A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1540-1597, 1673
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Fidder, n. Also: fydder, fyddir, fedder. [Var. of Fudder n.]
1. A cart-load (of peats, turf, or hay). 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 182.
xvj fyddir and ane half of turfys 1542 Ib. 188.
[252] fedderis of casting and wyning of petis 1550 Reg. Great S. 103/1.
200 lie fidderis glebarum et cespitum, pretium lie fidder 3 sol. c 1567 Liber Calchou 530.
In garsume, ane fidder of turris 1588 Exchequer Rolls XXI. 371.
Hay, 1 fidder quarter fidder 1673 Melrose R. Rec. II. 333.
Six fedders of turvestransf. a 1563 Bannatyne MS 138 a/51.
I haif … fyve fidder of raggis to stufff ane jak
2. A certain weight of lead, reckoned at 128 stone. 1540–1 Treasurer's Accounts VII. 421.
For twa fidder laid … to be ballast at the Kingis passage to the Ilis 1542 Acts & Decr. MS. I. 152.
vj fidderis of leid, ilk fidder contenand vj scoir vj stane or tharby 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Serplaith.
The fidder of lead, conteinis neereby, sexscore and aucht stane
3. A number or company of persons. 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proc. 100.
I pray God nor the feind ressaif the fidder [: togidder] 1540 Ib. 185.
Of wyfes fyftein fidder 1567 Satirical Poems vi. 52.
King, Quene, and Lord, thay pas into ane fidder [: slidder] 1573 Ib. xxxix. 20.
Than fair weil thay; the find ressaue the fidder! 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. 29.
This fidder togidder Unto the wood ar went
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"Fidder n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/fidder>
