A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Canker, Cankir, n. Also: cancre, cankyr, kanker. [ME. canker (kankir), cancre, ONF. cancre, (OF. chancre), L. cancr-, cancer.] An ulcerous sore; a canker (lit. or fig.).a1400 Leg. S. xxxix. 342.
A man … that cancre had That sa consumyt had his thé, That begare & cripele wes he a1500 Henr. Fab. 1388.
Sa roustie is the warld with canker [B. kanker] blak, That now my taillis may lytill succour mak c1500 Rowll Cursing 48 (B).
Kald, kanker [M. canker], feister or feveris Ib. 66.
The kanker and the kattair c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 32.
My wark sall hald: … But wering, or consumptioun, Roust, canker, or corruptioun 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxviii.
This oulie hes ane singulare virtew aganis all maner of cankir and skawis 1535 Stewart 29508.
Moir horribill … No canker, fester, gut or ȝit grandgore 1561 Inverness B. Rec. I. 48.
The same droge is … for the syknes of cankyr sowyr rameid 1562-3 Winȝet II. 29/6.
The speche of thame creipis as a cankir a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxvii. 68.
The canker of our auld contentioun 1600-1610 Melvill 519.
A kanker that cannot be cured
