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

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Beggar(e, Begger, n. Also: begar(e, bigar; beger. [ME. beggare (c 1225), beggere, later beggar, begger. related to Beg v.] A beggar, mendicant.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv. 53 (sum men ware begare made); xxxix. 344 (begare & cripele wes he). c1460 Thewis Gud W. 285 (thus mone thai begaris be).(b) a1500 Bk. Chess 1894 (he saw two beggaris cummand throw the streit). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 212/21 (the quhilk deit a beggare). 1512 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 137 (beggares quhilk ar stark and may wirk). 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 70 (with berdis as beggaris, thocht byg be thar banys). 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 213 (for expelling of the sturdy stuburn beggaris). 1574 Acts III. 87/1 (strang and ydill beggaris). 1622 Elgin Rec. II. 174 (to hald abak the beggaris from the kirk dor).(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 168 (of begerys gret pleynté); Ib. 174 (he gaf it to beggeris). 1567 G. Ball. 40 (this begger did decease). 1596 Dalr. II. 29/36 (in persoune of a pure beger). 1630 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 257 (a multitud of begeris). 1699 Urie Baron Ct. 110 (not to harbour any beggeris).attrib. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1933 (ane vilde begger carle; B. beggar kerle); 1954 (swyith, begger bogill).