Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1701-1728, 1796-1913
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†FAUTER, n. Also faater (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.), fauto(u)r, faulter (Abd. 1794 Sc. N. & Q. (1905) VI. 184). A wrongdoer, a defaulter, esp. against Church discipline.Abd. 1701 W. Cramond Church of Aberdour (1896) 47:
The Session to appoint a four nooked big stool to be made of an ell high to stand in the mids of the floor before the pulpit to be a Terror to faulters, that they may come from the remote public places and stand ther when the minister rebukes them.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems 33:
I've been a Fauter, now three Days are past.Ayr. 1796 Burns Had I the Wyte ii.:
Let him be planted in my place, Syne say I was the fautor.Dmf. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (Sept.) 662:
"Mattie Macleg, ye limmer," quoth he, "ye are a sad and sinfu' fautor; ye hae louped owre the fauld-dyke o' grace."wm.Sc. 1836 Scottish Annual 306:
Had he no been a laird, it's lang afore ye wad hae let your dochter put up wi' my auld joe, or hounded yer session on ae fautour.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 26:
The hin'mest fau'ter wha steud i' the Mary Kirk joggs wus Willie Brock.Sc.(E) 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xviii.:
Noo-a-days a man is coontit grit, gin he binna a fautour.
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"Fauter n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/fauter>
