lyam, lyme Obs. exc. Hist. and dial.
(ˈlaɪəm, laɪm)
Forms: 4–6 lyame, 5 lyeme, ? 5, 7 lym, 6 lyalme, lyemme, 6–7 lyome, lime, 6–9 leam, liam, 7 leame, leon, 7, 9 lyme, 5– lyam.
[a. OF. liem (mod.F. lien) = Pr. liam-s, Cat. lligam, Pg. ligame, It. legame:—L. ligāmen, f. ligāre to tie, bind. Cf. lien.]
1. A leash for hounds.
| c 1400 Parlt. Thre Ages (text A) 38 My lyame than full lightly lete I doun falle. Ibid. 61, I hyede to my hounde and hent hym vp sone And louset my lyame and let hym vmbycaste. 1481–90 Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 287 My Lord paied to Mason for lyemes for his howndes..xxd. 1501 Douglas Pal. Hon. i. 297 Of goldin cord wer lyamis, and the stringis Festinnit coniunct in massie goldin ringis. 1528 MS. List of Jewelry (P.R.O.), ij doggs collers of scoolewerk with lyalmes sylk and gold. 1541 Knaresboro' Wills (Surtees) I. 81 note, One cople of houndes and ther lyomes. 1570 J. Caius De Canibus Brit. 11 b, Nam Lyemme nostra lingua Lorum significat. ? c 1600 Distracted Emp. v. iv. in Bullen O. Pl. III. 255 Enter Eudon & Busse, leading in twoe lymes Byrtha & a Spaniell. 1611 Cotgr., Traict,..a lime, or line wherin a Bloud-hound is led. 1612 Webster White Devil B iij, Let her not go to Church, but like a hounde In Leon at your heeles. 1686 R. Blome Gentl. Recr. ii. 82 A Hound will draw better when he is held short, than if he were let at the length of the Liam. 1829 Scott Wav. 2nd App. to Gen. Pref. iv, A large blood⁓hound tied in a leam or band. 1876 Whitby Gloss., Leam, a leash or thong. 1897 Madden Diary W. Silence 23 The huntsman then held him [the bloodhound] short, pulling in the liam. 1898 Pall Mall Mag. Oct. 164 The second illustration shows the huntsmen with their hounds on the lyam seeking for deer. |
b. Her. The representation of a lyam or leash.
| 1572 J. Bossewell Armorie ii. 43 A Lyon Couchante, & three Lyams in chefe d'argent. 1634 [see lyam-hound c]. |
c. Comb.: lyam-dog = lyam-hound.
| 1805 Scott Last Minstr. vi. vii, Stout Conrade, cold..Was by a woodman's lyme-dog found. |
2. Short for lyam-hound.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans F vj b, A Sute of a lyam. 1605 Shakes. Lear iii. vi. 72 Mastiffe, Grey-hound, Mongrill, Grim, Hound or Spaniell, Brache, or Lym [1st Fo. Hym]. |