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.

Man-slaar(e, -slayar, -er, n. Also: -slaer, -sleyar. Plur. also men-slaaris, -slayeris, -sleyaris, menslaris. [ME. man-slaer (Cursor M.), -sleere (14–15th c.), e.m.E. manslayer.] One who kills a man, a homicide, a murderer.Also const. of the victim.sing. (a) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 257.
Hel, Quhare man-slaare sal ay duel 1456 Hay I. 199/7. Ib. 202/19.
Than war he homycide and man slaare a1500 Bk. Chess 1686.
Erar … A man slaar we suld him iuge … Than for to be a mediciner of men 1551 Hamilton Cat. 85.
He that hettis his brother is ane manslaar(b) a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. lxix. 50.
No manslayar to be c1575 Balfour Pract. 515.
Sa lang as the man-slayer is livand 1597 Skene Verb S. s.v. Clan Makdvf.
Quhen onie man-slayer … come to that croce … he was free of the slaughter a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 43. 1644 Soc. Ant. IV. 465.
The processe against James Ramsay, manslayer(c) 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 49, etc.
Mansleyarplur. (a) 1398–9 Acts I. 211/1.
Manslaerys reiferis brynneris Ib. 55/2.
Theyffis na manslaaris na murthiraris c1420 Wynt. ii. 1062. 1560 Bk. Disc. 231.
Man-slayaris(b) 1505 Exch. R. XII. 704.
The namez of menslaris that committis slauchter 1512 Crim. Trials I. 81.
The slaaris of him … [to] be reput … as menslaaris 1525 St. A. Formulare I. 268.
Men slayaris c1575 Balfour Pract. 516.
Men-slayeris … not compeirand sould be denuncit rebellis 1581 Burne Disput. 190.
Mischant mensleyaris

b. transf. and fig. c1460 Regim. Princ. 280 (M).
[A king pardoning too readily] may weill vnderstand … That he is manslayar of ane thousand ma c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiv. 5.
O man-slayar … Stynt of ȝour slauchter a1568 Bann. MS. 220 a/59.
Without scho do scho will be notifyd A manslaar 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 8.
The third part of the people in the eird war not left vnplukit away be sic ane cruell miserable tiran & manslayar