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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LESE, v. Also leise, leize, laese. Gen. in pa.p. [li:z]

1. To hurt, harm, impair, injure, esp. in medical usage. Hence lesion, a morbid change in an organ of the body, in gen. medical use.Sc. 1721 A Man and his Mare 14:
Since it is sure his Head is lesed, And he with strange Chimera's pleased.Sc. 1724 Philosoph. Trans. XXXIII. 12:
The Elasticity of these laesed Parts was … impair'd.Sc. 1744 Medical Essays V. ii. 483:
Tho' it be essentially lesed, yet the Hurt was at first propagated to it from some other Part.

2. In a legal sense: to cause loss or damage to, to injure one in regard to his interest, property, reputation or the like.Sc. 1702 Fountainhall Decisions II. 168:
James Murray thinking himself lesed by this interlocutor, raises advocation on the head of iniquity.Wgt. 1717 Session Bk. Wigtown (1934) 216:
If he thought himself laesed by being called before them he had free liberty to appeal.Sc. a.1737 Major Fraser's MS. (Fergusson 1889) II. 121:
The oversman found the Major to be the party lesed.Sc. 1757 Caled. Mercury (11 Feb.):
The Corporation of Baxters have dissented from the Assize Table of Bread herein published by the Honourable the Magistrates of this City, judging Themselves lesed, and their Manufacture of fine Bread discredited thereby.Rxb. 1939 F. Drake-Carnell It's an old Sc. Custom 66:
[From the Proclamation at Hawick Common Riding]: — If any nobleman, gentleman or others, having lands lying contiguous or adjacent to the said Commonty, shall find themselves leized or prejudiced in any sort by this day's marching, they are hereby required to state their objections thereto to the Provost, Bailies and Council of the said Burgh.

3. Comb. and deriv.: (1) lese-majesty, the crime of treason. The term derives from Civil Law and was freq. in O.Sc., appearing in Eng. in the 18th c. (see etym. note); (2) lesion, Sc. Law: damage or injury to the interests of a person, esp. one not of full legal capacity (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 219, 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 50). Phrs. enorm lesion, see Enorm; minority and lesion, see 1927 quot.(1) Abd. 1857 G. Macdonald Songs (1893) 42:
I snowk leise-majesty, my man!(2) Sc. 1709 Earls Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 99:
I had the misfortune that my little interest would have a lesion by it.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute iv. i. § 27:
Where lesion in the deed and facility in the granter concur, the most slender circumstances of fraud or circumvention are sufficient to set it aside.Sc. 1887 G. Outram Legal Lyrics 160:
'Tis only Henry Bell's Decision 'Tis not too late to advocate, And avoid this enormous lesion.Sc. 1927 Gloag and Henderson Intro. Law Scot. 47:
The ground on which contracts by a minor may be avoided are minority and lesion. The nature of the proof of lesion depends upon the character of the contract.