Now dial. Forms: α. 3 Orm. lesske, 5–7 leske, 6 Sc. leisk, 7– lesk. β. 6– lisk, (7 liske, lysk). γ. 5–6 laske, 8 lask. [Prob. of Scandinavian origin: cf. MSw. liuske, liumske (mod.Sw. ljumske) masc., Da. lyske, MDu., Flemish liesche fem. (mod.Du. lies fem.); a form lesca ‘inguen’ in the Werden Glosses (Gallée O.S. Texts 360) may possibly be OE. (for *léosca), but the sk (instead of sh) of the ME. and mod. forms shows that they do not descend from this.] The loin or flank; also, the groin.
α. c. 1200. Ormin, 4776. Lende, & lesske, & shulldre, & bacc.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 1097. Lyme and leskes fulle lothyne.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 298/2. Leske (or flanke), inguen.
1483. Cath. Angl., 214/1. A Leske, ypocondria.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. x. 103. At his left flank or leisk [1553 lisk] persyt tyte.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 32. In the leske or groyne are the Emunctories of the Liuer.
1639. Horn & Robotham, Gate Lang. Unl., xxi. § 255. In the lesk, under the groin or share, are the privities or secrets.
1847. Halliwell, Lesk, the groin or flank.
1886. S.-W. Linc. Gloss., s.v. Lesk, My husband’s broke his body, and it presses on his lesk.
β. 1508. Dunbar, Flyting w. Kennedie, 121. Lene larbar, loungeour, baith lowsy in lisk and lonȝe.
1603. in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, II. 417. Be the straik of ane sword in the lisk and the wambe.
1679. Lauderdale Papers (1885), III. xciv. 163. Wounded … in the groyn or lisk with a partizan.
1690. Lond. Gaz., No. 2575/4. A white Mare,… blew Spots about the Lysk, bob-tail’d.
1709. Jacob. Songs (1887), 57. Ane proddit her in the lisk Anither aneath the tail.
1857. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt., I. xxiv. 93. There was but one point on which he could not bear being attacked, like a horse which will not stand being touched in the lisk.
γ. ? 14[?]. Harl. MS. 219, lf. 150 (in Promp. Parv., 298). Mes flanks, my laskes.
1552. Huloet, Laske or flancke, pyga.
1781. J. Hutton, Tour to Caves, 92 Gloss., Lisk, or lask, the flank.
