Forms: 1 lá, 2–4 la, 3–4 lou, low, 4 lowe, 4–6 loo, 6 loa, 6–7 loe, 3– lo. Also 3–4 (as if imperative pl.) los. See also LEW int. [The evidence of rhymes in ME. poetry shows that the spelling lo or loo represents two distinct words. (1) ME. lǭ:—OE. lá, an exclamation indicating surprise, grief, or joy, and also used (like O!) with vocatives. (2) ME. lo with close ō, prob. a shortened form of lōke (OE. lóca), imperative of LOOK v.; cf. ME. and mod. dial. ta for take, ma for make, also the mod. dial. loo’ thee = ‘look you.’ The los of the Cursor M., used in addressing a multitude, seems to be imper. pl. The peculiar early ME. forms lou, low(e may stand for lo we = ‘look we.’ The present pronunciation (lōu) would normally represent OE. lá, but it may be a mere interpretation of the spelling, as the mod. lo corresponds functionally to the second of the two words, which should normally have become *loo (lū) in mod. Eng.]
† a. In early use, an interjection of vague meaning, corresponding approximately to the modern O! or Oh! (obs.). b. Used to direct attention to the presence or approach of something, or to what is about to be said; = Look! See! Behold!
Beowulf, 1700. Þæt la mæʓ secgan, se þe soð and riht fremeð on folce.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. iii. 7. He cwæð to him; La næddrena cyn [etc.].
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 89. Lahwet scal þis beon? Ibid. La hu ne beað þa þet here specað galileisce?
c. 1200. Ormin, 17964. Þiss blisse iss min la fuliwiss.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 2454. Low, þe ȝete of eche lif abit te al iopenet!
a. 1300. Cursor M., 16411. And sua it es, La god it wijt. Ibid., 16367. Pilat said, ‘los, her yur king!’
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 77. Lo, þe loomb of God: lo him þat takiþ awey the synnes of þis world.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XX. 4. Loo, here þe lettere … in latyn and in ebrew.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 399. Lo, maister, slike a myschefe!
c. 1425. Crafte of Nombryng (E.E.T.S.), 11. Þou schalle do way þe hier figure & write þere a cifer, as lo an Ensampull.
c. 1450. Merlin, 77. Open: lo, here the duke.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccliii. (1482), 325. Lo what a mariage was this as to the comparison of that other.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 574/1. When they suffer wrong, they cannot forgeue loe, and when men take away their goodes they be angry, so they be lo.
1562. A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), i. 53. For lymmer lawdis and litle lassis lo [rhymes scho, þrto, do] Will argun bayt wt bischop, preist, and freir.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 42. His dearest loue the faire Fidessa loe Is there possessed of the traytour vile.
1611. Bible, Haggai i. 9. Ye looked for much, and loe it came to litle.
1630. Prynne, Anti-Armin., 167. Loe here wee haue expresse mention of seuerall sorts of worlds.
1735. Berkeley, Free-think. in Math., § 34. Lo! This is what you call ‘so great, so unaccountable.’
1758. C. Wesley, Hymn, Lo! He comes with clouds descending.
1807. J. Barlow, Columb., III. 177. The prince drew near; where lo! an altar stood.
1859. FitzGerald, trans. Omar, vii. (1899), 71. The Bird of Time has but a little way To fly—and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.
