Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Leper, n.¹ Also: lepir(e, -yr(e, -are, lepre, leipare. [ME. and e.m.E. lepre (c 1250), leper (14th c.), e.m.E. leaper (1565), OF. lepre, liepre, L. lepra. The commoner Sc. form is lipper, liper, s.v. Lipper n.¹] Leprosy. Also fig. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 522.
To sere halt he gaf fet & vthyr of lepyre he can bet Ib. xli. 341.
Constancia … Of foule lepre wes strikine 14.. Acts I. 32/2.
Of smyttyn leper in burgh [L. De percussis lepra in burgo] Ib.
Gif ony that duellis in the kyngis burgh … be fallyn in lepyr that is callit mysal c1420 Wynt. v. 2833.
Off thi lepyr [W. lepire] swa thow sall The hele rycht wele recovyr all Ib. 3049.
[He] in to the lepyr [W. in to lepare] felle 1490 Acta Conc. I. 124/1.
Johne Ȝoung infect with lepir to quham the said spittale land pertenis 1528 Carnwath Baron Ct. 73.
To the inqueist scab vayth & leipare for pykre & the presentis of heid court 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 396.
He apperit to thair sicht full of lepre and maist horribill creature in erde a1538 Abell 98 b.
Robert of infeccioun in a kind of lepir he deitfig. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 36/9.
Be the admixtioun of certane lepre, he defylit al his labouris 1588 King Cat. 90.
Nocht to iudge of the lepre of the body bot of the saull