Middle English Dictionary Entry
laughter n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | laughter n.(2) Also lacthere, leahtre, leahtor, lehter, leihter. Pl. lahtres, -æs, leahtres, -as, lehtres, læhtræs & (dat.pl.) leahtræn, leahtrum. |
| Etymology | OE; cp. WS leahter, later lehter. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A vice; propensity to evil, moral weakness; sin; offense, misdeed; hed ~ [see hed 5b. (a)].
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)46/1 : Þurh ðet festen beoð þa læhtræs astræhte & þet flæsc bið ieadmet.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)56/27 : Fæsten aclænsiȝe þæs monnes heortan..& hit amyldæþ ða lahtræs & hit awæcð þa halȝan mæȝnu.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)64/4 : Ælc þare monnæ þe mismaky his lif, & on fulum leahtræn lið unȝeleaffullice, his mod is ablend swylc he blind ȝeboren beo.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)76/5 : Ne lufe þu þis lif, þæt ðu on leahtrum wuniȝe & þine sawle forleose on þe soðe life.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)110/1 : Ure Drihten..us munæð..þæt we us warniæn wið synne..& þisses manfullen middaneardes læhtræs forlæten.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)225 : Þa..were swiðe manege on yfele awende and ȝegremeden god mid mistlicum leahtrum and swiðost mid forliȝere.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)243 : In þes deofles heriscole fihteð agen us his iferred ȝewerged gastes and unþeawes and unwraste lahtres.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)137 : Hoc animi morbo laborat fere omnis homo, and þesne lehter habbeð mest hwet alle men ðe ȝefeð heore elmesse..for hereword to habbene.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)29 : Ðre þing beð þat mankin heuieð: On is þe selue lust, oðer is iuel lehtres, Ðe þridde flesliche lustes; and þese two, þe ben leihter and lust, uulsteð þe þridde þat is þe flesliche lust.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)55 : Quod eciam dicitur ciuitas quod uicia habitant in eo..þe lichame is cleped burh, for þat þe fele lehtres and fule lastes wunen þeronne.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)79 : He lichamliche lustes and ðe fule lehtres him holden bunden on here þralshipe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)209 : Þe deuel is cleped..hunte for þan þe he..cunneð te bringen us on liðere lahtres, þe beð his grunen.
2.
An infection; injury; disease.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)68.4/3 : Wið cancre & wið wundela ȝenim ðas ylcan wirt..heo þanne leahtre ȝehalan mæȝ.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)83.27/4 : Eac heo afeormað þane leahtor ða grecas hostopituras hætað, þat is, scurf þas heafdes.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)99.63/3 : Wið leahtres þæs muðes, [etc.].
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)133.133/2 : Wið missenlice leahtras þæs bæcþearmes, þa radagas hateð..cnuca þisse wyrt leaf & to clyþan ȝemencgede.
- a1300(OE) Deed Crediton (CotR 2.11)116 : And eft hich buswide to rome mire lacthere to bote.