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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Omnigad(d)rum, -gaddarum, -gatherum, -in(e, n. Also: omne- and -gaddarin, -gatherome, -gathrum, -in, and omngadrum. [? Late ME. omnegadrium (? 15th c.), e.m.E. omnigatherum (1562), also omnium gatherum (1530), macaronic as if f. L. omnis, Gader, Gather v. and the L. ending -um.The forms in -in(e are presum. conformed to the Sc. vbl. n.]

1. a. Of omnigaddarum, -gatherine, by gathering promiscuously, as a hotch-potch. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 53.
With him he brocht some oranges, some reasins, sum bisqueat bread, some powder, some bullet and so, of omnigaddarum [Trans. omnigaddarin], he brocht a maledictioune to furneis Dumbartoun 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 736.
Of omnigatherine [v.r. omnigatherome] now his glose, He maid it lyk a Wealchman hose

b. An instance of this; a miscellaneous assemblage or mixture. ? c 1600 Rep. Hist. MSS., Var. Coll.V. 202.
Omnegathrum anent Ogilvies of Ballincho

c. plur. Things or persons forming a miscellaneous collection, hotch-potch or medley. 1673 W. Dundas A Few Words of Truth from the Spirit of Truth 7.
What a mingle-mangle galimaufray of omnigatherums is that assembly 1675 Accompt of Dispute betwixt the Students of Divinity and Quakers at Aberdene 67.
What a mingle, mangle, mungle gallimafras of omni-gatherumes and hodge-podge acts 1676 Quakerism Confirmed, or a Vindication of the Chief Doctrines of the Quakers 18. 1679 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 99.
Two entered prentises belonging to our lodge … and other omngadrums

2. In Stirling applied to a miscellaneous group of minor crafts, not separately incorporated, which were treated for certain purposes as a single unit.(a) 1603 Stirling Merch. Guild 20.
To join and conwein with thrie craftismen and ane of the omne gadrum electit for the craftismen 1604 Stirling B. Rec. I. 112.
Tua of the omnigaddrum 1619 Stirling Merch. Guild 39.
For the omnegaddrums pairt of the schoir siluer 1642 Stirling B. Rec. I. 184.
Of the quhilk … the toun sall pay yeirlie [£4, the guild brethren £20, the crafts £20, the maltmen £10,] and the omnigadrum, viz., the wrichtis, maissones, coupares, litstares, glassinwrichtis, sklaitteris, gairdneris, the soume of ten pundis yeirlie 1650 Ib. II. 302.
The mechanikis and omnigadrum 1671 Stirling Common Good MS. 70.(b) 1656 Stirling B. Rec. I. 225.
[From the common good £217/6/8, guildry £180, crafts £180, maltmen £60, mechanics £36,] the rest of the omnegathrum £48 1668 Ib. II. 6.
Representatives of the mechanicks and omnigatherum 1677 Stirling Common Good MS. 120.
To the omnigathrin for goeing to the said fair [£1/4/0] 1707 Stirling B. Rec. II. .