Also 6 leyster, 6, 9 lister, 7–8 leester, 9 liester. [a. ON. lióstr (Norw. dial. lioster, Sw. ljuster, Da. lyster), f. liósta str. vb., to strike.] A pronged spear for striking and taking fish, chiefly salmon.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 7. No … person … shal … take … in … any … crele, raw web, lister, fier, or any other engine … the yonge frie … of any kinde of salmon.
1551. Turner, Herbal, I. F vj. Their leysters or sammon speres.
1638. N. Riding Rec., IV. 101. A yeoman presented for that he did kill … with a certain engine called a leister much salmon.
1785. Burns, Death & Dr. Hornbook, vi. A three-taed leister.
1834. M. Scott, Cruise Midge, xi. [He] came running up the stairs with a salmon lister in one hand.
1843. W. Scrope, Salmon Fish. Tweed, xi. 239. The men … wielding their long leisters.
1895. Chamb. Jrnl., XII. 753/2. Celebrated … as a poacher and as a great hand at the leister in autumn.
b. Comb., as leister grain; leister-shaped adj.
1634. Acts Durham High Comm. Crt. (Surtees), 102. Did see Mr. Haslehead take upp the leester graines and throw them awaie.
1863. Atkinson, Stanton Grange (1864), 23. Rather leister-shaped in construction, with five barbed prongs.
