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.
Quotation dates: 1715-1827, 1957
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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 Nicol Jarvie's Journey in Whitelaw The Book of Scottish Song (1843) 254:
Or mayhap they may chance to claymore me.