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.
Lettin(g, vbl. n. Also: -yng. [ME. and OE., early ME. also lætting; f. Let v. Cf. Lattin(g vbl. n.2]
Cf. Let n.
1. Hindrance, obstruction, opposition, prevention.(1) 1375 Barb. xi. 278.
How we may … swa to thame the wayis clos That thai pas nocht but gret lettyng 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 15.
Frely to pas withoutyn … ony obstacle or lettyng in ony point a1586 Lindsay MS. 15 b.
[To] gang and cum throw all landis without ony lettin or trublans(2) 1409 Red Bk. Menteith II. 278.
Gif ony of the foresaide lordis wittis … ony maner of grefe … apperand til othir he sal … set the letting tharin that he may 1424 Coldstream Chart. 42.
That thai mak ony letting or obstakil or punding for the said land 1432 Highland P. II. 173.
Forbedand ony of my tenandis forsaid to mak lettyng to the said Sr Johne in qwat he … dois [etc.] 1443 Ib. 179.
That the said Sr Duncan … sal nevir mak clayme na lettyng … to the said Sr John or his ayris in the beryng of the lioun in thair armys 1471 Acta Aud. 21/2.
For the wrangwis obstacle & letting maid [etc.] … in the … raising of ane annuell rent 1471 Edinb. Chart. 134.
That na man tak vppon hand to mak thaim letting or impediment tharein 1473 Douglas Chart. 103. 1498 Armstrong Liddesdale I. 173.(3) 1445 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 14.
For letting and stanching of diuerse enormyteis done … be the abbotis … callit of bone accord 1498 Acta Conc. II. 157.
For the wrangus … stopping and letting of thame til occupy … the sammyn [lands] 1500–1 Ib. 479.
2. But, forowtyn or withoutin (mare) letting, without (more) delay, at once, straightway. In early verse only. 1375 Barb. ii. 29.
Brus … thocht, for-owtyn mar letting, For to qwyt hym his discoueryng Ib. iii. 397; Ib. ii. 13, iii. 613, iv. 489.
Schir Nele Cambel … Went his way but mar letting Ib. vii. 270.
Than, but lettyng, Thai stert vp, the hous to defend a1400 Leg. S. xl. 113.
Syne come he But letting sone oure the se, & come to Rome ?1438 Alex. i. 2972.
Withoutin mare letting a1500 Rauf C. 424.
Withoutin letting, Thow mon to Paris to the King
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"Lettin vbl. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/letting>
