A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Pandarous, Pandrous, n. (? a.). Also: -arousse, -erous, -orose, -us; -rose. [f. the name of the character Pandarus in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde: cf. also e.m.E. panderous attrib. or adj. (1611) and Pandar n.] A (male or female) procurer or go-between; a pimp or a bawd.(a) 1558 (c 1650) Dundee B. Laws 17.
That they have been seducit be pandorus to use themselves vnlawfullie in fornicatione … Give ther be any sic men or women within this brugh pandorus [etc.] 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 8.
All pandarousse quhilkis ar perswadaris of madynnis or mennis viffis to committ hwirdom … to be baneist siclik 1564–7 Canongate Kirk S. (ed.) 75.
Sempell, commone harlot and pandorose 1568 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 15.
Bot denyit that scho wes pandarous to tham or bringing of tham togidder c1590 Fowler II. 32/13.
The priests … vnder pretence of confessing … seruit as panderoussis to corrupt wemen 1602 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 23.
Pandarous 1621 Perth Kirk S. MS. 11 Jan.
As ane pandorus to allure hir dochter to so abuse hir body(b) c1575 Balfour Pract. 378.
He may be repellit … that is ane pandrous (i.e. leno) 1586 Elgin Rec. II. 7. 1589 Perth Kirk S. 265.
That she is ane common pandrous betwixt my Lord Sanquhar and Margaret Ireland 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Lena vel -o, a pandrose 1623–4 Misc. Spald. C. V. 99.
Banished for being pandrous to Janet Birnye
