A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1531-1562
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Bordalour, Bordeler(e, n. Also: bordallar, -ollar, bordelar, -ellar, -eller. [ME. bordeler, bordiller, AF. bordeler, OF. bordelier, f. bordel Bordale.] A keeper or frequenter of brothels. a1400 Legends of the Saints xix. 456.
Twa demycelis, that ȝonge ware, … thai ware bordalouris parfyt a1400 Ib. xlii. 39.
A matrone … That wes a commone bordelere 1531 Bell. Boece I. 165.
He had nane sa familiar to him as fidlaris, bordellaris, makerellis, and gestouris 1531 Ib. II. 174.
All taverneris, drunkattis, bordallaris, … sall pas out of the cuntre 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 65.
Carying of the saidis bordelaris, houremaisteris, and harlottis, throw the toun in ane carte for thair first falt 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 8.
That all bordeleris and notorious and manifest harlotis … be remowit and baneist frome this toune
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"Bordalour n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/bordalour>
