A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1460, 1513-1600
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Sayar, -er, n.1 [ME and e.m.E. segger (Manning), seiere (Wyclif), seyere (a1400), sayer (Caxton), saier (a1533); Say v.1]See also mes-sayer Mes n.1 2 b and Na-sayer n.
1. A narrator or author. c1460 Wisdom of Solomon (STS) 522.
Be the documentis of wys clerkis that knawis the subtill ymaginacione of the sayar 1513 Doug. ix Prol. 27.
The sayar eik suld weil consider thys, Hys mater, and quhamto it entitilit is 1513 Id. Exclam. 29.
Far eithar is quha lyst syt doun to moyt Ane otheris sayaris faltis to spy and noyt
2. One who says or celebrates mass, the celebrant. 1558-66 Knox II 139.
The sayar of it [sc. Mass] to committ horrible blasphemye in usurping upoun him the office of Christ 1558-66 Ib. 274.
The lawis of the realme had appoynted punishment for sayaris and heararis of masse 1587 Acts III 430/1. 1593 Ib. IV 17/2.
Aganis the sayaris of messe and ressattaris or interteneyaris of excommunicat papists 1600 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 961.
3. Evil-sayer, one who speaks evil. 1588 King Catechism 40.
Quhisperars, bakbytters and euil sayers
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"Sayar n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/sayar_n_1>
