Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Handil(l)ar, n. Also: handlar, -er. [ME. handler (1398); f. Handil(lv.] 1. One who handles, in lit. and fig. senses: see Handil(l v. and Handling vbl. n. 1533 Boece xi. xii. 430.
How sone ane man suld twich the apill … the bendit stringis of the cors bowis suld … schute the ganeȝeis apoun the handillaris 1543–4 Treas. Acc. VIII. 259.
The ordinar feyis of gunnaris and otherris handillaris of monitioun 1568 Edinb. Test. II. 104 b.
I … makis … my wife haill intromatrix and handillar of my geir 1575 Ib. III. 411 b.
I … ordinis Johne Gordoun [etc.] gidaris & handilaris of my … bairnis 1611 Dunblane Test. III. 159 b.
The said Agnes to be handillar of the said Grissell & hir geir

b. One who has commercial dealings, a dealer or trader. 1582 Conv. Burghs I. 133.
Vnderstanding dyueris … merchantis and traffecquaris … to be … daylie handlaris with sindry factouris quha ar nocht professouris of the trew relligioun 1619 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 238.
Forsamekle as certan handleris of victuall that repaires to the mercat commone hallis [etc.] 1622 Conv. Burghs III. 137.
The same is becum vnloyall merchandice, to the grit preiudice of the merchands, handlers thairwith 1640 Spalding I. 251.
The rentis of byeris and selleris of victuall, and vtheris handleris and traffekeris without burghe

2. ? A pan fitted with a handle or handles. (Cf. Handpan n. and Handit a. ²) 1568 Edinb. Test. II. 200.
Four brasyn pannis, … four handillaris