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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.

Chalmer, n. Also: chalmar(e, -ere, -eir, -ir(e, -yr, -our; chaly-, challmer, chalmmir; chalmber. [Later spelling of chaumer Chawmer, with usual Sc. substitution of al for aw. The common form after 1500.]

1. A chamber or room; spec. a private room, a bedroom.For chalmer of dais or deis, chapel-, hall-, scule-, writingchalmer see these words.(a) 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 16.
x elne of canves to mak Nikky and Bell a bed to ly on in the Kingis chalmire 1474 Ib. 65.
To Androu Balfour … for his bent to the chalmiris 1477 Reg. Cupar A. I. 206.
With seruys and cariage of our fische and bent to our chalmer Brus v. 287 (C).
In a chalmer [E. chambre] preualy He held him and his cumpany Ib. xi. 118.
Apparall of chalmyr [E. chambyr] and hall 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 270.
For the grathing of the Kingis chalmeris 1498 Reg. Morton II. 253.
The said abbot … has grantyt to the said Thomas … ane chalmer within the samyne [convent] 1492 Myll Spect. 289/9.
At a trape within hire chalmare … thai ware lattyn fall doun 1513 Doug. iv. ii. 63.
Within hir chalmyr alane scho langis sayr 1519 Dunferm. B. Rec. 298.
Ane hovs contenand ane hall & chalmer abovne 1531 Bell. Boece I. 231.
The wache herand the granis of ane deand man, enterit haistely in the chalmer 1535 Acts II. 346/2.
That thai caus all ostillaris … to haue honest chalmeris and bedding for resaving of all passingeris 1550 Glasgow Prot. I. 18.
The foir uvyr hows, viz., hall, chalmer and wairdrop, with the peis waist 1553 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 76.
Gevin for twa dalis to be ane skelf in the clerkis chalmer 1558-66 Knox II. 389.
The Quene … commanded the said Johne to pas furth of the cabinet, and to abyd farther of hir pleasur in the chalmer 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 237.
In ane nuyk of the sayd chalmer besyd ane chymnay 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 335.
Thair was in ane chalmer togither callid the laich chalmer … xiiij or xvj men 1580 Rec. Earld. Orkney 355.
Ane hall and seller and chalmer thairabone 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 137.
To flitt and remove himself, seruandis and guidis, fra ane north mid chalmer of the almoushous tenement 1594 Misc. Spald. C. II. 124.
Ye … come to his hous … and brak the north syd of his chalmer in the thak 1613 Conv. Burghs II. 428.
The Maister of the Consergerie … sall apoint ane, tua, or mair roomes and chalmeirs to be ordinaire eitting roomes 1639 M. Works Acc. XXIX. 20.
For poynting of … the heghe wardrop and the chalmare that gois out to the bartesing c1650 Spalding I. 18.
He … suddantlie ran wp stairis to Rothimayis chalmer, and walkirnt him to rys 1655 Blairs P. 64.
Old F. Radisind is iust sitting in his chalmer as ye left him(b) 1596 Dalr. I. 328/18.
How sune that he was receauet, he was borne in till a chalmber 1633 M. Works Acc. XXV. 17.
Ane great round chimlay to the chalmber of presence 1635 Haddington Corr. 302.
In the bak rowme of the said chalmber, quhilk is the mid chalmber in the jam Ib. 303.
In the high inner chalmber of the old toure 1646 Mun. Univ. Glasg. IIII. 490.
Six high chalmbers sayloured at 30 s. the peice, One high chalmber unsayloured

b. In the designations of attendants in the royal household. 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 15.
To a child of the chalmire, iiij elne of braid claith for ij sarkis Ib. 68.
Gevin to McMwlane the barbour … for the leichcraft done be him to the litil boys of the chalmire, xl s. 1588 Exch. R. XXI. 403.
To William Murray, varlett of his majesteis chalmer, for his pensioun 1636 Sutherland Corr. 163.
Sir Robert Gordone, … gentleman of his Majesties privie chalmer

c. In figurative uses. c1450-2 Howlat 725.
Haile, chalmer of chastite c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 431.
To furnyse a bancat In Venus chalmer 1562-3 Winȝet II. 61/30.
The inwart chalmer of the Kirk, quhilk is the temple of God

2. A separate charge-piece in early forms of ordnance. 1538 Treas. Acc. VI. 413.
Bocht to his grace iiij^xx vj bersis of irne, ilk bers havand iij chalmeris 1540 Ib. VII. 347.
Gevin to twa pynouris for dountaking of xxx chalmeris of the heid of Davidis towris … with vthir chalmeris and munitioun 1542 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 577.
ij irne gunnis without stockis, and four chalmeris and stane calmis thairto Ib.
Five chalmeris and calmis of brais 1551 Treas. Acc. X. 32.
vj cart draucht of chalmers of gunnys brocht furtht of Leith to the castell of Edinburght 1558 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 21.
Iames Adamsoun, thesaurer, to by … vj cutthrottis with thair chalmeris and calmes 1581 Mar & Kellie MSS. 35.
Twa bombardis of iryne … with three chalmers of iryne effierant tharto 1599 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 250.
[The council] ordanis the thesaurer to trye … quhatt may be gottin for the tounis slayngs lyand in the Kirkyard of Leyth and to caws seik the chalmers owt of the castell

3. Attrib. (in sense 1) with bed, box, boy, chimney, clock, fe, flure, geir, glas, gowne, key, kist, page, pot, rowme, stule, table, talk, window.Compare the corresponding attributive uses of Chamber, Chamer, and Chawmer. 1619 Misc. Bann. C. I. 201.
Comeing to the chalmer beds quher the attenders lay — 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 11.
Ten merk furth of the clerks chalmer boxe 1635 Haddington Corr. 301.
Ane chalmber box with ane pan — a1578 Pitsc. I. 325/10.
He tuik tuo servantis witht him … ane ȝoung man of the stabill with ane secreit challmer boy 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 201.
To Donald Campbell, my Lordis chalmer boy — 1612 Brechin Test. III. 256.
Ane chalmer chemney of irone 1627 Edinb. Test. LIV. 55.
Ane chalmer chimlay — 1621-40 Melville Commonpl. Bk. 31.
Of small clocks or chalmer clocks — 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 71.
To the said ourlord … for chalmer feis at the making of the said resignacioun 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Feodum.
The exhorbitant prices of all sortes of … seales, registers, and chalmer fie — 1538 M. Works Acc. V. 36 b.
Certane faill and dewottis to be layit in certane chalmer fluris 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6634.
The knicht, I say ȝow sure, Quhome ȝe did drowne, is in my chalmer flure — 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 375 b.
He levis … to Johne Grahame … the haill chalmer geir as it standis 1591 Ib. XXII 376.
In chalmer geir and abuilȝementis of his bodie — 1653 Ib. LXVII. 144 b.
Ane chalmer glas with ane wainscot caice — 1644 Ib. LXI. 2 b.
Ane riche chalmer gowne of greine sateine — 1622 Elgin Rec. II. 174.
Niniane Dauidsone took out the chalmer key with the crook of the ladill — 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV. 213 b.
I leif … to Jonet Robesone … my chalmer kist burd quhair my sarkis lyis — Brus v. 580.
A chalmir-page thar vith him ȝeid — 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV. 239 b.
Thre dossone chalmer pottis c1680 W. Row Blair 421.
He called for the chalmer-pot, and passed some stones — 1572 Inverness B. Rec. I. 221.
Ane chalmer rowme within the kirk yeard — 1626 Edinb. Test. LIII. 319.
Ane Ingleis chalmer stuile estimat to x merkis 1643 Ib. LX. 241.
Fower chalmer stullis 1654 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 297.
Ane chalmber stoole — 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII. 279.
Ane canebie bed, ane chalmer table 1652 Ib. LXVI. 56.
Ane chalmer table worth iiij lib. — 1614 Mure Misc. P. vii. 14.
As chalmer talk divulgats on the street — 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 62 b.
xiij fute of glas to the grete chalmer wyndo within the dusty hall 1558-66 Knox II. 270.
A cumpany of the most honest, with instrumentis of musick, … geve thair salutationis at hir chalmer wyndo