Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LABROD, n. Also law-, -bro(a)d, -boord, laaboard, law-, labord; ¶lowbroad (Kcd. 1889 J. and W. Clark Musings 44); layboard, -brod, -buird (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 102); lap-buird, -boord, -broad; ¶lambrod (Fif. 1882 J. Hutton Poet. Musings 19). Sc. forms of Eng. lap-board, a board laid across the knees for working on, used esp. by tailors (Ork., Bnff. 1960). See Brod, n.¹, Buird, n.¹ Phr. knight o' the lawbrod, a tailor. [′lɑbrod, -bø:rd, -burd, ′le-]Slg. 1804 G. Galloway Luncarty 57:
His laboard gave, and gives old bakers bread.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie vii.:
Jock, a little hump-backed creature, brought the goose behind him, bearing the law-board over his shoulder.Slk. 1827 Hogg Shep. Cal. (1874) vii.:
Afore I were a landless lady, I wad rather be a tailor's layboard.wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 235:
It is a wonder it did not produce a strike amang the knights o' the lawbrod.Lth. 1885 J. Strathesk More Bits 172:
A piece of smooth tapered wood about a yard in length, called a lap-board or “la'brod”.Dmf. 1891 J. Brown Hist. Sanquhar 355:
The tailor took with him on these expeditions not only the inevitable needle, thread, and wax, but the “la'brod”.Abd. 1900 C. Murray Hamewith 43:
The whip-the-cat's aff frae hoose to hoose, Wi' his oxter'd lap-buird lampin'.Fif. 1909 Colville 134:
To watch the hot “goose” hissing along the damp seam over the “law-brod.”