Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

Warkman, Werkman, n. Also: vark-, verk-, work(e)-, vork-, woorkeman, workmaun. Pl. warkmen(e, warke-, varkmen, varkemene, (warmen), werk-, verkmen, work(e)men. [ME and e.m.E. weorc-man (Layamon), werc-men (a1225), werk men (Piers Plowman), workman (Caxton), warkman (1496), woorkman (1562).] One who does work, esp. for pay; a labourer or craftsman. Chiefly pl. Also attrib. and comb.(1) sing. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxix 236.
A werkman sa wery wes Fore trawale, that [etc.] 1477 Exchequer Rolls IX 94 n.
Oure familiar servitur and werkman [Chapel Royal workman] for oure persoun James Hommyll c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi 436.
Betwix Cultir and Bygar … quhar a werk man come … Dryfande a mere, and pychars had he to sell 1539 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 209.
That the vorkman of the knok be servit with hors and expens 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II 367.
To ane warkman to red the kepill feit, and uther labour, iij oulks, xxvij s. 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. II 73 (see Gogillis n. pl.). 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 7010.
This same masoun he killit … For his rewaird this warkman this gat he 1583 Aberd. Pynours 66.
Na laborar nor warkman or womann at the schoir suld tak or ressave mair nor [etc.] 1596 Edinb. B. Rec. V 355.
To ane warkman … in helping up the catchpul 1608–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 83.
To Patrik Robertson, varkman, for careing down ane dur … to the blok hous 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III 264.
Christane Watsone, spous to Johne Touch, warkman, was convict [etc.] 1642 Dumfries Kirk S. 22 Jan.
Thomas Rae workeman gave vp his name to be proclamed upon Marione Byres 1654 Edinb. Marr. 18.
John Symson, workmaun 1658 Cramond Kirk S. I 1 Aug.
The session … agreed with a workman for building … the sole of the said loft(b) 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 32/21.
That knauish and cunning woorkeman [sc. the Devil]attrib. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 69/15.
Mony politic verkmanlumis for mecanyc craftiscomb. 1580–1 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 201.
To … repair the calsay … and to produce the workman calsaymakeris thairtopl. a1400 Legends of the Saints xv 38.
Thare wes corne … Bot few war to set it in sekil; ‘Pray … the lord of corne To send wark-mene, ore it be lorne!' a1400 Legends of the Saints xxii 594.
It [sc. the bread] mycht nocht suffice … to warmen thre. Than the martyris mycht sik was That wald nocht the wark suld cese [etc.] a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii 789.
Warkmen 1513 Doug. xi vii 79.
The irne graith, the wark men, and the wrychtis, And all that to the schippis langis 1549 Treasurer's Accounts IX 318.
To the bell man … for convenyng of all maner of warkmen with spaid and schule to the fort of Inneresk 1549–50 Treasurer's Accounts IX 364.
To xvj warkmen quhilk wroucht … rys to be gabyounes 1553 Treasurer's Accounts X 206.
Fynnarres of leid in Crawfurd Mure, and otherris warkmen wirkand thair 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 7002.
The knicht … feit wark men, & promeist thame gude hire 1581 Satirical Poems xliv 68.
The varkmen of that monstreous intent [sc. the Tower of Babel] 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 75.
[A] sufficient nomber of warkmen, hewerris, layerris and barromen 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 54b.
Varkemene 1592 Acts III 557/2.
The saidis myneris and warkmen is dalie in the hasart of thair lyves 1595 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 6b.
To our wark mene that vroycht the schepe abone the water efter scho com of the stokis 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 148 (see Wark n. 6 b). 1618 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II 32.
Compt of James Murray … maister of wark … for all soirtis of craftismen and warkmenis waiges 1625 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II 163.
Warkmen at the stankis casting 1628 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II 217.
For ringing the bell to lous and enter the warkmen at thair houres(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxiii 550.
Werkmen 1427 Acts II 13/1.
That the dekyn of ilk craft sal … se at the werkmen be cunnande & the werk sufficiande 1457 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i 319 (19 Nov.).
Ane assis of leil sworn werk men 1477 Edinb. Chart. 141.
Cutleris, smethys, lorymaris, lokmakaris, and all sick werkmen 1478 Acts Lords of Council I 4/2.
The lordis … causit the chenȝe to be weyt and prisit be werkmen quhilkis prisit it to v li. Scottis 1489 Treasurer's Accounts I 123.
To werkmen at maid wp the wallis of Dunglas 1497 Treasurer's Accounts I 359.
To the werkmen to bring hame Mons and the othir artailȝerj 1513 Treasurer's Accounts IV 517.
To x werkmen with pik, schule and spaid 1513 Treasurer's Accounts IV 525.
To ij werkmen that clenȝet ii closettis vi s. 1529 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 2.
To ten werkmen viz. barrowmen servand the masonis 1529–30 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 21.
To vi other verkmen … makand red in the quarel Salisberry 1532–3 Treasurer's Accounts VI 161.
To iii werkmen quhilkis werkis with Peris at the funding of the artailȝerie 1591 Acts III 526/2.
Retenyng … the twelft part thairof for … satisfactioun of his officiaris and werkmennis lauboris(c) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2464 (B).
Mony wicht workmen [Ch. warkman] ȝe haif brocht to mischeif 1641 Acts V 503/1.
That trade [sc. hatmakers] … hes … growne to ane greater nomber of workemen nor hes bene in preseeding aiges 1671 Dunferm. Coal Acc. lb.
For the workmens denner when the coill wes first fund 1677 Cunningham Diary 103.
To Ro: Cuningham's workmen, 6 s.(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. x 10.
For a werkman [W. workman, P. werkman] is worthi his mete 1560 Buke of Discipline 196.
That the warkman is worthy of his reward 1642 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 118.
The workeman is worthie of his hyre