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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Le, n. Also: lee, ley, lie, lye. [North. and midl. ME. le (Cursor M.), lee, leo, earlier west midl. also leouwe (Ancr. R.), e.m.E. lee, lie, OE. hléo (gen. hléowes), ON. hlé (in the nautical sense).]

1. Shelter, cover. ?1438 Alex. i. 3304.
That nicht thay passit with lytill le 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 78.
The silly scheip and thar litil hyrd gromys Lurkis vndre le [R. lye] of bankis a1538 Abell 123 a.
The laif … lurkit in ley and held thare tung 1583 Reg. Privy C. III. 602.
That his said cattell, foreschewing of the violence … of a stormy wether, … to withdraw … to the ley of the saidis woddes and enter thairin 1596 Dalr. I. 55/26.
It is a bosum of the sey, in the ley of a hich montane conteyned

2. The side of a ship sheltered from the wind, the lee. For the phrase lufe and le, lie, see Lufe n. (luff). b. Attrib. with -schete. 1535 Stewart 4151.
Sum bad on le, and vther sum strek saillb. 1513 Doug. v. i. 30.
Himself infangis the le [R. lee] scheit of the saill Ib. xiv. 7.
Now the le [E. lie] schete, and now the luf thai slak

3. A sheltered condition, security, tranquillity. Chiefly to leve (also rest) in le. a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii. 416.
Of the fare nowmir for to be Of haly men to reste in le c1420 Wynt. vii. 3620.
[He] Scotland led in luwe and le Ib. viii. 4994.
Fortowne … set thare hartis all To werray Frawnce richit to be That Scottis lyve in grettar le 1456 Hay II. 29/2.
Evill men suld be wedit out … that gude men mycht lyve in lee a1500 Henr. Fab. 2917.
Better but stryfe to leif allane in le a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 341.
Lordingis in le, I rede ye tent treuly to my teching a1497, 15.. Gray MS. vi. 82. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 343. 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 133.
Our folkis than, … Exort I to … graith howsis, and leif in le [E. lie] 1535 Stewart 23966. a1568 Scott ii. 131. Ib. xxiv. 21.
Now is the growme, … Rycht glaid to leif in lie