v. Forms: α. 1 láðian, 2–3 laðen, lathen, 3 laðien, 4–6 Sc. and north. lath(e, 5 laith(e. β. 3–4 loðien, 3–5 loþe(n, 3–7 lothe, (5 lothee), 6–7 loth, 5–6 loothe, 6–8 loath, 6– loathe. [OE. láðian = OS. lêthon, ON. leiða:—OTeut. type *laiþôjan, f. *laiþo- LOATH a. (OE. had lǽðan to hate, cause to shun, revile = OHG. leidan:—OTeut. type *laiþjan, f. *laiþo-.)]
† 1. intr. To be hateful, displeasing or offensive. Const. dat. or to. Obs.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., III. xi. § 5. Þa Cassander þæt ʓeascade þæt hio ðæm folce laðade, þa ʓegaderade he fird.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 101. Þe oferlifa on hete and on wete macað þene mon un-halne, and his saule gode laðeð.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 9. Þat te schal laði þi lif.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 750. Þo þis kyng leir eldore was, he bigan to loþe, Vor he so longe liuede, is leue doȝtren boþe.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 217. The barli cake is Gedeon, Which … Schal come and sette such ascry … That it schal to us alle lothe.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 173. Þat ous loþeth þe lyf er he lete ows passe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12122. For hit [deth] laithit hir les þen on lyue be.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, IV. 24. If geniall brands and bed me lothed not.
1573. Sir C. Hatton, Lett. to Q. Eliz. (Pearson’s 81st Catal., 1900, p. 36). So great Discorde in the sweetness of your most rare & excellent Musike as would lothe you.
a. 1597. Peele, David & Bethsabe (1599), E iv b. Let not the voice of Ithay loth thine eares.
† b. impers.; also quasi-impers. with subj. inf. simply or with it. (It) loathes me (of) = I am disgusted (with). Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 324. Smit hinc so luðerliche þet him loðie to snecchen eft to þe.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 686. To þenke on hem, forsoþe me loþys.
1413. Pilgr. Sowle, III. ix. (Caxton, 1483), 56. Now mowe this folke swolewe ynowe of the fyre of helle and lycken till them lothe.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg., 85. Thus is þe day come to nyȝt, þat me loþith of my lyuynge.
1530. Palsgr., 614/2. I lothe his villanye, or it lotheth me of his villanye.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 131 b. It would have loathed me to have rehearsed the same in this place.
1596. Danett, trans. Comines (1614), 95. It lotheth mee to make mention of this cruelty.
† 2. To be or become disgusted, to feel disgust. Const. at, for, of, with (something). Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 8123. If men laith with þi lyf, lyffyng in erthe.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 136. Al the roialme thanne rumourt and lothit for that rousty Synne.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 7718. Of hir life she gan to loothe.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xiii. 4. My maistres hes a man of me, That lothis of euery thing bot love.
1609. Bible (Douay), Num. xxi. 6. Our soule now lotheth at this most light meate.
† 3. trans. To excite loathing or disgust in (a person, etc.). Const. of. Also, to render (a person) loath or reluctant to (do something) or averse from (something). Obs.
1568. Abp. Parker, Pref. to Bishops’ Bible, *1. To lothe christen men from reading, by their couert slaunderous reproches of the scriptures.
1577. Northbrooke, Dicing (1843), 10. Such matters … as will lothe any honest man or good woman to come neare such playes.
1599. H. Buttes, Dyets drie Dinner, D ij. Medlers … if you deale much with them, they wil extremely irck, and loath you.
c. 1610. Women Saints, 75. Such a filthie state, as might lothe the stomacke of the beholder.
1645. Brinsley, Church-Remedie, 34. As if one should endeavour to loath a sick man of his potion, before it come at him.
1661. H. D., Disc. Liturgies, 6. They are … good for nothing but to loath pious souls.
4. To feel aversion or dislike for; to be reluctant or unwilling to (do something). Now only with stronger sense: To have an intense aversion for; to regard with utter abhorrence and disgust.
The stronger sense in mod. use may be partly due to association with the idea of nauseation often implied in the specific use 4 b.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 128. Wel late he latheð uuel werc, þe ne mei hit don ne mare.
1300. Poem 7 deadly Sins, in Brampton, Penit. Ps. (Percy Soc.), 62. Good werk he lothith to bigynne.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VII. 142. Alle ladies me loþen þat louen eny worschep.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5115. Forþi like it to ȝour lordschip & lathis noȝt my sawis.
c. 1418. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 246. Thes Lollardes that lothen ymages most.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 328. Than I him lichtlyit as a lowne, et lathit his maneris.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 114. All though it be that thynge that yu lothest moost.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1629), 259. I should loath the keeping of my bloud with the losse of my faith.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 158. The Swarms … loath their empty Hives, and idly stray.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 416. In my soul I loath All affectation.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Charmed Sea, iii. 35. Mother, I loathe him.
a. 1862. Buckle, Civiliz. (1869), III. iii. 148. Whose malignant cruelty made him loathed by his contemporaries.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., III. lxxxi. 73. To dictate their terms to statesmen who loathe the necessity of submission.
absol. 1842. Tennyson, Two Voices, 104. To breathe and loathe, to live and sigh.
1884. Browning, Family, 72. Man who … craves and deprecates, and loves and loathes.
b. To feel an aversion or disgust for (food, etc.).
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5610. If in syknesse that he falle, And lothe mete & drink withalle.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., III. ii. Wks. 1856, I. 109. Ile force him feede on life Till he shall loath it.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxvii. 7. The full soule loatheth an honie combe.
a. 1677. Barrow, Wks. (1686), III. Serm. xxxvii. 411. A stomach, surcharg’d with foul, or poisonous matter, which it loaths.
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 182. He sees … No costly lord the sumptuous banquet deal, To make him lothe his vegetable meal.
1866. J. Thomson, Philosophy, IV. v. Your stomach soon must loathe all drink and meat.
