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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MILLART, n. Also -ert, -ard, milvard; mullart, -ert, ¶-ertd (ne.Sc. p.1826 Baron of Brackley in Child Ballads No. 203 B. xii.). A miller (ne.Sc. 1962). Also attrib. Deriv. ¶millertry, the craft of a miller. [′mɪlərt, ne.Sc. + ′mʌl-]Mry. 1711 W. Cramond Grant Court Bk. 21:
The payment to be to the respective millards of the severall milles. . . . All to pay a peck the auchten pairt, the milvards to collect it and to be comptable to the schoolmaster for payment of half a boll meal.Bnff. 1726 Boharm Parish Mag. (Dec. 1894):
The Session being informed that George Piry, millart in Afflunqrt, doth not frequent the ordinances but absents himself from the kirk, thought fitt that he should be summoned.Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 503:
The Millart lad, a souple fallow, Ran's he had been red wood.Mry. 1824 J. Cock Hamespun Lays 130:
Quo' cummer Black, the millert's mither, It disna fit my palate neither.Bch. 1861 J. Davidson Poems 39:
Naebody says “Welcome, Tib”, Save mullert folk an' deuks.Abd. 1903 J. Milne Myths 24:
Some of the neighbours ran to the Mill of Whitehill for John Fraser, who was famed for his skill in other things besides “millertry”.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables frae French 72:
Anither ane a Millert was by trade, A fat an' burly carle.Cai. 1930 John o' Groat Jnl. (21 Feb.):
His beyt as millard wid be hard til ken, An' a' 'e foukies reised him withoot feyl.Bch. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 5:
The mullart o' Byth was in unca gweed fettle.

Combs. and Phrs.: (1) millert's lift, see Miller, Combs.; (2) millart('s) word, a secret password popularly supposed to be current among millers, which conferred supernatural powers of stopping mills, laden carts, etc. See 1880 quot. and cf. Word; (3) to droon the mullart, see Miller, Phrs. (Abd. 1962).(1) Abd. 1903 E.D.D.:
Cant it up wi' the millert's lift.(2) Abd. c.1825 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. IV. 33:
The father of the deceased was one of the millers who were popularly believed by the Deeside peasants of the early part of this century to be possessed, in virtue of what was popularly called the “millert word”, of gifts and powers equal to those possessed by the famous laird of Balwearie.Abd. 1879 11 Years at Farm Wk. 78:
Other absurdities connected with the horseman word and the yet more potent and diabolical “millert word”, belief in which still lingers among the more ignorant.Bnff. 1880 J. F. S. Gordon Chron. Keith 149:
By the outside world, the “Millerts” were supposed to hold direct intercourse with the Powers of darkness . . . So closely was his Satanic Majesty associated with those possessed of “the millert word” (as the private Sign or Passport by which the members were known to one another was called), that he was supposed to attend all their Meetings.