A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1460, 1584-1698
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Prik(k)ar, -er, Pricker, n. Also: prykar. [ME and e.m.E. priker(e, prickere (Piers Plowman), prykker, prycker, pricker, f. Prik v.: cf. also Prekar.] One who pricks.
1. One who spurs on a horse (Prik v. 7), a fast rider, a light horseman.c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3226.
All the prykaris to [the] king relyid c1615 Chron. Kings 148.
Prickeris to the number of xxiiii horse a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1655) 401.
Iohnston … after the Border fashion, sent forth some prickers to ride and make provocation a1676 Guthry Mem. (1747) 202.
Douglas's new-levied prickers did all flee at the first
2. a. Pudding-prikker, one who pins or skewers puddings.a1585 Polwart Flyt. 810 (T).
Pudding prikker [H. pricker], bang the bicker, nane quiker in knaverie
b. A horse.1682 Irvine Nomenclatura 194.
híppos, equus, a courser, or priker
c. One who ‘pricks’ in some other specific sense of Prik v., e.g. sense 4.In the 1633 quot., appar. the man who attended the sawyer measuring off the boards by ‘pricking’ them.1633 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II 340.
To twa saweris vi dayes viii lib. Item to the pricker for his onvaitting vi dayes xlviii s. 1633 Ib. 341. 1682 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 11 Dec.
And if he shall attend the building of the tolbuith, and appoynt ane pricker under him
3. One who ‘pricks’ persons suspected of witchcraft (Prik v. 3).1649 Lanark B. Rec. 143.
That he had writen for George Cathie the pricker, who hath skill to find out the marke in witches 1661 Black Sc. Witches 38.
And tharefter [he] send for Johne Kinkade the ordinar pricker and tryer of sutch persones 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 25 (see Prik(k)ing vbl. n. 3). 1661 Criminal Trials III 602 (see Prik v. 3 (3)). 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 446.
On Mr. Paterson, who had run over the kingdom for triall off witches, and was ordinarly called the pricker, becaus his way of triall was with a long brasse pin 1677 Black Cal. Witchcraft 50/2.
And there boddies being searched by the ordinar pricker, there were witch marks found upon each of them 1698 Renfrewshire Witches 17.
