A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Vag(a)rant, adj. (n.). [Late ME and e.m.E. vagaraunt (1444), vagarant (1530), vagrant (1546), AF wakerant.] a. Wandering; having no settled occupation, residence, or way of life. Also absol. as noun. b. Of animals: Straying.a. 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xii.
Wandring in a vagarant estate about graues and alrish deserts 1679 Edinb. B. Rec. X 368.
All outed ministers fugitive and vagrant preachers and intercomuned persons 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 123.
He … turned a vagrant fellow, like a jockie, gaining … money by his charms 1687 Dumbarton B. Rec. 98.
[The panel was] ane vagrant persoune, and had noe constant residenceabsol. 1693 Rothesay Par. Rec. 98.
To inhibit vagrants and idle persons from walking through the street 1699 Cramond Ch. Cullen 138.
By reason of resetting … vagrants and loose personsb. 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 148.
Isabel Murray, … coming home from the church … to visit her house and kail-yeard, for fear vagrant cows had come over the dyke
