A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1398-1644
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Man-slaar(e, -slayar, -er, n. Also: -slaer, -sleyar. Plur. also men-slaaris, -slayeris, -sleyaris, menslaris. [ME. man-slaer (Cursor M.), -sleere (14–15th c.), e.m.E. manslayer.] One who kills a man, a homicide, a murderer.Also const. of the victim.sing. (a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxx. 257.
Hel, Quhare man-slaare sal ay duel 1456 Hay I. 199/7. 1456 Ib. 202/19.
Than war he homycide and man slaare a1500 Bk. Chess 1686.
Erar … A man slaar we suld him iuge … Than for to be a mediciner of men 1551 Hamilton Catechism 85.
He that hettis his brother is ane manslaar(b) a1570-86 Dunb. Maitland Folio MS lxix. 50.
No manslayar to be c1575 Balfour Pract. 515.
Sa lang as the man-slayer is livand 1597 Skene Verb S. s.v. Clan Makdvf.
Quhen onie man-slayer … come to that croce … he was free of the slaughter a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 43. 1644 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries IV. 465.
The processe against James Ramsay, manslayer(c) 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 49, etc.
Mansleyarplur. (a) 1398–9 Acts I. 211/1.
Manslaerys reiferis brynneris 1398–9 Ib. 55/2.
Theyffis na manslaaris na murthiraris c1420 Wynt. ii. 1062. 1560 Buke of Discipline 231.
Man-slayaris(b) 1505 Exchequer Rolls XII. 704.
The namez of menslaris that committis slauchter 1512 Criminal Trials I. 81.
The slaaris of him … [to] be reput … as menslaaris 1525 St. A. Formulare I. 268.
Men slayaris c1575 Balfour Pract. 516.
Men-slayeris … not compeirand sould be denuncit rebellis 1581 Burne Disput. 190.
Mischant mensleyaris
b. transf. and fig. c1460 Regimine Principum 280 (M).
[A king pardoning too readily] may weill vnderstand … That he is manslayar of ane thousand ma c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiv. 5.
O man-slayar … Stynt of ȝour slauchter a1568 Bannatyne MS 220 a/59.
Without scho do scho will be notifyd A manslaar 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 8.
The third part of the people in the eird war not left vnplukit away be sic ane cruell miserable tiran & manslayar
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"Man-slaar n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/man_slaare>
