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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LAIRGE, adj., adv., n. Also lairdge; †learg(e); lerge. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. large, now somewhat obsol. Cf. P.L.D. § 48.1. (2). [lerdʒ]

I. adj. 1. As in Eng. Adv. lairgely.Edb. 1703 Edb. Mag. (July 1795) 54:
For 2 learge turkies . . . £ 12 Sc.Lnl. 1719 Binns Papers (S.R.S.) II. 105:
For 600 lairdge sclatt nalls att 14 ss.Bwk. 1880 T. Watts Woodland Echoes 39:
The lairger they the better pleas'd Was puir auld Gibbie.Ags. 1895 F. Mackenzie Glenbruar 16:
It'll depend lairgely on Dauvit Simpson.Sc. 1896 Stevenson W. of Hermiston iii.:
You're splairging; you're running at lairge in life like a wild nowt.wm.Sc. 1906 H. Foulis Vital Spark iv.:
I ran doon and found her sittin' up chokin' wi' a sweetie that wass a size too lerge for her.Abd. 1913 G. Greig Mains Again 39:
I'm here mysel', as lairge as life.

2. Of things: plentiful, numerous, in good supply (ne.Sc., Ags. 1960).Sc. 1787 J. Beattie Scoticisms 51:
Fodder is large.Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings (1813) 41:
A' thing was large as cou'd ha'e been, And far frae dear.Ags. 1886 Brechin Advertiser (2 March) 3:
Wark's nae sae vera lairge i' the noo.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 82:
An' the ferly did growe, that craiters sae heedless, Sae lairge an' sae fest, te this place shid fa.Abd. 1952 Buchan Observer (6 May):
In a season when turnips are “lairge,” and straw and hay not too plentiful.

3. Of persons, etc., with o, in: having an abundant supply of, rich in (ne.Sc., Ags. 1960).Sc. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 179:
I'm no that large o' siller, no large o' time.Ags. 1952 Forfar Dispatch (1 May):
Italy's affa lairge in famous tombs and we fair lost coont, afore we wir throwe.Kcd. 1956 Mearns Leader (15 June):
Ye'll be fel lairge o' siller?

4. Generous, lavish, munificent (Cai. 1902 E.D.D., esp. when ostentatiously so; ne.Sc., Ags. 1960).Abd. 1904 W. Farquhar Fyvie Lintie 63:
The people lo'ed the clergy, And backed them up at ilka word, Wi' he'rts and purses lairge aye.Bnff.² 1930:
Ye sidna be sae lairge wi' yer bawbees; ye'll maybe need them some day.

5. Copious in speech, voluble, discursive.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xvii.:
He was gey lairge upo' that. “Ye see, it's nae a licht responsibility at nae time,” says he, “till conduck the buzness o' an estate like this.”

6. Self-important (Cai. 1902 E.D.D., Cai. 1960).

II. adv. †1. Fully, quite, amply. Obs. in Eng.Sc. 1723 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) III. 26:
He thought he was large as blameless as he.

2. Boastfully, bombastically (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Cf. I. 4.

III. n. In phr. ¶by the large, = Eng. by and large, as a whole. Gall. 1902 Crockett Dark o' Moon 90: 
Ye had cuttit yoursel' faa'in doon thae dreadsome rocks, an ta'en by the large, ye werena bonny to look upon.