Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1702-1721, 1821-1893
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HELPER, n. A minister's or teacher's assistant. Gen.Sc. Also dim. form helpie (Bnff.7 1927). Cf. Helpender, id.Ayr. 1702 Munim. Irvine (1890) I. 230:
My acceptance even of that call was upon condition and assureance given me that I should have a helper.Sc. 1712 George Lockhart Letters SHS (1989) 60:
... when I sent a young man to preach att Carnwath in order to his being setled as helper to the present incumbent, ...Sc. 1721 R. Wodrow Sufferings I. 153:
They [ministers appointed in Edinburgh] were six in Number, and some were joyned to them as Helpers.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish l.:
The elders began to cast about for a helper, and during the bleak weather in the ensuing spring, several young men spared me from the necessity of preaching.Sc. 1823 J. G. Lockhart Reg. Dalton I. 195:
It's a braw fat kirk I houp for your sake; for no doubt ye'll be ettlin to stap in Helper and Successor, when ye're done wi' your courses.Ags. 1864 Arbroath Guide (16 Jan.) 2:
The fouk o' the Auld Kirk took a fancy to a helper.Lth. 1885 J. Strathesk Blinkbonny i.:
Mr Sinclair was the "helper," — for pupil teachers or "certificated assistants" were unknown in Blinkbonny.
Hence helpership, the office of a helper.Sc. 1893 W. Wallace Scot. Yesterday 178:
His successor in the "helpership" had no objection to his "veesiting."
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"Helper n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/helper>
