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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.

Lipper, Liper, a. and n.² Also: lipir, -yr, lyper, -ir, -yr; lippir, -ar, lypper; lepper. [Late ME. lypre (c 1440), var., chiefly Sc., of Leper a. and n.²: cf. Lippern.¹]

1. adj. Leprous. a. Attributive. Of persons, also of a leprous person's face, and transf. Also comb. in lepper-faced.Also Lipper Folk, Man, and Lippernes.(1) c1500 Makc. MS. iv. 9.
In lipir Symonis hows of Bathany ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 387.
In the hous of Symoun liper (1593) Henr. Test. Cress. 451.
Ludgeit amang the lipper leid, allace Ib. 474.
Ane lipper lady rais, and till hir wend 1529 Reg. Great S. in Grey Friars II. 199.
Thre to the lippir personis that hes maist myster 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9693, 10216 (see Lazarus n.).
Lipper lazarus, lazarous 1565 Inverness Rec. I. 128.
[Calling her] missaell lipper hwyr 1575 Ib. 243.
Lypper carles geit 1598 Edinb. Test. XXXI. 334.
I leive … to the lipper puir in the hospitall xxx s.(2) (1593) Henr. Test. Cress. 372.
He luikit on hir vglye lipper facecomb. 1673 Argyll Justic. Rec. I. 20.
She did … meitt with the devill appearing to her in the likeness of ane gross lepper faced man(3) transf. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 153.
Forestallars … open the fishe, and lukes not quhither they be mysel or lipper fish or not 1607 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 27.
Certane flescheoures that brocht lipper swyne to sell in the merkatt

b. Used predicatively.(a) 1479 Prestwick B. Rec. 28.
Hir seik soun, at is lipper, reparis daili in hir house (1593) Henr. Test. Cress. 609.
Cresseid … Under this stane, lait lipper, lyis deid 1531 Bell. Boece I. lviii.
The wemen that was fallin lipper 1533 Boece ix. xiv. 323 b.
He apperit as laith and lippir 1617 Montgomery Mem. 265.
To twa puir wemen … the ane blind, the vther lippir(b) 1520 Stirling B. Rec. I. 3; 1544–5 Ib. 39.
Johen Akman was fundin lipir 1528 Ib. 33, 34.
Lipyr, lypyr(c) 1638 Henderson Serm. .
Naaman … when he was lepper, he comes to the prophet Elisha 1663 Lamont Diary 166.
Lepper, William Sandelens wife in St Androws, depairted out of this life

c. absol., as collect. noun: Leprous (persons). (1593) Henr. Test. Cress. 490.
To Troy … they raid The way quhair Cresseid with the lipper baid Ib. 494.
Worthie lordis, for Goddis lufe … , To vs lipper part of ȝour almous deid 1533 Gau 63/2.
The crippil gangis, the liper ar maid cleyne 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9740.
All the lipper thay clappit and thay cryit 1582 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 93.
Off the quhilkis lippir sum hes speciall freindis within the toun quha resauis thame 1588 Ib. 118.
Lipper gevin vp be the watter baillie: Andro Lawsoun [and seven others] 1595 Ib. 172.

2. noun. A leprous person, a leper. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5951.
My womanheid to spill With ane lipper? Ib. 10214.
The laith lipper quhilk sat into my haw a1605 Montg. Flyt. 329 (T).
Lipper lispane of the lidder ill c1590 Fowler I. 387/307.
This lipers [sc. Cresseid's] knight Can showe of me the rest 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 53.
That nane of the saids persouns lipperis cry or ask for almis otherwayis nor be thair said clapper and that everie ane of thame his day about sitt at the dure of the said hospitall to that effect 1604-31 Craig ii. 35.
I … make my lines to be the lippars clap 1608 Dundonald Par. Rec. 159.
Kaithrein Neill and James Dickie, lippiris 1618 Crim. Trials III. 586.
In the tyme of Amenophis … thair … rauaget vp and doun tua hundreth thowseand lipperis in Ægipt 1619 Elgin Rec. II. 161.
Elspet called Andrew grandgorie lipper, swonjour

b. Attrib.: Of lepers, leper-. Also Lipper-hous. (1593) Henr. Test. Cress. 438.
This lipper ludge tak for thy burelie bour 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 238; 1663 Ib. III. 486.
That naine be plaicit of lipper in the lipper hospitall bot sick as beis placit be proveist … and counsall 1654 Ib. II. 292.
The rentall of the lipper almeshous beyond the brige to be heir … recordit