Also 7 lum-, lime-, lymfad. [corruption of Gael. longfhada: see LANGFAD.] A one-masted galley propelled by oars. Now only Hist.; and Her. borne as a charge in the arms of some Scottish families.
1536. [see LANGFAD].
1608. in Burts Lett. N. Scotl. (1818), II. App. 238. Destroyit the haill gallayis, lumfaddis.
1641. Sc. Acts Chas. I. (1814). V. 442/1. The nomber of boittis, or Lymfadis within the pairtis of this kingdome lying opposite to Irland.
1814. Scott, Diary, 12 Aug. He [Earl of Orkney] bears the royal arms quarterly, with a lymphad or galley, the ancient arms of the county. Ibid. (1818), Rob Roy, xxix. Our loch neer saw the Campbell lymphads.
1864. Boutell, Her. Hist. & Pop., ix. 46. The Lymphad is borne by the Duke of Argyll and the Marquis of Abercorn.
1888. Sat. Rev., 25 Feb., 221. The MacDonalds can hardly go over in lymphads to Ulster and butcher another Shane ONeil.