Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BURDON, n. In phr. to be at the staff and the burdon with one = “to quarrel, or come to an open rupture, with one” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. staff).

[O.Sc. burdoun, burdon, a stout staff, a cudgel (D.O.S.T.), Mid.Eng. burdoun, burdon, O.Fr. bourdon, a pilgrim's staff, a lance with large hand-grip, from Lat. burdonem, a mule; “objects of support are frequently known to borrow their names from beasts of burden, cf. chevalet, support for a black-board, etc., from cheval, horse” (Hatz. and Darm.), and Eng. clothes-horse.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Burdon n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/burdon>

5072

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: