| 释义 |
▪ I. leath, n. Obs. exc. dial.|liːθ|
Forms: 2–3 leð, leoð, lioþ, 3–4 leþe, 3–5 leth, (? 3– 4 lyth, 5 letht), 7 lathe, 7– leath.
[Early ME. leð, of obscure origin; not connected with lithe a. Usually regarded as equivalent to the n. from which are derived Ger. and Du. ledig unoccupied, also (with negative prefix) MDu. onlede trouble. Cf. also lethe a.]
1. Cessation, intermission, rest. † a leoð gān (early ME.): to make peace.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 35 Swilche pine ic habbe þet me were leofere þenne al world..most ic habben an alpi þraȝe summe lisse and summe leðe. c1205Lay. 9504 Ȝif he wule a leoð gan [c 1275 pais makie] & halden me for lauerd. c1250Gen. & Ex. 3348 Wið ðis mete weren he fed, fowerti winter vten leð. a1300Cursor M. 23260 Of helle pines..firen bandes es þe nind, þat al þair limes ar bunden wit, witvten leth of ani lith. a1400–50Alexander 4593 Þa þat lepros ere & lame, þat neuire of leth knewe. c1460Towneley Myst. xxi. 142 Oone worde myght thou speke ethe, yit myght it do the som letht. 1674Ray N.C. Words 29 Lathe, ease or rest. Ibid., Leath, ceasing, intermission: as no Leath of pain.
2. Mining. A soft part in a vein.
1747Hooson Miner's Dict., Blanch, a piece of Ore grown in the hard Rock, or in hard Sparr or Tuft, or any other hard Stuff, without any Softness of Leath at all about it. Ibid., Leath. In hard Works it is any Joynt, or softness that gives some Liberty and Advantage, for the better freeing the harder Part, in order to Cut or Blast it.
▪ II. leath, v. Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 2 leðien, 3 leoðien, 4 leþ(e, 6, 8–9 dial. lathe, 8–9 leath(e, leeth.
[ME. leþien, f. leþ leath n.]
1. trans. To mitigate, soften, relax.
c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 71 Alse wat swo þe man his sinne sore bimurneð ure drihten leðeð þe sinne bendes, and blisseð swo þe soule. c1205Lay. 21922 Leoðe [c 1275 slake] vre benden. c1325Metr. Hom. 86 Goddes graz..conforted him..And lethed his soru and his kare. 13..E.E. Allit. P. C. 13 Suffraunce may aswagend hem & þe swelme leþe. 1796Marshall Yorks. II. 330 Leathe, to relax; as a cow when near calving. 1868Atkinson Cleveland Gloss. 310 Leathe, to soften, to render that which is rigid more or less soft and pliant.
†2. intr. To cease, abate. Obs.
1205Lay. 12042 Þat weder leoðede. c1340Cursor M. 5572 (Fairf.) Of his wikkenes walde he noȝt leþ. 13..St. Erkenwolde 347 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 274 Þe ay-lastand life, þat lethe shalle neuer. 13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 377 Now I hit se, now leþez my loþe. Ibid. B. 648 Er þy lyuez lyȝt leþe vpon erþe..schal Sare consayue & a sun bere.
Hence ˈleathing vbl. n.
a1300Cursor M. 7438 Ai quen [saul] was trauaild mast..And [dauid] bigan to gleu or sing, Of his vn-ro he tok lething. 1535Stewart Cron. Scot. (1858) I. 219 The king of Pechtis, into siclike number, Than haistilie come ouir the watter of Humber, Without lathen, that tyme he wes not lidder; Syne in ane feild tha lichtit all togidder. Ibid. 401 Without lathin he maid no langar lat. |