Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

VAGABOND, n. Also Sc. forms vagabon (Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 168; Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxx., Gall. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 188), vagabone (Uls. 1898 S. Macmanus Bend of Road 65, 1953 Traynor); vegabon (Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 5), veggaband (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl. s.v. Hund), veggybon (Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 148), vaigabon (Abd. 1868 G. MacDonald Alec Forbes lxix.), vaigabone (Kcb. 1893 Crockett Raiders v.) ¶vaigbound (Ags. 1833 J. S. Sands Poems 101); weggybon (Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 62). [′vegəbon(d); Mry. †′weg-]

Sc. usages:

1. As in Eng. Sc. comb. †vagabond-money, a tax imposed equally on landlords and tenants of each parish for the employment of vagrants in terms of the Act of 1663.Sc. 1738 Urie Court Bk. (S.H.S.) 159:
The principall tennent of each plough within this Barrony to pay in yearly four shilling and six pennies Scots for each plough of vagabond mony as long as the same shall be continued as a cess upon the shyre.

2. A cobbler's last (Sh. 1963). Rare.