† ˈlewty, ˈlawty Chiefly Sc. Obs.
Forms: α. 4 leute(e, lewete, leautee, 4–5 leaute, 4–6 lewte(e, 5 lewted, leutye. β. Sc. (4 leawte), 4–6 lawte, lawty, laute, 5 lauta, lawta, 5–6 lawtie, 6 lautie, lawtay, 7–8 lata, 8 lawtith, lateth.
[a. AF. leuté, lewté, F. leaute, lealte, lealted, mod.F. loyauté (= Pr. leyaltat, leiautat, lealtat, Sp. lealted, It. lealtà):—med.L. lēgālitāt-em: see legality; cf. loyalty, lealty.]
Fidelity, loyalty. Often in phr. by or for my, thy (etc.) lewty.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 1655 (Gött.) Ȝe eyth, for ȝour treu leute Alone i haue granted mi gre. Ibid. 12252 (Gött.) Queþen he come..I ne wate, be mi laute. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 1743 Gode man..for thi leute, What is thi name, telle thou me. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 364 Larg and luffand als wes he, And our all thing luffyt lawte. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 144 Thay brake the lewted that Stablid was to Profite of mann and hele. 1460 Lybeaus Disc. 1940, I woll yelde me, In trewthe and lewte, At thyn owene wylle. c 1470 Henry Wallace viii. 11 Fra this tyme furth kepe lawta till our croune. c 1510 Gest R. Hode iii. in Arb. Garner VI. 438 ‘Now God so me help!’ said Little John, ‘And be my true lewte!’ 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 116 Ȝone on the leid that lawtie hes forlorne. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 354 Upoun our lautie, fidelitie, and honour. 1670 Ray Prov. 286 Lata is lang and tedious. 1721 Kelly Sc. Prov. 230 Lata is long and dwigh [read dreigh]. 1728 Ramsay Step-daughter ii, She neither has lawtith [ed. 9 lateth] nor shame. |