lunt

plural lunts

1. A slow-burning match or torch.

   Bent down and saw I was right. A lunt up the bugger’s nose. A lunt? said Doctor Copper. Almost as long as your left forefinger, yes, said his visitor. Still burning.

   1969, Robert Nye, Tales I Told My Mother

   2 more examples

   1844, E. A. Friedlænder (translator), The Amber Witch [1838, Abraham Schweidler (Wilhelm Meinhold), Maria Schweidler, die Bernsteinhexe], page 90, In the mean time, however, he himself (understand; the young Nobilis) had seen that a fine smoke issued from the nostrils of the steed, and as he stooped down, he had immediately pulled forth a lunt, almost of a finger's length, the which was yet burning, and which a knave had privily poked into his nostrils with a needle.

   The gunpowder was stamped into the tube, then a lead ball was put into the muzzle, a wad was stamped over it, and the charge was set fire to by a lunt through the lower hole.

   1999, Igorʹ Mikhaĭlovich Dʹi͡akonov, The Paths of History, page 149

2. Smoke with flames, especially from a pipe.

present singular third person lunts · participle present lunting · participle past lunted · past lunted

1. ScotlandTo emit smoke.

   18th c, Robert Burns, The Twa Dogs, 1822, The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, page 28, The lunting pipe, and sneeshing mill, / Are handed round wi' right gude-will;

   1 more example

   My conscience! ye lent a ready hand in the brulzie; but what can ha'e set the Magazines a-lunting? it's a mystery o' mysteries.[…]Especially as it's their game to set everybody a-lunting, and keep out of the conflagration themselves.

   1832, Tait's Edinburgh Magazine, volume 2, page 377

2. ScotlandTo walk while smoking a pipe.

   1 more example

   2014, Robert P. Wills, Tales From A Second Hand Wand Shoppe, Book 1: They Were the Best of Gnomes, They Were the Worst of Gnomes, page 278, “Lunting?” interrupted Julie, eyebrow raised. Grimbledung shrugged, “It's a good and proper word”, he raised an eyebrow back, "it just doesn't get used that much." Julie smirked, “Go on then, with your lunting.” He let out a sigh. "As I was saying, I was sitting there when a Minotaur came lunting up." He paused for a moment, "Pipe in mouth, walking along", he winked at Julie, […] .

plural Lunts

1. A surname.