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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sinkar, -er, n. Also: sinkare, -air, sincar, sincker. [e.m.E. sinker (1568); Sink v.]

1. An employee of the mint who engraved the dies used in making coins. 1526 Acts II 317/1.
The sayaris fe and the sy[n]karis of the irnis fee to be pait of the kingis purs 1554–5 Reg. Privy S. IV 506/2.
Ane lettir maid to Johnne Achesoun, makand him sinkare of the irnis of hir graces cunyehous 1564–5 Treas. Acc. XI 341.
Sincker 1574 Acts III 92/2.
Sinkar 1582 Reg. Privy C. III 481.
Sincar 1587–8 Reg. Privy C. IV 265.
Complaint of Thomas Foullis, sinker of the cunyiehouse 1590–1 Reg. Privy C. IV 574.
Sinkair 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII 27.
Thomas Foulis, sinkar of his Majesteis irones, to mak ane new greit seale 1612 Acts IV 488/2.
Sincker 1625 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 7.
Charles Dickiesone sinker of his maiesties yrnis to mak, grave and sink his maiesties signetts privie and grite seales 1636 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 50.
It cannot be instanced … that euer a maister coynner wes a graver or sinker of yrnes or had the skill and abilitie to doe the same 1641 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I xxx.
The maister, the sinker or graver, the clerk of the bullione [etc.] 1663 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 451.
Jaakim Harder, sinker or graver of his Majesties Mint

2. A workman employed to dig out wells, etc. 1629 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 220.
To the sinkeris at the castell wooll 1629 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 228.
Ane kevvell … to the sinkeris of the well

3. A lead weight (specif., on a stocking-frame). c1689 Edinb. Hammermen in Arch. Scot. I 180.
[The framesmith's essay] six sinkers