pl. Forms: 2–3 lihte, 4 liȝtes, 4–6 lightes, -is, -ys, 6 lyght(e)s, Sc. lichtis, lychtis, -es, 6–7 lites, 6– lights. [Subst. use of LIGHT a.1
The word LUNG has the same etymological meaning, the lungs being distinguished from the other internal parts by their lightness.]
The lungs. Now only applied to the lungs of beasts (sheep, pigs, bullocks), used as food (chiefly for cats and dogs).
a. 1200[?]. Homily, in Phillipps, Fragm. Ælfric’s Gramm., &c. (1838), 6. Þine þermes … lifre & þine lihte.
c. 1205. Lay., 6499. Þat deor … ræsde o þene stede, and for-bat him þa breste … þat þa lihte [c. 1275 longene] and þa liuere feollen on eorðen.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 498. Þe left schulder ȝaf he, Wiþ hert, liuer and liȝtes And blod tille his quirre.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 10705. With a big arow he Rut þurgh his rybbes … Betwene the lyuer & the lightes launchit hym þurghe.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxxi. 131. Then wofully sich wightys Shall gnawe thise gay knyghtys, Thare lunges and thare lightys.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. xi. 80. So deip the grundin steyll heyd owt of sycht is, Ful hait and warm it festnyt in his lychtis.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, VI. xli. 711. Bitter Almondes doo open the stopping of the lunges or lightes.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. iii. 26. As if his lungs and lites were nigh asunder brast.
1665. Wood, Life, 12 May. The lights of a bullock or yong oxe.
1671. Salmon, Syn. Med., I. xliii. 94. The Difficulty of Breathing shews the Lights [to be affected].
1797. Lond. Art Cookery, 133. To dress a Calf’s Pluck. Boil the lights and part of the liver.
1835. Marryat, Jac. Faithf., xli. It is a piece of lights reserved for the dinner of the cat to-morrow.
1873. E. Smith, Foods, 79. The lungs, or as they are vulgarly termed lights, are eaten as a part of the pluck or fry.
