A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1581-1676
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Trunch(e)man, Trenchman, Trinch(e)man, n. Also: trunscheman, trunshman, trewnsheman, trensh-man, trynscheman, truiche man, treuchman. [e.m.E. tourchemen (Caxton), truchman (1525), trounchman (1575), trouchman (1577), F. trucheman, med. L. turchemannus, f. the Arabic.] An interpreter or translator. Also fig.(a) 1581 Satirical Poems xliv 225.
To Geneue haist vith speid. Bot ȝit ȝe vant ȝour trunscheman be the vay 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Interpres, a trunchman, or translator 1600-1610 Melvill 262.
This being trewlie reported again to him be his trunshman, with grait reverence, he gaiff thankes c1620 Boyd Fl. Zion Exc. xxiv/2.
What meant such wordes we surely could not try; No trunchman was 'twixt servants and the masters 1676 Lauder Notices Affairs I 119.
At last the frigat getts into Aberdeen, wheir Balfour [a Swede of Scots parentage] by his truncheman, complains to the magistrats [etc.](b) 1623 Mar & Kellie MSS Suppl. 163.
The Prince raisse and went to the Infanta, where my Lord of Bristolle did playe the trewnsheman(c) a1605 Montg. Sonn. lxix 11.
Four crabit crippilis crackand in our crouch. Sen I am trensh-man for the other thrie, Let drunken Pancrage drink to me in Dutch 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 460.
I pleaded for a trench-man, [it] being against their law to accuse or condemne a stranger without a sufficient interpreter(d) 1608-13 Hilderstoun Silver Mines.
For ane hors hyre to Johne Moir to ryd to Edinburgh with Mr. Starky to be his trinchman 1624–5 Mar & Kellie MSS Suppl. 224.
This daye he did playe the trincheman for your erthe doges and your commentare upone their names, where the king and the prince wes verrye pleasand 1622-6 Bisset II 263/24.
The Franche admirall and seæ lawes ar … sa weill translated and put in Englis and vulgare Scottis langaige that ȝe neid nocht have ane trynscheman nor interpritatoure thereof(e) c1590 Fowler I 36/14.
Thair vncouth habit … did mak me much to muse, And speache vnknowen to me … which none bot they did vse; Yit all thair talk and conference … My marrow and interpretar and truiche man maid it planefig. 1598 Melvill Propine 7.
Speake vnto your God and tell him your awin tale without a trinchman 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 15/5.
What agreeance and conformitie he ought to keepe betwixt his outward behauiour in these things, and the vertuous qualities of his minde: & howe they should serue for trunche-men, to interprete the inwarde disposition of the minde to the eyes of them that cannot see farther within him 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 25/124.
Poets, … Dame Naturs trunchmen, heauens interprets trewe a1649 Drummond II 98/1011.
No otherwise did the Soueraigne of this world … place Man … to bee an interpreter and trunchman of His creation 1664 Pitcairn Spiritual Sacrifice 24.
Doth the Lord stand in need of a trenchman? Shall he who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins … go to another, and ask, what are the purposes and desires of the heart?(b) 1614 T. Melvill in Melvill lxv.
Bailfull newes … Quhilk maid thy weiping eyes thy wois bewray, As seconde treuchman to thy sadder thoght
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"Trunchman n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/truncheman>
