Forms: 1 hláfording (Sweet), 2–3 lover(e)ding, 3 Orm. laferrdinng, 3–4 laverding, (lhording), 3– lording. [f. LORD sb. + -ING3.]

1

  1.  = LORD sb. 2. Frequent as a form of address, rarely sing. = Sir!, frequent in pl. = Sirs! Gentlemen! Also, my lording! Obs. exc. arch.

2

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 179. Þe riche þe ben louerdinges struien þe wrecche men, þe ben underlinges.

3

c. 1200.  Ormin, 918. Nu, laferrdinngess, loke we Whatt tiss maȝȝ us bitacnenn.

4

c. 1205.  Lay., 27394. Lauerdinges, quæð Luces þa, Mahun eou beo liðe.

5

c. 1250.  Kent. Serm., in O. E. Misc., 27. Lordinges and leuedis þis is si glorius miracle.

6

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 833. Neȝ ilc burȝe hadde ise louereding.

7

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 402. Of a prince proude in play Listneþ, lordings dere.

8

1340.  Ayenb., 67. Þis zenne is ine uele manneres ase ine sergons aye hire lhordinges.

9

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 445. Lordingis, quha likis for till her, The Romanys now begynnys her.

10

1382.  Wyclif, Deut. x. 17. The Lord oure God he is … Lord of lordyngis.

11

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 2573. Þe leche lokid ouire þe lynes ‘my lording’ he said, ‘I am noȝt gilty of þis gile.’

12

c. 1450.  Holland, Howlat, 628. Quhat fele armes … Of lordingis and sere landis … The said persewant bure.

13

1568.  T. Howell, Newe Sonets (1879), 149. Lo Lordynges, here by take a vewe.

14

1591.  Troub. Raigne K. John (1611), 29. Lordings forbeare, for time is comming fast, That deeds may trie what words can not determine.

15

1599.  Shaks., etc., Pass. Pilgr., xv. It was a Lordings daughter, the fairest one of three.

16

1622.  Fletcher, Beggars Bush, V. i. If’t be worth His Lordships thanks anon, when ’tis done, Lording, Ile looke for’t.

17

1865.  Kingsley, Herew., II. xxi. 363. Have a care for yourselves, lordings! The Wake is loose.

18

  2.  As diminutive of LORD: A little lord, a petty lord, usually in a contemptuous sense.

19

c. 1577.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, etc. Epit. Ld. Louth (Arb.), 150. The Lord Baron of Louth … was trayterously murthred by Mackmaughoun, an Irish Lording, about the year 1577.

20

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xix. (Arb.), 229. Such termes are vsed to be giuen … for a kind of contempt, as when we say Lording for Lord.

21

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., I. ii. 62. Ile question you Of my Lords Tricks, and yours, when you were Boyes: You were pretty Lordings then?

22

1651.  N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., II. vi. 59. Had future Ages pursued the flight as it was begun, these Lordings might have beaten the Air, without making any speedy way.

23

  3.  A sort of apple or pear. (Cf. LORDLING 2.)

24

1664.  Evelyn, Kal. Hort., Aug. (1679), 22. Pears … Windsor … Sugar-Pear, Lording Pear, &c. Ibid., Sept., 24. Apples … Summer Pearmain, Lording-apple.

25

1676.  Worlidge, Cyder (1691), 210. The Lording is a fair, green, and sharp apple.

26