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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CHANDLER, Chanler, n. [′tʃɑn(d)lər]

†1. A candlestick; a lantern. Also found in w.Yks. dial. (E.D.D.).Sc. 1700 Account Bk. Sir J. Foulis (S.H.S. 1894):
16 March: To Jamie Gray to pay for a chanler mending at y^e west port . . .0. 5. 0.Sc. 1724–1727 Ramsay T. T. Misc. (1733) 103:
Have you any pots or pans, Or any broken chandlers?

2. Combs.: (1) chandler chafted, -chaftit, lantern-jawed (Abd.², Fif.¹⁰ 1939); also fig.; †(2) chandler chafts, chan'ler —, lantern-jaws; †(3) chandler-pin,? the pin in each branch of a chandelier on to which the candle was fixed; used attrib. and fig. in quot. = over-elegant, precise; see Phrase below.(1) Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 3:
'Twas that grim gossip, chandler chafted want, With threed-bair claithing, and an ambry scant.Fif. c.1700 P. Birnie Auld Man's Mare in R. Ford Vagab. Songs, etc. (1904) 281:
Lang-neckit, chandler-chaftit, And yet the jaud to dee!(2) Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 26:
Shame faw ye'r Chandler Chafts, O Death, For stapping of John Cowper's Breath.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 75:
My sons, wi' chan'ler chafts gape roun', To rive my gear, my siller frae me.(3) Ayr. 1834 Galt Lit. Life III. 29:
There was a carding of sense through Peter's particularity, that made his dry words no so salt as the chandler-pin terms o' that clip-clouts, Stephen Ell.

Phr.: †on chandler pins, over-elegant and refined (in speech).Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie I. xiv.:
He had a fine scented pocket-napkin, and was wondrous perjinct in his words — a' on chandler pins.