Forms: 4 lepyre, 4–6 lepre, 5 leepre, lepere, lypre, 5–6 lipper, 6 lippir, lepar, liper, 6–8 leaper, 7 leeper, 4– leper. [Related to prec.; perh. originating as adj. from the attributive use of LEPER sb.1; the ending -er would naturally confirm the tendency to regard the word as a personal designation.]
A. sb. One affected with leprosy; a leprous person.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 387. A leper þat was i-heled.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxix. 317 (Harl. MS.). Þe brothir of hure husbond … was a foul lypre.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), p. li. Sometime a leper is ’signed to thy bed.
1545. Brinklow, Compl., xxiv. (1874), 65. Pore blind peple, which thynck themseluys to be healed, whan thei remayne lepers stylle.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. ii. 75. I am no loathsome Leaper, looke on me.
1603. Owen, Pembrokeshire (1891), 21. Gave certaine landes to the Mawdlens of Tenbye towardes the relieffe of the Leepers.
1611. Bible, 2 Kings v. 27. A leper as white as snow.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1884), 313. Ten Leapers were healed.
1846. Trench, Mirac., x. (1862), 217, note. When through the Crusades leprosy had been introduced into Western Europe, it was usual to clothe the leper in a shroud, and to say for him the masses for the dead.
1871. J. Miller, Songs Italy (1878), 75. Lonely … as a leper cast out.
fig. 1552. Latimer, Serm. 3rd Sund. Epiph. (1584), 310. Euen as he was a leper of his body, so are we lepers of our soules.
1825. R. Nesbit, in Mem., i. (1858), 23. I have … been afraid to join the society of the pious…. I looked upon myself as a leper.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, IV. 203. A moral leper, I, To whom none spake.
b. attrib. and Comb., as leper asylum, centre, lodge, spital; leper-house = LAZAR-HOUSE; leper-juice, the liquid matter of a leproma; † leper’s herb, a name for St. Paul’s Betony, Veronica serpyllifolia; leper(’s) window, name given to a supposed hagioscope for lepers.
1898. P. Manson, Trop. Diseases, xxvi. 384. The rulers and clergy … took measures by instituting *leper asylums … to restrict the spread of [leprosy].
1898. J. Hutchinson, in Arch. Surg., IX. 381. As the country was … a *leper centre, some individuals were contaminated.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 204. The distilled water of Paules Betonie, doth perfectly cure the Leprosie … this is the cause why this hearbe is called the *Leapers hearbe.
1855. Stanley, Mem. Canterb., ii. (1857), 104. This hospital, or *leper-house,… was then fresh from the hands of its founder.
1898. P. Manson, Trop. Diseases, xxvi. 407. Pricking the now pallid leproma, and then collecting on a cover-glass the droplet of *‘leper juice’ which exudes from the puncture.
c. 1480. Henryson, Test. Cres., 438. This *lipper ludge [ed. Thynne leper loge] tak for thy burelie bour.
1891. C. Creighton, Hist. Epidemics, 99. The *leper-spitals of Scotland.
1850. N. & Q., 1st Ser. II. 111/1. ‘The *Leper’s window’ through which, it is concluded, the lepers who knelt outside the building witnessed the elevation of the host at the altar.
1882. Hardy, in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club, IX. No. 3. 470. There was a leper window at Elsdon church.
B. adj. Leprous.
1388. Wyclif, Lev. xiii. 46. In al tyme in which he is lepre [1382 leprows, Vulg. leprosus] and vnclene.
1427. Sc. Acts Jas. I. (1814), II. 16/1. Þat na lippir folk nothir man nor woman fra thyn furth enter na cum in to na burghe.
1429. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees, 1835), 78. It’ to ye lepremen of Newcastell xls.
c. 1480. Henryson, Test. Cres., 372. He luikit on hir ugly lipper face.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, F vij b. God was wrothe with her and made her to become lepre.
1508. Dunbar, Flyting w. Kennedie, 154. Ane laithly luge that wes the lippir mennis.
1562. Winȝet, Cert. Tractates, Wks. 1888, I. 7. Playand … the part of lippir Giezi in this mater, sayand, Quhat wyll ye geve me?
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Sonn., xxxiv. Cative Cresside, vhair she lipper lay.
absol. 1533. Gau, Richt Vay, 63. Ye crippil gangis, ye liper ar maid cleyne.
Hence Leperdom, the realm of lepers; † Leperize, v. trans., to smite with leprosy; † Leperness, leprosy.
c. 1550. Cheke, Matt. viii. 3. And bi and bi his lepernes was clensed.
1592. Sylvester, Tri. Faith, IV. vii. Moses by Faith doth Myriam leperize.
1889. Cornh. Mag., Aug., 141 (art. title). Curiosities of Leperdom.
