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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡DOER, n. Sc. usage: an agent, factor; one entrusted with another's business affairs. Also daer. Gen.Sc., obsol. Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1721–22 R. Wodrow Sufferings I. 345:
His Brother Lord Haltoun came in to be his great Doer in Council.Sc. 1737 M. MacDonald quoted in Old-lore Misc. (1936) X. ii. 50:
I was to go and see my brother to Valleyfield, where he is presently a Doer on General Preston's estate.Sc. 1773 Invercauld Records (S.C. 1901) 25:
Missive by the Right Honourable The Earl of Fife addressed to Mr William Thom, Advocate in Aberdeen, Doer to James Farquharson of Invercauld.Sc. 1909 Colville 72:
Real estate is mortgaged under a bond or disposition in security, the agent in the transaction is the doer or haver.Bnff. 1715 Ann. Bnff. (S.C.) I. 114:
That every heretor . . . or their factors or doers . . . raise money among the tennents.Fif. 1929 A. Taylor Bitter Bread 157:
I'm mair at hame wi' the gentry's doers than wi' the gentry themsel's.Ayr. 1826 Galt Lairds ix.:
Your niece, she'll have doers, . . . and the doers will be constrained by law to do their duty as executioners.Ayr. 1896 H. Johnston Dr Congalton i.:
"He'll be a daer" (trustee), the enginedriver concluded.Gall. a.1773 in Gallov. Annual (1928) 78:
For several years he had employed John Mackenzie, then town clerk of Dumfries, as his local procurator or “doer,” for there were no solicitors in those days.

Hence doer-in-ordinary, idem.Kcb. 1896 S. R. Crockett Grey Man xxx.:
I got warrant . . . to be doer-in-ordinary for the young man James.