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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slaar(e, Slayar(e, n. Also: sla(i)er, slayer, -re, -air, -art, sla(a)ir, sle(y)ar. [ME sleer (Wyclif), ME and e.m.E. slear (c1400), slayer (1547-64), north. ME slaare (a1400-50); Sla v.] One who or that which kills, in various senses of Sla v.

1. A person who kills another, a homicide; a murderer. (Sla v. 3.)Cf. Man-slaar(e n. c1420 Wynt. ii 1056.
Slaare c1420 Wynt. vi 858.
Quhen Constantyne wes slayne, … The selff slayare the Kyng Gryme Succedyd c1475 Wall. xi 1278.
The fyrst [sc. Wallace] has bene a gret slaar off men 1488 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 83.
William Hedle [etc.] … slaaris of umquhill Robert Trunbull 1504 Crim. Trials I i 43.
Slaier c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) ix 50 (B).
No sleyar to be 1512 Crim. Trials I i 81.
The slaaris of him … [to] be reput … as men-slaaris 1517–18 Acta Conc. MS XXX 199.
Slaaris 1517–18 Acta Conc. MS XXX 225.
Slaiar 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 96.
It is ane sikkir opinioun amang ws that the body of ane slayne man bleedis afoir the slaair 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 400.
Slayair a1538 Abell 26a.
Slaer 1552–3 Treas. Acc. X 169.
The lairdis of Cragye [etc.] … and otherris thair complices, slaarris of the laird of Kylfawnis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.
Slayaris 1570 Leslie 88.
Slayer 1570 Leslie 89.
That slaiers be sey neid not compeir personallie 1584 Acts III 300/1.
Sleyar 1600 Crim. Trials II 120.
Slear 1611 Misc. Maitl. C. III 15.
Everie suche persone slayar of ane McGregour … sall haif ane free pardoun 1612 Aberd. Council Lett. I 115.
Horningis produceit … for defence of any that hes committed slauchter salbe na defence to the slayre incaice [etc.]

2. An animal that kills (another animal). (Sla v. 5.) 1533 Boece 373.
Gif ony in the feild be homyll, scho [sc. a cow] salbe iugeit the slayare

3. A person who kills an animal or animals (Sla v. 9a-c.) b. One who kills fish; a fisherman. Also attrib. with boit, a fishing-boat. (Sla v. 9 d.) c. specif. A slaughterman or butcher. (Sla v. 9 e.) 1499 Exch. R. XI 395.
Schutaris, slaaris of calfis, foneis, or rakiddis … sall … be punist tharfor 1510 Crim. Trials I i 67.
Item, gif thair be ony slaaris of haris in snaw? 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 58.
The slayar of ane wolf to haif ane ox to his revarde 1557 Inverness Rec. I 13.
It salbe lesum til ony man to slay thame [sc. swine] quhar euer thai may be apprehendit in thair skayth without prejudice to the slaar as vnlauchful goud 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. 13 Oct.
James Fergusson lokman is chosin swyne slayar that is fundin lois in the comond & streit 1581 Acts III 217/1.
That all sic slayeris and hocheris of horsis and oxin … salbe … punesit as theiffis 1587 Acts III 453/1.
The slayeris and schuittaris of hart hynd [etc.] … without licence 1647 Acts VI i 727/2.
For ilk lamb or kid slayne to be payed be the slayer 12 d.b. 1503 Acts II 242/2.
Anentis the slaaris of smo[l]tis in mylne dammis 1572 Crail B. Ct. MS 6 Oct.
[It is forbidden to buy fish] priuatlie fra the slayaris thairoff 1583 Pittenween Ann. 7.
All unfreemen fishers and slayers of herring and white fishes 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI 626.
Anent slayaris of blak feischeis in forbidden tyme 1613 Inverness Rec. II 116.attrib. 1596 Glasgow Prot. V Pref. xii.
All and sindrie slayart boittis of the west seyis of this realme 1596 Glasgow Prot. V Pref. xiii.
xix slayar boittis in the toun of Ranfrew 1641 Glasgow B. Rec. I 435.c. a1500 Bk. Chess 1439.
Be the scheris sall ye wnderstand And be this knyf … All craft … Schaparis sewaris and best slaaris also 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II 253.
Flescheouris … slairis of nolt scheip swyne or siclike bestall 1557 Edinb. B. Rec. III 6.
Flescheouris and vtheris slaerris and braikerris of flesche 1578 (1659) Dumfries Fleshers.
That all prenteisis servants & comon slayers shall find catione for thair honesty 1659 Dumfries Fleshers 5 May.

4. One who destroys his soul with sin. (Sla v. 11.) a1500 Bernardus 229.
A mane inclinande to iniquite, Ande of his saule a slaar sekyrli