▪ I. leam, n.1 Now Sc. and north. dial.
(liːm)
Forms: 1 léoma, 2 lome, 3–4 leome, lem, 3–6 (9) leme, (4 leom, lewme, lime, lym, Sc. leyme), 4–5 leem, (5 leeme, Sc. leime), 4, 6–7 leame, 6– leam.
[OE. léoma str. masc. = OS. liomo, ON. lióme:—OTeut. *leuhmon-, f. *leuh- (see light n.).]
Light, flame; a flash, ray, or gleam of light; brightness, gleam. Also fig.
| Beowulf 1517 (Gr.) Fyrleoht ᵹeseah, blacne leoman beorhte scinan. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 77 He him alse þe sunne streonþ þe lome þet ho spret in to al þis wide worlde. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 107 Leomene fader we clepeð ure drihten for þan þe he sunne atend. a 1240 Ureisun in Cott. Hom. 183 Ihesu mi leof, mi lif, mi leome. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 3180 Out of þe dragons mouþe tueye leomes þer stode þere. a 1300 Cursor M. 17344 Ne nankins leme [Fairf. lym] o dais light. 1375 Barbour Bruce xi. 191 All the felde ves in ane leyme Vith baneris richt freschly flawmand. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1861 Were þou he by þys leem sone þow scholdest dye. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 279 Of þe welle of þat place he hadde þe leme of byleve [L. credendi flammam]. 1388 Wyclif Bible, Pref. Ep. vi, Now newe kyn cometh fre, from an hiȝ, fro heuinli lewmes. c 1400 St. Alexius (Laud 463) 439 Out of his mouþ þer stoed a leom. 1450–70 Golagros & Gaw. 1254 With grete lightis on loft, that gaif grete leime. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 1096 A sterne of fulle grete leeme. 1503 Dunbar Thistle & Rose 21 All the houss illumynit of hir lemys. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. i, A bright leme of a torche. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 172 Glorious with the leames of learning. 1600 Holland Livy xl. lviii. 1094 Blasted with leames of lightning that dazzeled their eie-sight. 1668 Wilkins Real Char. ii. iii. §1. 57 Flame, Blaze, Coruscation, Flash, Leam, Lightfire. 1724 Ramsay Wyfe of Auchtermuchty x, The leam up throu the lum did flow. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake, Kilmeny (1814) 172 When the ingle lowed with an eiry leme. 1895 Crockett Men of Moss Hags 160 The flickering leme of pale lightning. |
▪ II. leam, n.2 dial.
(liːm)
A drain or watercourse in fen districts.
| 1601 F. Godwin Bps. of Eng. 221 Ye new leame that he [Bp. Morton] caused to be made for more conuenient cariage to his towne..many complaine that the course of the riuer Nene into the sea by Clowcrosse is very much hindred thereby. 1646 Buck Rich. III, 53 Doctor Morton for his private commodity..brought certain Leames or bigger ditches to his owne grounds about Wisbitch. 1861 Smiles Engineers I. 67 Many droves, leams, eaus, and drains were cut. 1881 Times 13 Jan. 9/4 The existing ‘cuts’ or ‘leams’ cease to fulfil their functions..by a gradual alteration in their own beds. |
▪ III. leam, n.3 dial.
Also limb.
The husk of a nut.
| 1854 A. E. Baker Northamptonsh. Gloss. s.v., ‘Will you buy them in, or out of the limbs’ is a frequent inquiry in our nut-market. Mod. (Northants.) The boy stained his fingers with walnut leams. |
▪ IV. leam, v.1 Now Sc. and north. dial.
(liːm)
Forms: 3– as in leam n.1: also 4 lume.
[f. the n. Cf. ON. ljóma, also OE. ᵹeléomod having rays (of a comet), Saxon Leechd. III. 272.]
intr. To shine, gleam; to light up.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8197 On þe morn, quen dai suld lem. c 1310 in Wright Lyric P. 25 Ase jaspe the gentil that lemeth with lyht. Ibid. 52 Hire lure lumes liht, Ase a launterne a nyht. c 1330 King of Tars 162 Alle the feldes feor and neer Of helmes leomede lihte. c 1400 Destr. Troy 699 A triet Image..of true golde..With light that was louely lemyng þer-in. c 1420 Avow. Arth. lxv, There come fliand a gunne, And lemet as the leuyn. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 326 The lyft lemit vp beliue, and licht was the day. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (1858) III. 232 With birneis bricht, Lyke ony lanterne lemit all of licht. 1575 Mirr. Mag., Elstride xxxv, And when she spake, her eyes did leame as fire. 17.. Dame Oliphant xxiv. in Child Ballads (1886) II. 410/1 He carried the match in his pocket That kindled to her the fire..That leamd oer Lincolnshire. 1768 Ross Helenore (1789) 55 Now by this time, the sun begins to leam. a 1878 H. Ainslie Pilgrim. Land of Burns, etc. (1892) 240 There leem'd a light frae yon high tower. |
▪ V. leam, v.2 dial.
Also 8 leem.
[Belongs to leam n.3]
a. trans. To free nuts from their husks.
| 1788 W. Marshall Yorksh. II. 339 Leem. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. s.v. Benjie, The wud sae gay, whar mony a day I leamed nits wi' thee. Mod. (Northants). He has been leaming walnuts for the gardener. |
b. intr. Of nuts: To separate easily from the husk.
| 1846 Brockett N.C Words, It leams well. |
▪ VI. leam
obs. var. lyam; Sc. form of loam.