Leden

Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 léden, lǽden, lýden, léoden, 3–4 leoden, ledene, 2–6 leden, 4–5 ledne, 4 ledone, lidene, ledyn, lyd(e)ne, ludene, 4–7 ledden, 5 lydyn, 7 leaden, 7, 9 lidden. See also LEED¹. [OE. lǽden, repr. a Celtic or early Romanic pronunciation of L. Latīnum LATIN, was confused with the native léden, lýden, léoden language, f. léode people, LEDE. (For the etymological sense cf. ʓeðéod language, f. ðéod people.). The confusion seems to have originated with the compound bóc-léden ‘book-language’ (see BOC-LEDEN), which was fashioned by popular etymology as a more intelligible synonym for lǽden.]

  † 1.  Latin. (See also BOC-LEDEN.) Only OE.

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., Pref. 3. Of Lædene on Englisc areccean.

c. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., V. xx. (1891), 466. And Leden him wæs swa cuð & swa ʓemimor swa swa Englisc.

c. 1050.  Byrhtferth’s Handboc, in Anglia, VIII. 321. Enchiridion þæt ys manualis on lyden.

  † 2.  The language of a nation, people or race; a ‘tongue.’ Obs.

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., III. 110. Þæt ys on ure leodene hneccan sar.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 141. Hie is ihaten … englene quen marie þat is on ure ledene se-steorre.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 130. Vor al so muchel seið þis word Dauid, on Ebreuwische leodene, as strong toȝein þe ueond.

  † b.  The speech or utterance of a person or class of persons; form of speech; way of speaking. (Cf. LEED¹ b.) Obs.

c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 32. No monnes mouþ ne be i-dut, Ne his ledene i-hud.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 782. Þan hee meeues too hur mouthe & makes his lidene.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 253. Though he crye to Cryst … I leue His ledne be in owre lordes ere lyke a pyes chiteryng.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 13276. The songe of þo Syrens was selly to here! With a ledyn full lusty & likyng with-all.

1595.  Spenser, Col. Clout, 746. Those that do to Cynthia expound The ledden of straunge languages in charge. Ibid. (1596), F. Q., IV. xi. 19. He was expert in prophecies, And could the ledden of the Gods vnfold.

  † c.  poet. Applied to the ‘language’ of birds. Obs.

1340–70.  Alisaunder, 601. Þe ludene of þat language [sc. of birds] lelli þei knowe.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 427. She vnderstood wel euery thyng That any fowel may in his leden seyn.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XV. 186. Þe larke, þat is a lasse fowel is loueloker of lydene.

c. 1425.  Seven Sag. (P.), 3238. And that wyt God hym gafe, That on fouls lydyn he couthe.

1600.  Fairfax, Tasso, XVI. xiii. 283. A woondrous bird … That in plaine speech sung … Her leden was like humaine language trew.

1612.  Drayton, Poly-olb., xii. 503. The ledden of the birds most perfectly shee knew.

  d.  dial. Noise, chatter.

1674.  Ray, N. C. Words, 29. A Leaden or Lidden; a Noise or Din.

1865.  R. Hunt, Pop. Rom. W. Eng., Ser. II. 245. Hark to his lidden. Listen to his word or talk.