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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MINISTER, n. Also minaister (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xii.; Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 36; Abd. 1936 D. Bruce Cried on Sunday 6); meenister (em.Sc. 1894 I. Maclaren Brier Bush 2, Ags. 1923 V. Jacob Songs 9; Mry. 1927 E. B. Levack Lossiemouth 21; Abd. 1931 J. H. Hall Holy Man 41). [′minɪstər. See P.L.D. § 45.]

1. A clergyman in gen., specif. and commonly, a parish minister of the Church of Scotland. In Eng. minister is now applied only to Non-Conformist clergymen. Hence ministry, minaistry (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vii.), meenistry (Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped iii.; Kcb. 1894 Crockett Lilac Sunbonnet xlii.), the office or position of a clergyman (Gen.Sc.); rarely a parish.Sc. 1713 T. Mair Ellon Par. Rec. (1876) 153:
Mr James Burnett is ordained Minister of Ellon by Mr Mulligan, minister of Methlick, assisted by the brethren of the Presbytery.Sc. 1747 in W. Walker Rev. J. Skinner (1883) 48:
The late Act anent Episcopal ministers qualifying and registrating their orders.Ayr. 1790 Burns My love, she's but a lassie iii.:
The minister kiss't the fiddler's wife — He could na preach for thinkin o't!Sh. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XX. 108:
There are twelve heritors, but seven of them hold very inconsiderable property. They all reside in the ministry, except three.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ayr. Legatees vi.:
I doobt if the glad tidings of salvation have yet been preeched in this land of London; but the ministers have good stipends, and where the ground is well manured, it may in time bring forth fruit meet for repentance.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxv.:
The settlement of the Rev. Nathaniel MacCassock, as Free Kirk Minister at Pyketillim.Sc. 1888 J. Rankin Handbk. Ch. Scot. 265:
In 1843, six of the eight parish ministers [of Aberdeen] and all of the chapel ministers (ten) seceded.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 94:
A minister . . . duly licensed, ordained, and inducted.Sc. 1947 I. J. Simpson Education Abd. 100:
Some schoolmasters were regularly employed as assistant ministers.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxx.:
“The Lord's wull be deen,” cried the Episcopal Minister.Gsw. 1970 George MacDonald Fraser The General Danced at Dawn (1988) 29:
...the padre preaches a sermon reminding everyone that New Year is a time for rededication ("ye can say that again, meenister", murmurs a voice at the back), ... wm.Sc. 1986 Robert McLellan in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 32:
Send word to the Dominie to gar the bairns dae the biddin, and order the funeral boat. I'll hae the meenister at the quay at flood tide the day efter the morn. Fif. 1986 Harry D. Watson in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 163:
"No, no, meenister. If we tell ye, ye'll no' come wi's ... " Sc. 1997 Herald (20 Jun) 25:
In some gatherings, when people find out that you are a meenister, they immediately treat you like a cross between a leper and "Mad Dog" McCafferty.

2. Sc. combs.: (1) minister's dog, an angler's fly (see quot.); (2) minister's man, an attendant or manservant of a minister who in a country parish was also very frequently church officer or beadle. Gen.Sc.; (3) minister's mark, a sheepmark, the sheep having both ears cut off (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., Sh. 1963).(1) s.Sc. 1955 Scotsman (1 Feb.) 8:
The well-known Tweed salmon fly called the Minister's Dog. The original flies of this type were made from the yellow hairs obtained by a Border fly-dresser from the minister of Sprouston's dog in 1915.(2) Sc. 1837 Chamber's Jnl. (24 June) 175:
The minister's man is an important functionary in the Scottish parochial judicature.Sc. 1874 E. B. Ramsay Reminiscences 307:
The “minister's man” often evinced much Scottish humour and original character.Wgt. 1877 G. Fraser Wigtown 261:
One of those characters who combine the different situations of Church-officer, gravedigger, “minister's man”, and general factotum.Fif. 1898 S. Tytler Mrs. Carmichael's Goddesses viii.:
The “minister's man” would act as head-gardener, groom, and ploughman in one, while he would not neglect his sacerdotal duties of beadle and bellman.Kcd. 1929 J. B. Philip Weelum o' the Manse 5:
The house in question was a Free Church manse, and the figure getting the grounds ready for Sunday was that of Weelum, the Minister's man.

3. A ten-gallon cask of whisky (see quot.).Arg.² 1930:
Campbeltown is a whisky-distilling centre. Ministers was the distillery workmen's name for 10 gallon casks of whisky usually purchased by the clergy and gentry.

4. Grains of barley burnt in preparing Bursten, so called because of their black colouring (Ork.⁵ 1963).Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminiscences 28:
Any mettins happening to get over-toasted or burnt were called “ministers”.

5. A small spiral sea shell (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.).

6. A black rabbit (Ork.⁵ 1963).