n. (pl.)
'sins, vices'
(Modern English )Not appearing before a single late OE attestation in the 11c., this n. is usually regarded as a loan from ON, cp. OIcel last (neut.), lǫstr (masc. < PGmc *laxstuz). SPS notes that an unattested native etymon is formally possible, as the apparent lack of breaking in late OE læst could be explained by late OE monophthongization, or it could be that the loss of the velar took place before breaking. PGmc *laxst- (without -r-; cp. OFris laster 'slander, damage', OS, OHG lastar 'disgrace' < *laxstran) is only preserved in ON. The related native n. OE leahter 'vice, sin, offence' derives from a root without -s-, *laxtraz. All are ult. formations on the st. v. *laxan- (cp. OIcel lá 'rebuke', OE lēan, OS, OHG lahan 'blame, reproach').
PGmc Ancestor
*laxst-
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
last (neut.) 'blame, hurt', lǫstr (masc.) 'fault, flaw'
(ONP last (sb.), lǫstr (sb.))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
Far last, Icel last, Norw last; Far løstur, Icel löstur, Norw last, Dan last, Sw last
OE Cognate
cp. OE leahter 'vice, sin, offence'
Phonological and morphological markers
Summary category
C1
Following a single late OE attestation, a possible instance in Orrm is the earliest of a number of early ME attestations from a variety of dial contexts.
Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus
Cl 1141; Pat 198