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.
Leper, a. and n.2 Also: lepyre, -ar, -or, lepre; leapir, -ar, -our. [ME. and e.m.E. leper (1387), lepre (1388), e.m.E. leaper (1593), leeper (1603); perh. originating as an attrib. use of Leper,n.1, as in Leper folk, Man. Cf. also the much more common Sc. Lipper.]
1. adj. Leprous.The first quot. should perh. be taken as Leper n.1 a1400 Leg. S. xii. 383.
To blynd he gaf the sycht, & alkine lepyre [L. leprosos] heylyt thane 1573 Glasgow B. Rec. I. i.
[Four people] dilatit as lepir c1590 Fowler I. 386/259.
My luringe face they leaper made
2. noun. A leprous person, a leper. 1456 Hay I. 102/9.
Gezacy, the quhilk for a fault that he maid of symony, all his lignee was leprez 1606 Dundonald Par. Rec. 123.
Katrene Neill, leapir in Caprintoun 1622-6 Bisset II. 354/25.
The leparis thow clangeth 1664 Irving Dumbartonsh. II. 330.
Discharges all persons … who are frie of leapouris to have or frequent the companie of the leaparis … except in relatione to thair charity to be given them
b. attrib. Also Leper-hous. 1656 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 330.
To set the yaird in Gorballis belonging to the lepor hospitall thair
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"Leper adj., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/leper_adj_n>
