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.
Quotation dates: 1776, 1847-1884
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†LICHTER, adj., v. [′lɪçtər]
I. adj. Of a woman: delivered (of a child) (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.). Also fig. Obs. in Eng. since 16th c.Sc. 1776 Lord Ingram in Child Ballads No. 66 C. xiv.:
Or is my Maisdrey lighter yet, A dear dochter or sun?Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 217:
"Your wife's lichter," quo' Fin. "Of a braw lad bairn," quo' Fin.Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms vii. 14:
He's made lighter o' a lie.Lnk. 1873 J. Hamilton Poems 89:
The lady was lichter — but she cou'dna bruck On the face o' her wee greetin' laddie to leuk.Ags. 1884 Brechin Advertiser (12 Feb.) 3:
The middle and lower classes could send their compliments to their friends with the message that "Mrs. So-and-So was lichter o' a laddie or a lassie bairn," as the case might be.
†II. v. 1. To unload (Sc. 1825 Jam.).
2. To make more light, raise, in comb. lighter-pin, in a quern: a stick inserted in a loop of twisted rope so as to raise or lower the upper stone (Ork. 1929 Marw.). See Lichten, v.2, 1.
3. To deliver a woman in childbirth (Abd. 1825 Jam.).
[Comp. of Licht, adj.2, 4. O.Sc. lichter, in sense I. from c.1420, in sense II. 3., from 1589. Cf. O.N. verða lettari, to become lighter, be delivered of a child.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Lichter adj., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/lichter>
