies and his taes, And some “long corn,” and ither waes.(12) (a) Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 35:
Wi' what a waefu' frown, He drew lang craig, and tauld the scushy down.(b) Ags. 1830 A. Balfour Weeds and Wildflowers 127:
The very ingans are naething but a parcel o' lang-craigs.Ags. 1857 A. Douglas Hist. Ferryden 81:
One season his crop of onions turned out “lang-craigs,” instead of genuine bulbs.(c) Ags. 1823 A. Balfour Foundling I. v.:
You'll need to rise soon — it will gi'e you a lang craiget mornin'.Sc. 1880 Jam.:
The lang-craigit heron.(13) (a) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 138:
I'm i' your debt for your gueed cruds and ream, An' ere lang days I hope to pay you hame.(b) Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 71:
Between you and the long Day be it. An Appeal to the Day of Judgment.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxv.:
What you are, Maister Rashleigh . . . is between your ain heart and the lang day.Abd. 1917 Hamespun Rhymes 14:
Weel — Bawbee made sillar — some hunners at least And frugally stored it against the lang day.(c) Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xi.:
If you could lend the money, sir, and take a lang day — I ken nae other help on earth.(14) Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid xvi.:
Stair had grown up into a great lang drink, and would fankled . . . if he fell.(16) Ayr. 1920 Sc. Home and Country (Feb. 1960) 50:
The longest day instead of being the twenty-second of June was to her “the long eleventh”.(18) Sc. 1772 T. Pennant Tour II. 145:
Quantities of white-fish . . . might be taken on the great sandbanks off this coast. The long Fortys extend parallel to it.e.Sc. 1845 Stat. Acc.² XI. 197:
The [sea] bottom . . . sinks to ninety fathoms, at the distance of ten or eleven leagues from land; then it ascends on the fishing bank, called the Long Forties, to 33, 34 and 35 fathoms, a few leagues over, until it falls into the depth of the North Sea.Abd. 1891 Trans. Bch. Field Club II. 38:
About forty miles off the coast of Aberdeenshire there is a bank called the Long Forties, on which are found dead shells of a kind that are found alive only in shallow water.(19) Fif. 1897 R. Forgan Golfer's Manual 30:
We have dwelt thus at length on the long game, because, as we have already said, “far and sure” driving is most difficult of attainment, but most delightful and enviable when attained.(20) Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xii.:
Ye . . . cast in your portion wi' the lang-heads and lang-gowns, and keep with the smart witty-pated lawyers.(21) Slk. 1899 C. M. Thomson Drummeldale 3:
A white dickey, a blue silk necktie, and — a lang hat!(22) Sc. 1815 Mme. D'Arblay Diary (1876) IV. 301:
A woman that the Scotch would call long-headed; she was sagacious, penetrating, and gifted with strong humour.Sc. 1823 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 547:
Andrew Miller, wha was anes reckoned among the langest-headed men in the parish, his advice sought by rich and poor round about.wm.Sc. 1827 T. Hamilton Cyril Thornton (1848) xiii.:
It's weel ken't, Mr Spreull, that there's no' a langer head in the toon o' Glasgow than yer ain.Rxb. 1833 A. Hall Sc. Borderer (1874) 13:
John Mein . . . was what in that district was termed a lang-headed man, and wealth and comfort were visible in his whole establishment.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb ii.:
Aye, aye, the fader o' 'im was a lang-heidit schaimin' carle, an' weel fells the sin for that.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xvi.:
Eh, Shaws, ye're a lang-heided chield.Uls. 1908 A. M'Ilroy Burnside 45:
The villagers hit the mark when they set Andy down as a “lang-heided one,” which was their way of stigmatising drollery.m.Sc. 1933 J. Ressich Thir Braw Days 32:
He maun hae made a fair fortune. But he wis aye a lang-heided yin.ne.Sc. 1992 Press and Journal 19 Sep :
Mr Major desperately needs a few "lang-heided billies" to help him pull the British economy round.(23) Sc. 1829 G. Robertson Recoll. 62:
All the rest of the year was what was called Lang-halter-time, when cattle of all descriptions were turned out to roam at large.m.Lth. 1845 Stat. Acc.² I. 141:
After the removal of the crop, the cattle were allowed to range at will — this was termed lang-halter.e.Lth. 1873 Trans. Highl. Soc. 6:
It was during summer that the poor horses were thus fed, but when harvest was gathered in, they were turned out to find their own food as best they might, and the distances to which they wandered in search of it caused that period to be called “langhelter time.”(24) ne.Sc. 1836 J. Grant Tales (1869) 54:
We plainly eneugh heard the auld castle clock clatter aff the lang hour o' twal.Sc. 1924 Sc. Recitations (Harley) 127:
The lang hour rang gey strange that nicht, the whisky was aboon.(25Abd. 1961 Press & Jnl. (20 Nov.):
Games of all kinds were played in their season, including lang-ingins (the boys' name for leap-frog).(26) Kcb. 1909 Crockett Rose of the Wilderness xxiii.:
Him that was pitten to death in a muckle cask o' Glenleevit, and, bein' a Wast Country man, died wi' thae memorable words on his lips, “This is no sae bad, but Lang John's the stuff!”Abd. 1949 W. R. Melvin Poems 52:
“Fite Horse”, “Glenlivet” an' “Lang John”, “John Begg” an' ither brands.(28) w.Sc. 1775 Johnson Journey 180:
According to the different mode of tillage, farms are distinguished into long land and short land. Long land is that which affords room for a plough, and short land is turned up by the spade.Ork. 1779 P. Fea MS. Diary (3 March):
Sown the long land & Lantea & harrowed it 18 drawght each.(29) Ags. 1934 G. M. Martin Dundee Worthies 181:
Lang Leeks. The boy bent as stated above, stood on an agreed mark and where the first leaper landed the “backie” took up his stance, the next trier had to leap from the “mark” over the “backie” and his furthest mark was taken as the new stance. The boy failing to manoeuvre the leap was the next “backie”.Sc. 1951 Sunday Post (24 June):
Lang Leeks — A boys' game. One lad bends down, and the others leap-frog, one by one, over his back. The catch is that you must leave your bonnet on his back as you “loup” over, and if you coup the bonnets, you're down.(31) Sh. 1915 Old-Lore Misc. VIII. i. 25:
He hadna fasted a day bit een, “I wiss lang Lantern had been geen.”Sc. 1925 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 164:
A Yuill comoun (reckoning) was sometimes only repaid at Easter where the “lang lentern” made folks lean with abstinence.(33) Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 100:
He pat on a lang-lip, fin he wiz bidden gang awa.(34) Sc. 1714 Converse betwixt Two Presbyterians 8:
Tho' for their own private ends they submitted to the Government, yet they had all alongst a long look over the Channel to France.(36) Sc. 1722 Ramsay Poems (1877) II. 348:
The Lion signs his sentence, “hang and draw;” Sae poor lang lugs man pay the kane for a'.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. xlv.:
It will maybe no be sae weel to speak about it while that lang-lugged limmer o' a lass is gaun flisking in and out o' the room.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie i.:
He's a lang-luggit deevil, our bauld Braxy Tam.Clc. 1850 J. Crawford Doric Lays 58:
Thy faither was fain That the lang-luggit lairdie wad ca' thee his ain.Dmf. 1863 R. Quinn Heather Lintie 71:
As aft through fiel's I chanced tae stray, An' lang-lugged pussy cam' my way.Rxb. c.1885 W. Laidlaw Poetry (1901) 44:
Her shuttle-chin an' lang-lugg'd mutch.(37) Gall. 1822 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 230:
There was one tree which bore fruit of a particularly beautiful shape . . . the country people . . . had called it, in my hearing, the “Lang Meg”.(38) (i) Ork. 1954 Ork. Miscellany II. 56:
Big Longneb: Colus gracilis, the Spindle Shell. Small Longneb: Nassarius incrassatus, the small Nassa.(39) Sc. 1826 Aberdeen Censor 124:
Farther, though in love matters they were rather prolix, and did not carry on their campaigns like a suit in the sheriff-court, by means of long papers, answers, replies, and duplies; . . . there were no breaches of promise of marriage.(40) Ork. 1929 P. Ork. A.S. VII. 37:
In Birsay Long Reed was an old term for the time of dearth in the spring-time — roughly about the month of March — when the winter stocks were wearing low. “In Lentryne an' the Lang Reid Naething bit water, kail an' bere breed”.(41) Abd. 1865 J. G. Bertram Harvest of Sea 422:
The company adjourns to the links . . . and there, to the inspiriting strains of the violin, dance the ancient, picturesque, and intricate “Lang Reel o' Collieston”. It is of long duration and lengthy in its dimensions, for all the wedding party join in dancing the “lang reel”. It is commenced by the bride and her “best man”, and pair after pair link into its links as the dance proceeds . . . and then pair after pair drop off. . . . The dance movement is very curious. The dancers “reel, set, and cross, and cleek,” and change places in such a way as to take them by degrees from the head of the dance to the foot, and back to the head again, and so on, the whole being like the links of a chain when reeling.(43) Mry. 1728 Lord Elchies Letters (MacWilliam 1927) 38:
And if, by the rood that you can have at three shillings sterling and two pecks of meall, you mean the long rood of 36 elnes in length, I think its a good bargain.(44) Bnff. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XIII. 402:
The proprietor allows £11 to every crew to purchase a new boat, which is understood to last 7 years, called here the long run.(45) Abd. 1923 Banffshire Jnl. (27 Feb.) 3:
The presence of a stolid “lang Sandy” aiding its rapt observant current.(46) Sc. 1823 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 648:
Others have assimilated it [a Scotch law-suit] . . . to the vulgar idea of a cat, which, in its supposed nine lives, more closely resembles the number of reclaimers of different descriptions, which there must be in cases where one keen contentious party gives the other what, of old, were called the lang sands o' the Parliament-House.(47) Abd. 1811 G. Keith Agric. Abd. 130:
The master commonly sat on a kind of wooden sofa, called a long seat; from the back of which a deal or board of wood, three feet long and one foot broad, fixed by a hinge, was let down at the time of meals to supply the place of a table.(48) Sc. 1703 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 323:
2 snecks for a lang sadle.Sc. 1734 J. Spotiswood Hope's Practicks 540:
The best Longsaddle-bed. The best Stand-bed of Timber.Slk. 1818 Hogg Wool-Gatherer (1874) 62:
She called it [idleness] the blight of youth and the . . . devil's lang-settle on which he plotted all his devices against human weal.Dmf. 1819 Blackwood's Mag. (Aug.) 590:
The gudeman we found seated on his “Lang settle,” from the back of which projected a narrow drop-table, supported by one leg only, on which table he was reading from his Bible.Sc. 1829 G. Robertson Recollections 93:
A lang-saddle — a bed that folded up during the day, like to a chest of drawers in form.Gall. 1843 J. Nicholson Tales 128:
He was laying by his pokes and pike-staff behind the langsettle.Ayr. 1895 H. Ochiltree Redburn ix.:
In the opposite corner was a “langsaddle,” neatly folded up so as to look like a press.s.Sc. 1936 A. Hepple Heydays (1953) xi.:
By and by she was downstairs in the kitchen of the little farmhouse, putting on her clothes at one end of the long-saddle.(49) Sc. 1778 A. Wight Present State Husbandry I. 395:
Through all Scotland, sheep are only of two different kinds, termed the short and the long.Dmf. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XIII. 569:
White-faced, called long sheep, now known under the name of the Cheviot breed.Slk. 1801 in Hogg Poems (1874) 462:
It's the woo, sir — it's the woo that makes the difference. The lang sheep hae the short woo, and the short sheep hae the lang thing.Sc. 1816 Scott B. Dwarf i.:
That was in the time o' the black faces — they believed a hantle queer things in thae days, that naebody heeds since the lang sheep cam in.Cai. 1880 J. H. Maxwell Sheep-Marks x.:
Sir John Sinclair introduced Cheviots into Caithness-shire about the beginning of the present century, when they were known by the name of Long Sheep in contradistinction to the short, or Blackfaced sheep.(51) Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate xv.:
A knocking at the door of the mansion, with the sound of the Gue and the Langspiel.Sc.(E) 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms lvii. 8:
Langspiel an' harp, fy haste ye, baith.(52) Abd.³¹ 1959:
Lang Stick. A “stick” of bone or hard wood, about 6–8 ′′ long, used for rubbing down the “channel” made in the sole when it is being stitched on to the welt. It can also be used for polishing leather.(53) Ags. 1902 A. Reid Forfar 135:
Nor was that great church bell — familiarly, and, it may be added, lovingly, known as “Lang Strang” — the only evidence of native loyalty on the part of Provost Strang's successful and liberal sons [gifted in 1657].Ags. 1929 Scots Mag. (March) 404:
The sonorous boom of Lang Strang in the belfry of the Parish kirk.(54) Sc. 1825 J. Mitchell Scotsman's Library 473:
They [tenants in run-rig] had right to universal pasturage over the whole arable lands, after a certain period, when the harvest was led home, and until another certain period in spring, when the seed work began. This right was called long tedder.(55) Per. 1811 J. Sim Poems 15:
When Ladies hunt for their lang tens, An' skail the dice.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xli.:
These were Claver'se's lads a while syne, and wad be again, maybe, if he had the lang ten in his hand.(56) Sc.(E) 1857 H. S. Riddell Psalms lxxxvi. 15:
Ane God fu' o' tendir pitie, an' gracious, lang-tholance an' waynesum in mercie and trouth.Sc.(E) 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xiii.:
He hauds hissel up wi' lang-tholin whan he's on his hunkers.(57) Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 301:
But the gasometer, I find, comes ower high — so I shall stick to the “Lang Twas”.(58) Wgt. 1877 “Saxon” Gall. Gossip 172:
“There's a pig of butter for ye, and ye maun keep it for the Lang War Day.” The Lang War Day is the month of March, when butter used to be very scarce and dear.(60) Fif. 1825 Summer Ramble N. Highl. 2:
A picturesque ruin, called Ravensheugh, . . . the only ornamental object included in the sea-view of the “lang toun.”Fif. 1866 Carlyle Reminisc. (Froude 1881) I. 138:
Kirkcaldy itself had many looms, . . . and was a solidly diligent, yet by no means a panting, puffing, or in any way gambling “Lang Town”.Per. 1952 People's Friend (26 July):
Learning that Highland Games were to be held on Fair Saturday at Auchterarder, we decided to trek to the “Lang Toon” to see them.Sc. 1953 Bulletin (17 Nov.) 6:
Kirkcaldy is the “Lang Toun” because of its long High Street. And its famous Links Fair is “lang,” too, with stalls and roundabouts stretching over a mile.em.Sc. 1988 James Robertson in Joy Hendry Chapman 52 71:
' ... It's a speir I hae about the muckle toun on the north side o the water, the Lang Toun - Kirkcaldy, ye ken. ... ' Fif. 1988 Scotsman 16 Jan 8:
As a native of the "Lang Toun," resident there for the first 20 years of my life, I feel the need to make a response, ... Sc. 1993 Scotsman 9 Sep 25:
ESPC opens in 'Lang Toun' [heading] Edinburgh solicitors Property Centre opened a showroom in Kirkcaldy on Saturday, ...

7. Phrs.: (1) at (the) lang len(g)th, i' the lang length (Sh., Abd. 1975); finally, at length, at last (Sh., ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a), w. and sm.Sc., Rxb. 1960). Also in inverted form lang-at-the-length.  (2) at (the) lang run (rin), in —, id., in the long run (I.Sc., Cai., Wgt. 1960). Also at the lenth an' the lang rin (Bnff. 1960); (3) for lang an' weary, for a long, trying or tedious time. Cf. (4); (4) ( for) (this) monie (a) lang (gen. with ellipsis of year, day, etc.), for a long time, for many years (ne.Sc., Ags. 1960); (5) to feel lang, = (7). Rare; (6) to tak lang, id. (Cai. 1902 E.D.D., Cai. 1960); (7) to think lang ( for or to), to grow weary or impatient (for, to), to long (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis s.v. langoure). Gen.Sc., short for to think the time lang. Obs. in Eng. In 1827 quot. = to regret, a nonce use.(1) Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 32:
Till, lang-at-the-length, he thocht proper to speer Gin a redd was made out about heirin' her gear?Ags. 1897 F. Mackenzie Northern Pine 239:
I hae gotten the finest present for ye i' the lang length.Ags. 1889 Arbroath Guide (13 April) 3:
Sae she has won awa' at the lang-length.Kcb. 1897 A. J. Armstrong Robbie Rankine at Exhibition 55:
At lang length he heard a door open.Abd. 1951 Buchan Observer (28 Aug.):
He proceeded to lay off at a rate nae handy. But he summed up, at “lang lenth.”(2) Sc. 1722 Ramsay Poems (1877) II. 388:
At langrun Bawsy raik'd his een, And cries, “What's that? what d' ye mean?”Sc. 1771 Smollett Humphry Clinker (18 July) i.:
Humphry is certainly the north star to which the needle of her affection would have pointed at the long run.Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads I. 295:
At langrin, wi' coaxin' and fleechin'.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 101:
He heeld's tung a gueede file, but at the lenth an' the lang rin, he did lat-oot-upon 'ir.e.Lth. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 162:
It seems to Sam, then, what we want, An' in lang-run would please us.(3) Rnf. 1876 D. Gilmour Paisley Weavers 61:
Whiles there's nae absolute certainty for lang an' weary.(4) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 32:
“Na, na,” she says, “I had na use to gang Unto the glens to herd, this many a lang.”Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 217:
For mony lang towmond thegither, There liv'd an auld man an' his wife.Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake (1874) 32:
When many lang day had come and fled.Sc. 1820 A. Sutherland St Kathleen III. v.:
Ye'll ken the road to the kitchy, uncle Kenny, though ye hinna seen it this monnie a lang day.Abd. 1845 P. Still Cottar's Sunday 154:
Lang, O Willie! mony a lang, May ye be spar'd to sing.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xvi.:
The very article I had been thrainin' aboot for mony lang.Dmf. 1898 J. Paton Castlebraes 31:
I notisht, for lang an' mony a day.Uls. 1993:
This monie a lang year.(5) Lnk. 1910 C. Fraser Glengonnar 148:
At times I felt lang for the auld hame.(6)Cai. 1922 J. Horne Poems 33:
I'm jist takin' long! An' dreamin'-dreamin'!(7) Per. 1753 A. Nicol Rural Muse 114:
Babie and Annie will think lang for you.Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 112:
To think long, is to think the time long, and thence to long.Sc. 1827 Scott Chrons. Canongate v.:
Bethink ye whether ye will . . . maybe look back and think lang for ha'en kiven it away.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 38:
Maybe sheu t'oucht lang i' the hoose hersel'.Fif. 1900 S. Tytler Logan's Loyalty v.:
I doubt I will think long for the bairnie.Abd. 1924 M. Angus Tinker's Road 35:
Lassie, think lang, think lang, Ere his step comes ower the hill.Ork. 1931 Orcadian (7 May):
Aye, aye, dat's miny a day ago noo, an' whin I tink apin id hid mak's me tink a hape o' lang.

II. adv. 1. As in Eng.: for a long time. Combs.: lang back, lang syne (see Lang syne, adv. comb., adj., n.), lang back syne (seen), long ago. Gen.Sc.Edb. 1811 H. MacNeill Bygane Times 1:
To hae an E'ening's sober crack, And talk o' former things — lang back.Ags. 1890 Brechin Advertiser (14 Oct.) 3:
It has grown a fell bittie within the last forty year, an' even that lang back there was some side streets begun to sproot.ne.Sc. 1950:
My granmither eest tae say lang-back-seen.wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 10:
"You didnae stay lang at the ale-hoose," Frank remarked conversationally.
"I didnae hae the siller," replied Hugh.
"You're no' that fond of it maybe, the ale I mean?" asked Hugh.m.Sc. 1982 Douglas Fraser in Hamish Brown Poems of the Scottish Hills 8:
The flush upon my broo.
And, fegs, it's lang sin' lass or sang
Has gart me catch my breith,Dundee 1990 Sheila Stephen in Joy Hendry Chapman 60 51:
"Well!" she cried when she'd poured their tea. "Eh canna keep it in ony langir! Eh've goat a rare story ti tell yi the day, Bella! It's mibby on the lang side, though," she admitted. "So let's mak wirsels comfy."m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 20:
How lang've ye knew?Ayr. 1999:
Lang may yer lum reek wi the next door neebur's coal.Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 15:
Fin the icin's aff the cake, laid by wi ither tooteroos,
The waddin that will langest laist may be the cooshie doo's! em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 90:
'Andra,' she said, as soon as he spoke. 'Ye'll need tae come hame. Yer ma's no lang for this world, son.'

2. A long way, far. Rare.Sc. 1889 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 409:
Man! ye have the right coat for the rain; it comes long doon on ye.Arg. 1897 N. Munro Lost Pibroch (1906) 97:
You will mind, maybe, of a day long-off and lost.

III. n. 1. As in Eng.: a long time. Phrs.: (1) at length an' lang, at lang an' (the) last, at (the) lang and (the) length, at the last an' the lang, i' the length o' the lang, lang and lent (Ork.), — last, at long last, at length, finally. Cf. I. 7. (1); for lang and lang, For a long time; (for) lang and mony a day, a very long time; for lang and lang, for a long time; (2) or lang gae (by), ere long; or or ere it be lang. See Or.(1) Abd. 1754 R. Forbes Journal 26:
At the last an' the lang, came up twa three swankies riding at the hand-gallop.Edb. 1798 D. Crawford Poems 47:
At length an' lang, Thought I, what needs I mair time spen'.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost vii.:
At long and last, he got me a tide-waiter's place at the Custom-house.wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 240:
At lang and length we got to the palace.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller 70:
For lang and mony a day I staid in the Dean house.e.Lth. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 153:
An' lang an' last, bridegroom an' bride Are leash'd by Hymen side by side!m.Lth. 1906 J. Medwin Crumleyknowe 136:
It's lang an' mony a day since I mentioned her name.Abd. 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood xvi.:
Geordie's wits, i' the length o' the lang, made this of it.Ork. 1949 “Lex” But-end Ballans 5:
Til lang an' lent' I promised dem Tae tak' dem tae de ceuthes.Sh. 1952 J. Hunter Taen wi da Trow 71:
Noo at da weary lang an lent, — . . . Dis stanes wir taen athin dy day Ta mend an eartly king's highway.Per. 1990 Betsy Whyte Red Rowans and Wild Honey (1991) 149:
' ... For lang and lang folk like us, tinkers, travellers, or whatever you like tae ca' us, have moved aboot through the country. ... 'Edb. 2003:
Ah've no seen her for lang and lang.(2) Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 12:
I'se be married or lang gae.Slg. 1818 W. Muir Poems 13:
Or lang gae, now wi' whirligigs, An' steam engines, we'll plough our rigs.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck i.:
But or it was lang he saw a white thing an' a black thing comin' up the Houm close thegither. Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 26:
Norval pays the piper ere 't be lang.Dmf. 1847 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 222:
Ye may hear mair or lang gae.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 54:
He'll fin' frost or lang gae by in's new place.Per. 1990 Betsy Whyte Red Rowans and Wild Honey (1991) 149:
' ... For lang and lang folk like us, tinkers, travellers, or whatever you like tae ca' us, have moved aboot through the country. ... 'Edb. 2003:
Ah've no seen her for lang and lang.

2. Weariness, yearning for what is absent, esp. homesickness. Phrs. to die o' lang, to be very homesick (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.). Cf. Langour.