Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Malefacto(u)r, n. Also: mali-, malyfactour, mallefactor, malefaitor. [Late ME. (c 1440) and e.m.E. malefacto(u)r, L. malefactor.] An evil-doer, a felon, a criminal. 14.. Acts I. 69/2.
Gif ony man steil ony thing … an inquest … sal … enquyr … quha that malefactor wes c1500 Barounis Lawis fol. 15 b.
Ilk baroune may … purge his landis of misdoaris and malefactouris 1528 Douglas Corr. 128.
To … be sickir that nane of the saidis malefactouris … escaip 1558-66 Knox II. 290. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 128. a1578 Pitsc. I. 66/8.
Throw his … great favour that he buire to the tyrannis and malefactouris 1581 Montgomery Mem. 220.
The said place salbe patent for ressauing of malifactoures 1587 Acts III. 465/1. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 246. 1605 Peebles Gleanings 20. 1607 Acts IV. 379/2.
That … race and name of the Glengregour notorious lymberis and malefactouris 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 160.
Na malefactovr sovld be condemned, vntill he be first called and accused Ib. Table 86 b. a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 43. 1653 Blairs P. 82.
He is cheerfull … albeit in the common prison … with the greatest malefaitors 1687 Fugitive Poetry II. xl. 2/31.
[To] torture them alive like mallefactors 1696 Hector Renfrewshire Rec. I. 49.
The prisoner or malyfactour