▪ I. laic, a. and n.
(ˈleɪɪk)
Forms: 6–7 laik(e, (7 laycke), 7–8 layick(e, 7–9 laick(e, 6– laic.
[ad. late L. lāicus, Gr. λᾱ{giuml}κός, f. λᾱός the people. Cf. OF. laic, laique.]
A. adj. Of or pertaining to a layman or the laity; non-clerical, secular, temporal; = lay a.
| 1562 Winȝet (title) The last Blast of the Trompet of Godis worde..Put furth..At the desyre of ye inferiour ordoure of Clergie, and laic men. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. i. 105 marg., Thrie ordouris of the Realme, Ecclesiastik, Nobilitie, and the laik sorte. 1626 Meade in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 220 It understands the King not to be merely laic, but a mixed person. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 86 A well voiced boy from the..top of their Churches sings Eulogies to Mahomet..and then each Laycke Pagan fals to devotion. 1662 J. Bargrave Pope Alex. VII (1867) 38 To avoid the appearance at a laic King's court. 1736 Chandler Hist. Persec. 10 The prosecution [of Socrates] was truly laick. 1821 Lamb Elia Ser. i. Imperf. Sympathies, A kind of secondary or laic-truth is tolerated, where clergy-truth—oath-truth, by the nature of the circumstances, is not required. 1861 Tulloch Eng. Purit. ii. 291 The common life, clerical and laic, is of a very coarse kind. |
B. n. One of the laity; a layman or lay person; one who is not an ecclesiastic.
| 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. x. 297 He sendis messingeris..with the fyre crose in thair handes,..sulde shaw it out to al man baith laikis and kirkmen. 1609 Bp. Hall Disswas. fr. Poperie Wks. (1627) 642 How wretchedly and fearefully must their poore layicks needs die! 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 167 If he be a Laick, he shall be excommunicated from every Christian thing. 1739 J. Trapp Right. overmuch 10 For unletter'd Laics to take upon them to expound or interpret the Scriptures. 1787 Sir J. Hawkins Johnson 261 The clergyman was now become an amphibious being, that is to say, both an ecclesiastic and a laic. 1823 Lingard Hist. Eng. VI. 245 A committee of thirty-two members, half laics and half clergymen. 1847 Bushnell Chr. Nurt. iv. (1861) 114 No person, whether laic or priest. 1884 Tennyson Becket i. i, Laics and barons, thro' The random gifts of careless kings, have graspt Her livings. |
▪ II. laic
variant of lake n.2 Obs., play.