▪ I. lakin1 Obs. exc. dial.
(ˈleɪkɪn)
Also 5 lakan, lakayn, 5–6 laykin, -yn, 8 laken, laking, 9 (in glossaries) lairkin.
[app. connected with lake v.1; cf. ON. leika plaything.]
A plaything, toy; in quots. 1440, 1460 said of a baby.
Bp. Kennet (c 1700), quoted in Promp. Parv., gives ‘Leikin, a sweetheart. Northumb.’
| c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxxii. 123 (Harl. MS.) He putt vp in his bosom þes iij. lakayns. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xiii. 242 Ilk yere that commys to man She bryngys furth a lakan. 1570 Levins Manip. 134/5 A Laykin, babie, crepundia. 1790 Grose Prov. Gloss. (ed. 2) Suppl., Lakings, playthings for children. North. 1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. (1821) 87, I brout her a Lunnon laken, a conny bab. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Lairkins, children's toys; trinkets in general. |
▪ II. † lakin2 Obs.
Also 5, 7 laken, 6 lakens. See also byrlakin.
[Contracted f. lady + -kin; cf. bodikins, pittikins.]
Only in by (our) lakin, a trivial form of by Our Lady.
| 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) ii. xii. 121/2 Some [swere] by laken, some by our lady. 1533 More Apol. iv. Wks. 849/2 By our lakens brother husband..yet woulde I rather abyde the perill of breding wormes in my bely. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iii. iii. 1 By'r lakin, I can goe no further, Sir, My old bones akes. 1616 [W. Haughton] English-men for my Money C 4, Bir laken sirs, I thinks tis one a clocke. a 1625 [see byrlakin]. |