Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Lufar, Luifar, n. Also: lufare, -air, -er(e, lufar(e, -ear, -er; luifare, -er, luiffar; lofare; Lyffar; Loaffer. [ME. luffer (13th, 15th c.), lufer (Rolle); var. (? chiefly north. and latterly only Sc.) of Luvar n.] A lover, in senses of Lufe v.¹

1. One who feels affection or regard for another, a friend or well-wisher. Also in the spiritual sense. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 1085.
God … gyfis mare to his luferis Than thai cane ask Ib. l. 832.
Luffer 1551 Hamilton Cat. 73.
Thair is ane freind quhilk will beir us company at our burde … bot he will nocht byde with us in tyme of our nede. And the warld … is full of siclike luffaris 1573 Sat. P. xl. Pref. p. 277.
Ane zelous professour of Goddis word … and lufer of his seruandis 1573 Tyrie Cath. Tr. 29/10.
Despysars of the gude, … vantars, luffars of thame selues mair than of God c 1600 Anal. Scot. II. 269.
Ȝit I sal be contentit … how sone that I sal know the persone unsuspect to be ane luiffar of me

2. One who is in love with another; one's lover or paramour.For some further examples, see Lel(e a. 3 (2).(a) a1400 Leg. S. xli. 35.
My luffar in sic wedyng Has me erlyt with his ryng Ib. 46.
I sal tak one na manere Bot hyme any lufere Ib. xxxiv. 98.
Hyr lufaris c1420 Wynt. viii. 6809.
Quhare ladyis joly Mycht se … how manfully Thaire luffaris bare thaim c1409-1436 Kingis Q. clv.
The lufare vnicorne Ib. clxxix.
Awak! … I bring. lufar, … The newis glad c1475 Wall. vi. 68.
A child was chewyt thir twa luffaris betuene a1500 Quare Jel. 313.
With the supplee of euery trewe lufare Ib. 442. a1500 Lanc. 13.
Birdis … That sessit not one lufaris for to cry a1500 Seven S. 2356.
Lufaris c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 375.
Luffaris Id. lxi. 1. Id. Bann. MS. 103 b/4.
Lufar 1513 Doug. i. vi. 82.
That fals man … With vaynhope trumpit the wofull luffar [sc. Dido] Ib. iv. ii. 64. Ib. Prol. 100, Ib. x. 24, xii. Prol. 29.
Luffaris Ib. viii. Prol. 27.
Lufferis 1531 Bell. Boece I. x.
As quhen ane lufar dois his lady meit Id. Livy I. 30/15.
Attoure, to meis the haterent of thir revist virginis, come plesandlie thare new luffaris 1603 Philotus clix.
Let vs foure luferis now rejoyse c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix. 85. Ib. xxvii. 12.
Ȝour lufair trew(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 4.
My hwny [etc.] … , I haue bene lang ȝour luifar leill 1535 Stewart 35826. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1040, 1592.
Luiferis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3260.
For hir luifar scho send incontinent Ib. 3279, 10312. a1570-86 Scott Maitl. F. xciii. 1.
Ȝe blindit luiffarris a1570-86 Maitland Ib. xxxi. 17. 1567 G. Ball. 140. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 41.
Scho … now of hir awin accord offeris him ane luifer Ib. 143.
Aganis the maist faithfull luifer that ever ȝe had a1585 Maitl. Q. xl.
Ane ballat to be songe with the tuine of Luifer come to luiferis dore &c. Ib. xxxviii. 70, lxvi. 26, 1570 Sat. P. xxiv. 2, Montg. Misc. P. l. 1.
Title. Luifaris, luiffaris a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 140.
Luifferis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 271, 273, 283, etc. (Ch.).

3. One who is attached to or holds dear (a principle or the like). a1400 Leg. S. xl. 723.
Sancte Ninian … Lofare of vertu & dyspysare Of the warld a1500 Bk. Chess 98.
Ane philosophour … [which] all was one to saye The lufffer of mesour and of justis 1533 Bell. Livy II. 97/1.
Tha that maid Amilius thryis dictator ar bettir luffaris of the commoun weill than thai that [etc.] 1533 Boece ii. xi. 80. 1560 Bk. Disc. in Knox II. 237.
Luifaris 1587 Bk. Islay 87.
Be the gude advise of sic of his counsall as ar … luffearis of the common quietnes within his realme 1594 Crim. Trials I. ii. 338. 1622-6 Bisset II. 181/17.
Luifare of justice

4. One who is devoted to (literature, music). a1538 Abell 10 b.
Study & buykis lufar wes Tholome Philodelf c1615 Chron. Kings 19.
He wes ane grit luiffar of musik