lire

Etymology 1

From Middle English lire, lyre, from Old English līra (“any fleshy part of the body, muscle, calf of the leg”), from Proto-Germanic *ligwizô, *lihwizô (“thigh, groin”), from Proto-Indo-European *lekʷs-, *lewks- (“groin”). Cognate with Dutch lies (“groin”), Swedish lår (“thigh”).

noun

1. (UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Flesh, brawn, or muscle; the fleshy part of a person or animal in contradistinction to the bone and skin.
2. (UK dialectal, Scotland) The fleshy part of a roast capon, etc. as distinguished from a limb or joint.

Etymology 2

From Middle English lire, lyre, from Old Norse hlýr (“cheeks”, plural). Compare Middle English lere, from Old English hlēor (“cheek, countenance, complexion”). More at leer.

noun

1. (UK dialectal, Scotland) The cheek.
2. (UK dialectal, Scotland) Face; appearance of the face or skin; complexion; hue.

Etymology 3

From Old Norse líri. Cognate with Norwegian lira.

noun

1. (UK dialectal, Scotland, Orkney, Shetland, ornithology) The Manx shearwater (bird).

Etymology 4

From Italian lire.

noun

1. plural of lira