▪ I. † ˈleger, n.1 Obs.
Also legier, lieger.
‘A cant term for a Londoner who formerly bought coals of the country colliers at so much a sack, and made his chief profit by using smaller sacks, making pretence he was a country collier’ (Nares). Hence † ˈlegering vbl. n.
| 1591 Greene Disc. Coosnage (1592) D 2 b, The Law of Legering which is a deceit that Colliars abuse the Commonwealth withall, in hauing vnlawfull sacks. Ibid., The Leger, the craftie Collier I mean. Ibid., He carryeth the countrey colliar home to his legering place, and there at the back gate causeth him to vnloade, and, as they say, shoot the coles down. 1592 ― Uspt. Courtier E iij b, I am..a Collier of Croyden, and one sir that haue solde many a manne a false sacke of coales... Indeede I haue beene a Lieger in my tyme in London, and haue played many madde pranckes, for which cause..the Pillory hath eaten off both my eares. |
▪ II. † ˈleger, a. Obs.
Also 6 lieger, lyger, 7 leagar.
[a. F. léger (= Sp. ligero, Pg. ligeiro, It. leggiero):—popular L. type *leviārius, f. levis light.]
Light, not heavy; slight, trifling. Also, nimble. Hence ˈlegerly adv.
| 1481–90 Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 425 Item, my Lord payde to the armerer of Flaunderes apon his leger harnes vjs. viijd. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon cxi. 382 Huon, who was lyger and light, lept by the syde of the serpent and gaue hym a great stroke. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Agilis, nimble, light, lieger, quicke, quiuer. Ibid., Agiliter, nymbly, lightly, liegerly, quiuerly. 1598 Dallington Meth. Trav. G iv b, By his Physiognomy ye would iudge him leger and inconstant. |
▪ III. leger
obs. form of ledger.