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.
Quotation dates: 1420, 1499-1627
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(Lire,) Lyre, n.2 Also: lyire, lyere. [North. ME. lire, lyre (15th c.) the cheek, one's complexion, ON. hlýr pl. cheeks: cf. ME. lere etc., OE. hléor cheek, countenance, complexion, Lere n.]
Only in verse.
1. Face, appearance of the face or skin, complexion.Freq. in allit. phrases, as lely, lillie lyre (also north. ME.), lufly of lyre, lustie lyre. c1420 Wynt. vi. 472 (W).
A burges dochter … Off lyre plesand and rycht faire a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1003.
Thai luflyis of lyre a1500 Ib. 1145.
Ledis lofit thair lord. lufly of lyere a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 339.
I mak … Thy lustie lyre ouirspred with spottis blak c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 499.
Gif his lust so be lent into my lyre quhit 1535 Stewart 3680 (see Lillie-flour n.). 1540 Lynd. Sat. 341.
Soft as the silk is hir quhite lyre 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 10240.
Of his lyre [he] was laithlie and horribill c1590 J. Stewart 227/109.
As vasp or viper laidlie vas hir lyre 1603 Philotus 282.
His eine half sunkin in his heid, His lyre far caulder than the leid — Lely, lillie lyre (see Lely n., Lillie n. 1 (2), Lillie a.). a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xlviii. 73.
Hir lillie lyire so soft and sound
2. ? The cheek. a1627 Craig v. 6.
On fog and greene grasse good All night lyes my lyre
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"Lire n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/lire_n_2>
