Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
LAT, n. Also latt, laut. A thin plank or spar of wood, a lath, esp. one stretched across the beams of a roof for storage purposes (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Kcb. 1960).
Deriv. lating, lathing.m.Lth. 1727 Clerk of Penicuik MSS. (Rec. Off.) Sept.:
For 800 Nails for nailing on the Lating and Sclait . . . £2.Bwk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 132:
Lauts: — The spars on which bread is laid to be cooled, or cheeses to be dried in a cottage. “To lay up in the lauts.”Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 24:
And gusty cheese upon the latts To eat their bannocks wi'.Gall. 1881 J. K. Scott Gall. Gleanings 20:
It seemed to ha'e Some fifty legs, as thin's a lat, An' twa three mae.Kcb.4 1900:
Anything slender or thin as a latt.wm.Sc. 1995 Alan Warner Morvern Callar 24:
Lanna says about wishing she was bigger in the chest and I goes that I had nothing to beat there and I was thin as a lat.
