ˈleden Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 1 léden, lǽden, l{yacu}den, léoden, 3–4 leoden, ledene, 2–6 leden, 4–5 ledne, 4 ledone, lidene, ledyn, lyd(e)ne, ludene, 4–7 ledden, 5 lydyn, 7 leaden, 7, 9 lidden. See also leed1.
[OE. lǽden, repr. a Celtic or early Romanic pronunciation of L. Latīnum Latin, was confused with the native léden, l{yacu}den, léoden language, f. léode people, lede. (For the etymological sense cf. ᵹeðéod language, f. ðéod people.) The confusion seems to have originated with the compound bóc-léden ‘book-language’ (see boc-leden), which was fashioned by popular etymology as a more intelligible synonym for lǽden.]
† 1. Latin. (See also boc-leden.) Only OE.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. Pref. 3 Of Lædene on Englisc areccean. c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. v. xx. (1891) 466 And Leden him wæs swa cuð & swa ᵹemimor swa swa Englisc. c 1050 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia VIII. 321 Enchiridion þæt ys manualis on lyden. |
† 2. The language of a nation, people or race; a ‘tongue’. Obs.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 110 Þæt ys on ure leodene hneccan sar. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 141 Hie is ihaten..englene quen marie þat is on ure ledene se-steorre. a 1225 Ancr. R. 130 Vor al so muchel seið þis word Dauid, on Ebreuwische leodene, as strong toȝein þe ueond. |
† b. The speech or utterance of a person or class of persons; form of speech; way of speaking. (Cf. leed1 b.) Obs.
| c 1320 Cast. Love 32 No monnes mouþ ne be i-dut, Ne his ledene i-hud. c 1350 Will. Palerne 782 Þan hee meeues too hur mouthe & makes his lidene. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 253 Though he crye to Cryst..I leue His ledne be in owre lordes ere lyke a pyes chiteryng. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13276 The songe of þo Syrens was selly to here! With a ledyn full lusty & likyng with-all. 1595 Spenser Col. Clout 746 Those that do to Cynthia expound The ledden of straunge languages in charge. 1596 ― F.Q. iv. xi. 19 He was expert in prophecies, And could the ledden of the Gods vnfold. |
† c. poet. Applied to the ‘language’ of birds. Obs.
| 1340–70 Alisaunder 601 Þe ludene of þat language [sc. of birds] lelli þei knowe. c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 427 She vnderstood wel euery thyng That any fowel may in his leden seyn. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xv. 186 Þe larke, þat is a lasse fowel is loueloker of lydene. c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 3238 And that wyt God hym gafe, That on fouls lydyn he couthe. 1600 Fairfax Tasso xvi. xiii. 283 A woondrous bird..That in plaine speech sung..Her leden was like humaine language trew. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xii. 503 The ledden of the birds most perfectly shee knew. |
d. dial. Noise, chatter.
| 1674 Ray N.C. Words 29 A Leaden or Lidden; a Noise or Din. 1865 R. Hunt Pop. Rom. W. Eng. Ser. ii. 245 Hark to his lidden. Listen to his word or talk. |