a. Obs. [f. LUSK sb. + -ISH.] Slothful, lazy, sluggish.
15[?]. Hye Way to Spyttil Hous, 117, in Hazl., E. P. P., IV. 28. Boyes, gyrles and luskysh strong knaues.
1533. More, 2nd Pt. Confut. Tindale, Wks. 589/1. Thei haue in their traunce and theire sleepe played out all their luskishe lustes.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Mark vi. 7–9. Suche a mynistre as is quicke and spedie, and not a luskysh loyterer or sluggerde.
1643. Burroughes, Exp. Hosea, v. (1652), 91. Away now with our … luskish desires, let us up and be doing.
1790. J. Williams, Shrove Tuesday, in A Cabinet, etc. (1794), 28. Luskish or fleet, lugubrious or glad.
1819. H. Busk, Tea, 115. When luskish seasons their retreat delay And March enamour’d steals a kiss from May.
Hence Luskishly adv., Luskishness.
1530. Palsgr., 839/1. Luskysshely, en lourdault.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Socordia … Luskisshenesse.
1540. Morysine, trans. Vives’ Introd. Wysd., C iij. Those thinges … be occasions of great vices, as of insolent arrogancy, of luskyshenes [etc.].
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. i. 35. But, when he saw his foe before in vew, He shooke off luskishnesse.
1637. Gillespie, Eng. Pop. Cerem., Ep. A iv. Is it time for us luskishly to sit still, and to be silent?
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 131. Formality in Religion, ease, sloath … and luskishnesse of spirit.
