Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
LEERIE-LA, n., v. Also leeri-, -law, -laa; leirie-haw; and reduced form leerie.
I. n. 1. The call of the cock, a cock-crow, cock-a-doodle-doo!Lnk. 1816 G. Muir Cld. Minstrelsy 2:
Scarce had Aurora glinted in the east, Or morning watch had sounded Leerie-la.Fif. 1845 T. C. Latto Minister's Kail-yard 27:
The cock was heard in hen-house flaffin, An' crawin' glad his “leerie la!”
2. The cock, chanticleer (wm.Sc. 1868 Laird of Logan App. 507, leirie-haw). Also in reduced form leerie.Fif. 1812 W. Ranken Poems 93:
In stable, in byre, an' by ilka stack steading, The soft paths of pleasure which late they did tread in, When governed and guarded by brave Leerilaw.Lth. 1813 G. Bruce Poems 164:
Ae morn, at leerie's early craw.Ags. 1843 Whistle-Binkie V. 85:
There's the hen wi' her teuckies thrang scraping their meat, Wi' her cluckety-cluck, and their wee wheetle-wheet! And bauld leerielaw would leave naething to you.
¶3. Also in deriv. leerielarach: din and strife, tumult, wrangling.Ags. 1879 Arbroath Guide (12 Apr.) 3:
For fear o' Maggie Meffan's ghaist, that kickit up sic a horrible leerie.Abd. 1931 Abd. Press & Jnl. (19 Feb.):
For monie a lang they've deen their pairt In Scotland's leerielarach.
II. v. To cry like the cock, to crow (Ags., Fif. 1960).Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 18:
This waukrif scamp, when licht appears, First starts his eldritch crawin', Syne patient waits until he hears His rival leerie-laain'.
