Lack, vb. to belittle, blame, reproach, despise. Mont., M.P., 43, 17; R.R., 3242; 3517; Gau., 17, 25. O. N. hlakka, to look down upon, O. Dan. lakke, to slander, O. Sw. belacka, id. See lak, sb.
Laiching, sb. sport, play. R.R., 647. From Sco. vb. laike, to play, O. N. læika. See lak.
Laif, lave, sb. the rest. O. N. læif, a leaving, pl. læifar, remnants, Norse leiv, id., løyva, to leave. Cannot come from O. E. lāf. See § 20.
Laigh, adj. low. Ramsay, II, 20; Mansie Wauch, 106, 23. Same as Eng. low, from O. N. lágr, O. Sw. lagher, O. Dan. lagh, lag, low. In Eng., O. N. ag > ǫw > ow. In Scotland ag > aw, did not become ow later. So the regular Sco. form is law, or, with guttural, lawch. In laigh, however, a has developed as a would when not before g or h. The form logh also occurs. In Dunbar occur low, law, laich, and loigh.
Laigh, vb. to bend down, to kneel. Psalms XCV, 6. See laigh, adj.
Laike, sb. the stake for which one plays. Montg., C., I, 109. O. N. læikr, a play, Norse leik, O. Dan. legh. Also means play in Sco., but the transferred meaning is common. It cannot come from O. E. lāc. The e-vowel in Cu., Westm., and S. Scotland proves an original æi-diphthong. See Part I, § 16.
Lairet, adj. bemired. Psalms LXIX, 2. Norse læir, clay. Dan. dial. ler, O. Sw. leer, ler, id., Eng. dial. lair. See Wall. Jamieson gives lair, vb. to stick in the mire, lair, sb. a bog, lairy, adj. boggy.
Lairing, sb. gutter, deep mud. Burns, 10, 11. O. N. læir, clay. Same as Yorkshire lyring, for which see Wall. Lyring seems to show original E. Scan. monophthongation of æi to e.
Lait, sb. manner, trick. R.R., 273, 25, 36. O. N., Ic. lát, manners, skipta lítum ok látum, change shape and manners. O. Sw. lat, manner, way of proceeding. Cp. O. N. láta-læti, dissimulation, látbragð, gestures, and Dan. lade, to dissimulate, pretend. Norse lata, id. Probably related to O. N. lát.
Layking, sb. jousting, a tournament. Wyntoun, VIII, 35. See laik.