Chiefly Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 5 lowen, 5–6 loone, 6 lound, 6–9 loun(e, lown(e, 7– loon. [In 16th c. lowen, lowne, rhyming with chenoun, downe. Of obscure origin; the early forms do not favor the current hypothesis of connection with early mod.Du. loen ‘homo stupidus’ (Plantijn and Kilian) which seems to be known only from dictionaries. The ON. lúenn, beaten, benumbed, weary, exhausted (pa. pple. of lýja to beat, thrash) has been suggested as a possible etymon. The order of development of the senses is somewhat uncertain.]
1. A worthless person; a rogue, scamp (esp. in false loon, to play the loon); a sluggard, idler.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 7957. Þe clerkis þat were þare, leþir lowens [rhyme chenouns].
c. 1470. Henryson, Fables, 2413, in Anglia, IX. 475. Than lichtlie in the bukket lap the loun … The tod come hailland vp, the wolf yeid doun.
1508. Kennedy, Flyting w. Dunbar, 485. Fra honest folk deuoide this lathly lown.
1514. Barclay, Eclog., ii. (1570), B iij, That men shall call the malapart or dronke, Or an abbey lowne or limmer [printed limner] of a monke.
1548. Patten, Exped. Scot., G. viii b. Cum here loundes, cum here tykes.
1571. Satir. Poems Reform., xxviii. 63. To loup on lassis, lait, and play the Lowne.
1590. Marlowe, Edw. II., I. iv. 82. For shame, subscribe, and let the lowne depart.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xxxiii. 36. Let not sik louns with teasings ȝou allure.
1604. Shaks., Oth., II. iii. 95. He held them [breeches] all to deere, With that he cald the Tailor Lowne. Ibid. (1605), Macb., V. iii. 11. The diuell damne thee blacke, thou cream-fac’d Loon.
1637. Rutherford, Lett. (1862), I. 289. Looking on with their hands folded behind their back when louns are running with the spoil of Zion on their back.
1674–91. Ray, N. C. Words, 47. The Scots say, a fausse, i. e. false Loon.
1700. Dryden, Cock & Fox, 589. But the false loon who cou’d not work his will By open force employ’d his flatt’ring skill.
1762. Churchill, Prophecy Famine, Poems I. 114. When with a foreign loon she stole away.
1851. Longf., Gold. Leg., IV. Refectory. Out upon him, the lazy loon!
appositively. 16[?]. in Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 392. Christ’s minister may not preach Christ’s trueth, if a loun minister neare by him have taught lies, except the Bishop give him leave so to doe.
b. Of a woman: A strumpet, concubine.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S. T. S.), iv. 87. The gayest grittest loun.
c. 1600. in Gordon Fraser, Wigtown (1877), 392. Bad hir swithe [printed snyithe] pack hir furthe harlot lowne.
1714. Ramsay, Elegy J. Cowper, vii. He ken’d the bawds and louns fou well.
a. 1800. in Scott, Minstr. Scot. Bord. (1802), II. 68. I trow some may has plaid the lown.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, ii. Thou art too low to be their lawful love, and too high to be their unlawful loon.
2. A man of low birth or condition; in phrase lord and loon. Now only arch.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 45. Thus for ane loun than lichlyit is ane lord.
1548. Patten, Exped. Scotl., I viii b. The Lurdein was, in a maner, all one wyth the Lorde, and the Lounde wyth the Larde.
1608. Shaks., Per., IV. vi. 20. Wee should haue both Lorde and Lowne, if the peeuish baggadge would but giue way to customers.
a. 1650. Capt. Carr, in Furnivall, Percy Folio, I. 81. ‘I will not geve over my hous,’ she saithe, ‘Neither for lord nor lowne.’
1840. Barham, Ingol. Leg., ‘Monstre’ Balloon. The peer and the peasant, the lord and the loon.
3. A boor, lout, clown; an untaught, ill-bred person.
1619. Bk. Demeanor, 12, in Babees Bk. With manlike cheere, Not like a rustic lowne.
1784. Unfortunate Sensibility, I. 133. I contrasted him with the ill-bred loons who had addressed my mother in my behalf.
1790. Burns, Ep. R. Graham, 11. [He] Came shaking hands wi’ wabster lowns.
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., I. iii. Now get thee hence, thou grey-beard Loon.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, vii. Go to your Provost, you lorrel loons.
1872. Blackie, Lays Highl., 49. A titled loon of high degree.
4. A fellow, man, ‘chap.’
a. 1550. Christis Kirke Gr., xii. The wyves … fand lyfe in the loune.
1728. Starrat, To Ramsay, 15, in R.’s Poems. And learn’d the Latin lowns sic springs to play As gars the world gang dancing to this day.
1901. Scotsman, 28 Feb., 8/3. Wherever Moray loons may gather.
5. A boy, lad, youth.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), ii. 107. For thair wes nowdir lad not loun Mycht eit ane baikin loche For fowness.
1659–60. Pepys, Diary, 11 Jan. I … went in to see Crowly who was now grown a very great loon and very tame.
1791. Boswell, Johnson, 17 Sept. an. 1773. The usual figure of a Sky-boy is a lown with bare legs and feet.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 75. Urging each lown to leave his sports in fear.
1891. ‘H. Haliburton,’ Ochil Idylls, 127. As when ye roamed, a hardy loon, Upon the banks o’ May.
1893. Crockett, Stickit Minister (1894), 202. The family … consisted of three loons and a lassie.
