Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
LAYLOCK, n. Also -lac; lailic (Gall. 1897 R. Ringan's Plewman Cracks 11), lelac (Abd. 1922 Banffshire Jnl. (28 Nov.) 2), leloc, lellick. Sc. forms of Eng. lilac, also freq. in Eng. dial. from 17th c. (ne.Sc., Fif., Slk. 1960). See also Lilyoak. [′lelək]Dmf. 1779 Dmf. Weekly Jnl. (9 March):
[Patterns of wallpaper] Gum laylock, two reds, Orange do. two blues, Gum jessamine, ribb'd.Abd. 1879 G. Macdonald Sir Gibbie vii.:
Then there were the scents of the laylocks and the roses and the carnations and the sweet-peas.Lnk. 1885 J. Hamilton Poems 337:
Yer aul' leloc toush is baith dirty an' torn.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet iv.:
Deed I'm nane sae unbonny yet, for a' yer helicat flichtmafleathers, sprigget goons an' laylac bonnets.Sc. 1914 R. B. Cunninghame-Graham Sc. Stories 9:
Her uniform … was … in the summer, on fine days, a lilac poplin, which she called “laylock”.Bnff. 1923 Banffshire Jnl. (18 Sept.) 8:
In scarlet cloak, soo-backet mutch, an' lellick printit goon.
