lurdane

The story

1. Middle French · derived fromlourdin“dullard”
2. English todaylurdane

From Middle French lourdin (“dullard”), from lourd (“heavy”). The Puritan, Rev Joseph Caryl, commenting in 1666 in volume 12 of his Exposition upon the Book of Job, page 363, on Job 39:9, describing the Unicorn or Wild Ox, says that the Unicorn does no work but expects no wages nor reward from you, "which may be a reproof to those men, who are very unwilling to serve others, yet are very willing to abide by their Crib; they like it well to eat and drink upon you, as long as you will, and possibly whether you will or no, but will not do a stroke of work; such as one we call proverbably a Lurdane, from the lazy Danes, who long since Lording it in this Kingdom, would eat and drink in a good well-stored house, but refused to labour."

Words from the same roots