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Definition 2025

lidden

lidden

English

Noun

lidden ‎(plural liddens)

  1. (archaic) A noise or din.
  2. (archaic, dialectal) A saying, song or story.
    • 1905, Arthur Quiller-Couch, Shakespeare's Christmas and other stories, "Frenchman's Creek",
      She kept up this lidden all through breakfast, and the meal was no sooner cleared away than she slipped on a shawl and stepped across to the churchyard to discuss the robbery.

References

Etymology

From earlier leaden, ledden, leden, from Middle English leden, liden, lyden, from Old English lēoden, lȳden ‎(“speech, language”), related to Scots leid ‎(“language”). See leid.

Alternative etymology derives lidden from Old English hlȳd, hlȳden ‎(“sound, noise, clamour, din”) or Old Norse hljóð ‎(“sound, clap, roar, ringing, tone, tune”). Compare also Old English lēoþ ‎(“song, tune, poem”).

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