释义 |
▪ I. † ˈleger, n.1 Obs. Also legier, lieger. ‘A cant term for a Londoner who formerly bought coals of the country colliers at so much a sack, and made his chief profit by using smaller sacks, making pretence he was a country collier’ (Nares). Hence † ˈlegering vbl. n.
1591Greene Disc. Coosnage (1592) D 2 b, The Law of Legering which is a deceit that Colliars abuse the Commonwealth withall, in hauing vnlawfull sacks. Ibid., The Leger, the craftie Collier I mean. Ibid., He carryeth the countrey colliar home to his legering place, and there at the back gate causeth him to vnloade, and, as they say, shoot the coles down. 1592― Uspt. Courtier E iij b, I am..a Collier of Croyden, and one sir that haue solde many a manne a false sacke of coales... Indeede I haue beene a Lieger in my tyme in London, and haue played many madde pranckes, for which cause..the Pillory hath eaten off both my eares. ▪ II. † ˈleger, a. Obs. Also 6 lieger, lyger, 7 leagar. [a. F. léger (= Sp. ligero, Pg. ligeiro, It. leggiero):—popular L. type *leviārius, f. levis light.] Light, not heavy; slight, trifling. Also, nimble. Hence ˈlegerly adv.
1481–90Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 425 Item, my Lord payde to the armerer of Flaunderes apon his leger harnes vjs. viijd. a1533Ld. Berners Huon cxi. 382 Huon, who was lyger and light, lept by the syde of the serpent and gaue hym a great stroke. 1565Cooper Thesaurus, Agilis, nimble, light, lieger, quicke, quiuer. Ibid., Agiliter, nymbly, lightly, liegerly, quiuerly. 1598Dallington Meth. Trav. G iv b, By his Physiognomy ye would iudge him leger and inconstant. ▪ III. leger obs. form of ledger. |