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: 1572-1653
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Lad(d)er, n. Also: lather, -ir. [e.m.E. ladder, lather, ME. ladder, laddre (1297). The normal Sc. form is Ledder n.] A ladder. Also ladder-loupar, s.v. Lowpar n. —(a) 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 59.
Gif thair ladderis wer … lang aneuch a1578 Pitsc. II. 170/24. 1606 Dundonald Par. Rec. 107.
Fra the kirk dor to the ladder of the place of repentance 1606 Edinburgh Testaments XLII. 219.
Two ladders, twa keris, twa hurle barrowis 1615 Criminal Trials III. 369.
Ane wood … whair they made some laderes and with tham … they clam the utter wall 1653 Ellon Par. 142.
Harrow billes to be … runges to the ladders(b) 1596 Dalr. I. 27/11.
With lang towis and lathiris lattin doune thay are towit vpe
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"Lader n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/ladder_n>
