Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CLAYMORE, Clymore, Glaymore, n. and v. [′kle:mo:r, kle′mo:r]
I. n. A large two-edged (and sometimes twohanded) sword, formerly used by the Highlanders of Scotland. Also commonly applied to the Highlanders' basket-hilted sword, which was frequently single-edged. Hist.Sc. 1715 Loch-Lomond Expedition 8:
A sturdy Claymore by his Side.Sc. 1749 Scots Mag. (App.) 633:
The exchange of dress was performed at the place appointed, and the P[rince] grasped once more the claymore instead of the distaff.Sc. 1774 T. Pennant Tour in Scot. 1772 289:
A Cly-more, or great two-handed sword . . . an unwieldy weapon, two inches broad, doubly edged; the length of the blade three feet seven inches; of the handle, fourteen inches.Sc. 1827 Scott Highland Widow iv. in Chrons. Canongate I. xi.:
He carried a gun over his shoulder, the claymore was swinging by his side, with its usual appendages, the dirk, the pistol and the sporran mollach.Sc. 1957 W. R. Kermack Sc. Highlands 132:
The true claymore came into use probably late in the fifteenth century and continued until the early part of the seventeenth century, when it was replaced by the single-edged broadsword with a basket hilt, to which the name "claymore" was transferred.w.Sc. 1785 J. Boswell Tour to Hebrides 255:
We also saw . . . his Glaymore, which was wielded with both hands, and is of a prodigious size. The broad-sword now used, though called the Glaymore, is much smaller than that used in Rorie More's time.Per. 1816 J. Duff Poems 48:
Methinks I see him weild his dread clymore, To stay the porter at the dungeon door.
¶II. v. To strike or kill with a claymore.Sc. c.1820 Highl. Plaid, etc. (Chapbook) 6:
Or mayhap they may chance to claymore me.
