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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 but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lat, v.² Also: latt, late, lait. P.t. lattit. P.p. lattit, -et; lattin. [Var. (? chiefly Sc.) of Let v.OED. lists, but does not illustrate, the following ME. forms: pres. t. laten (13th c.), latte (13th c.), p.p. lated, y-lat; the pres.t. form lat is cited from a text of Chaucer's Troylus.]

1. tr. To hinder, obstruct, restrain, prevent. With various objects and constructions: see Let v. 1.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i. 699.
Na for to lat his passione That to resawe he wes than bown c1420 Ratis R. 796.
Fore wedand joy … Lattis al suthfast gud knawleges 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 250.
The luf that ane of thire has to Jhesu lattis na hyndris nocht the luf that ane vthire has to him Ib. fol. 290.
The personal gudnes … of the medycinare … nouthire causis na lattis the heill of the seik persoune c1515 Asl. MS. I. 156/23.
That men may heir foulis syng … on athir syd of the land bot wynd or wedder lat it c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 326.
Lufe … Lattis laubour — 1482 Reg. Morton II. 246.
I sall nother wite … harme … till hyme bot I sall … late it & defend it at my power 1545 Wemyss Chart. 171.
Sal nocthir wytt … his daumage … bot … sall stopp and latt the sammin at the vtermast 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 346.
I sall warne thame of thair skaith, latt it at my powar(b) ?1438 Alex. i. 285.
To-day my fleing sall not be Lattit for thé, I vnderta(2) a1400 Leg. S. v. 298.
Proponand tham that distinctiue To lat thame with hym for to stryfe 1424 Acts II. 6/1.
Rukis bigande in … treis … it is ordanyt at thai that sik treis pertenys to lat thame to byg c1460 Wisd. Sol. 806.
Ire … lattis the wyt to determine trewly betuex gud and ill 1450 Reg. Brechin I. 127.
Jhone of Cullace … perturbis and lattis the inhabitantis off the citte of Brechine til … laubur thar commone, … to ces that thai lat nocht na perturbe nocht the said inhabitantis to jois [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 290.
The gudnes ore euill lif of the man … lattis nocht the corne to grow c 1500 Rathen Manual 27/1.
All thai that fordois bairne consavit … or lattis thaime to consave for helyng of synne a1500 Seven S. 333.
The branchis lattis it to get aire c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 119.
Thow hes na breik to latt thy bellokis gyngill [R. to gingill] 15.. Christis K. 146.
To fle micht no man lat him [: sat, at, gat him] 15.. Dum Wyf 89.
Quha may latter [sc. lat hir], ane wyfe to clatter 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4747.
Gude counsall … lattis all thing for to ga wrang a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxiv. 46.
That, ȝe wat, may lat a man to love — 1512 Elphinstone Mun. 18.
And [I] sall lat sic thing to be done to him at al my power(b) 1551 Corr. M. Lorraine 353.
I man lat your grace onderstand the commoun sayngis in the cuntre, and specialy be my lord Huntle frendis quha laittis tham to knau sum thyng in thar effaris (c) 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 283 b.
The saule has mony synnis venial and is gretlie lattit that that it may nocht rys(3) c1475 Wall. x. 604.
The Bruce said, ‘Nay, thar lattis me a thing’ 1507 Crim. Trials I. 108.
That nane of ȝow tak apon haund to lat, stop … or molest our said cousing … in the brouking … of the said landis 15.. Dum Wyf .
Scho will claver quhat scho pleis, We devillis can nawayis latt hir — 1496 Acta Conc. II. 14.
Archibald Maxvaile salbe harmeles and skaithles of him and al that he may lat 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 80.
The said Andro salbe harmles and skaythles of him and all that he may latt in tyme cuming 1583 Exch. R. XXI. 557.
That he … nor nane that he may lat, sall … trubill … the Kingis majesteis caneris [etc.] c1650 Spalding I. 63.
Cautioun for keiping of the Kingis peace … for him self and all that he micht stop or lat 1666 Rothesay B. Rec. 128.
That he nor nane of his quhom he may stop or latt sall not trubill … Niniane Ker(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 27.
For greit cald as than I lattit was 1586 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 461.
Ane lettre to be pennit … to schaw the nichtbouris the mater with the townis guid will to thair wark lattet throw inhabilitie — 1615 Crim. Trials III. 357.
Quhilk wikket intentioun thay had nocht failȝet … to haif put in practize, gif thay had nocht bene lattin be the intervening tryall(4) 1586 Lindsay MS. 38.
Ony spot of villan deidis … that mycht lat him of his interpris(5) c1420 Wynt. viii. 5532.
The mwne … As it passis betwix oure sycht, … [of] the swne lattis ws the lycht(6) absol. 1551 Prot. Bk. W. Corbet (S.R.S.) 14.
The said James come … to laye furth tham at was thair … ; Na man was thair to lat c1650 Spalding I. 60.
That he … sould be harmles and skaithles … of his lordschip … and of the said brokin men in sua far as he micht stop or lat

2. a. To forbear to do something. b. absol. To leave off, desist.a. c1475 Wall. vi. 37.
Ȝeit hyr to luff I will nocht lat forthy 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 50.
On ladronis for to loip ȝe wyll nocht latb. c1475 Wall. iv. 65.
I sall … nothir latt for pes na ȝour plesance c1420 Wynt. viii. 6740 (C).
The Frenche men … faucht out fersly as before, And lattit nocht for thi the more