Also 5 lowsyn, 6 lowze, 6–7 louze, lowse. [f. LOUSE sb.]
1. a. trans. To clear of lice, remove lice from (a person, oneself, a garment).
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 316/2. Lowsyn, pediculo.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 11. Efte was she busy, them lowsynge and kemynge.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 631/2. Howe handsome it is to lye and sleepe, or to lowze themselves in the sunn-shine.
1596. Lodge, Wits Miserie (1879), 112. Goe wretche as thou art and louse thyselfe.
1663. Pepys, Diary, 6 June. To York House, where the Russia Embassador do lie: and there I saw his people go up and down louseing themselves.
1795. S. Hearne, Journ. to N. Ocean, 325. He frequently set five or six of his strapping wives to work to louse their hairy deer-skin shifts.
1822. E. D. Clarke, Trav. Russia (1839), 52/1. [They] were lousing each other, and it surprised us that they did not discontinue their work … as we entered.
1834. Edin. Rev., XL. 482. Prince Potemkin … used to louse himself at dinner.
fig. 1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, 15. I haue here tooke the paines to nit and louze ouer the Doctours booke.
b. intr. for refl.
1570. in Levins, Manip., 225/2. [printed Bouse].
1655. trans. Com. Hist. Francion, 27. That little Beggers brat … was taken not long since lowsing under a hedge.
1673. R. Head, Canting Acad., 27. We beg’d together, lay together and louz’d together.
1727. Somerville, Fable, xiv. III. 119. A tailor despicably poor, In every hole for shelter crept, On the same bulk, botch’d, lous’d, and slept.
2. intr. To be infested with lice. Obs. rare–1.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. ii. 29. The Codpiece that will house, before the head has any; The Head, and he shall Lowse.
Hence Lousing vbl. sb., also attrib. Also Louser, one who louses.
1575. R. B., Appius & Virginia, B 1. Yea but what am I,… A Louse or a louser, a Leeke or a Larke.
a. 1640. Massinger, Very Woman, III. ii. (1655). Dost thou think any State Would … trust thee with a secret above lousing?
1707. J. Stevens, trans. Quevedo’s Com. Wks. (1709), 226. He went into the lousing Room, and turn’d a little Board that hung at the Door, on which was written, One is lousing.
