Now Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 1 léoma, 2 lome, 3–4 leome, lem, 3–6 (9) leme, (4 leom, lewme, lime, lym, Sc. leyme), 4–5 leem, (5 leeme, Sc. leime), 4, 6–7 leame, 6– leam. [OE. léoma str. masc. = OS. liomo, ON. lióme:—OTeut. *leuhmon-, f. *leuh- (see LIGHT sb.).] Light, flame; a flash, ray, or gleam of light; brightness, gleam. Also fig.

1

Beowulf, 1517 (Gr.). Fyrleoht ʓeseah, blacne leoman beorhte scinan.

2

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 77. He him alse þe sunne streonþ þe lome þet ho spret in to al þis wide worlde.

3

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 107. Leomene fader we clepeð ure drihten for þan þe he sunne atend.

4

a. 1240.  Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 183. Ihesu mi leof, mi lif, mi leome.

5

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 3180. Out of þe dragons mouþe tueye leomes þer stode þere.

6

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 17344. Ne nankins leme [Fairf. lym] o dais light.

7

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XI. 191. All the felde ves in ane leyme Vith baneris richt freschly flawmand.

8

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 1861. Were þou he by þys leem sone þow scholdest dye.

9

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 279. Of þe welle of þat place he hadde þe leme of byleve [L. credendi flammam].

10

1388.  Wyclif, Bible, Pref. Ep., vi. Now newe kyn cometh fre, from an hiȝ, fro heuinli lewmes.

11

c. 1400.  St. Alexius (Laud 463), 439. Out of his mouþ þer stoed a leom.

12

1450–70.  Golagros & Gaw., 1254. With grete lightis on loft, that gaif grete leime.

13

c. 1450.  Mirour Saluacioun, 1096. A sterne of fulle grete leeme.

14

1508.  Dunbar, Thistle & Rose, 21. All the houss illumynit of hir lemys.

15

1531.  Elyot, Gov., I. i. A bright leme of a torche.

16

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 172. Glorious with the leames of learning.

17

1600.  Holland, Livy, XL. lviii. 1094. Blasted with leames of lightning that dazzeled their eie-sight.

18

1668.  Wilkins, Real Char., II. iii. § 1. 57. Flame, Blaze, Coruscation, Flash, Leam, Lightfire.

19

1724.  Ramsay, Wyfe of Auchtermuchty, x. The leam up throu the lum did flow.

20

1813.  Hogg, Queen’s Wake, Kilmeny (1814), 172. When the ingle lowed with an eiry leme.

21

1895.  Crockett, Men of Moss-Hags, 160. The flickering leme of pale lightning.

22