Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MERCHANT, n. Also merchan(d); †marchand. Sc. usages.

1. A retail shop-keeper, particularly the keeper of a grocery and general store (Sc. 1798 Monthly Mag. (Dec.) 437). Gen.(exc. s.)Sc.; a travelling packman (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Also used attrib. Freq. in comb. general merchant. Also in n.Eng. dial. and U.S.Ayr. 1700 Arch. and Hist. Coll. Ayr. & Wgt. IV. 198:
Hew Stewart, merchand at Stewartounkirk, persued John Wyllie in Clerkland for four lib. eight shilling of merchand accompt.Sc. 1722 R. Wodrow Sufferings II. 265:
James Robertson was a Merchant in Stonehouse . . . This . . . Person used to travel up and down the Country with a Pack.n.Sc. c.1730 E. Burt Letters (1815) I. 63:
A peddling shop-keeper, that sells a pennyworth of thread, is a merchant.Abd. 1794 W. Farquhar Poems 181:
Like a leel Merchan' I'll gae lift my packs.Gall. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 42:
A fause merchan' lown, Lives het an' fou within the town.Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Traditions 290:
His whole stock in trade, consisting in a multifarious variety of articles, such as ropes, tea, sugar, . . . potatoes, rubbers, gundy, onions, spunks, coloured eggs in their seasons, &c. &c. — constituting what was then called a merchant and now a small grocer.Sc. 1837 Lockhart Scott xviii.:
A merchant (that is to say a dealer in everything from fine broadcloth to children's tops).Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vi.:
She never saw a merchan' 't cudna affoord to gie's customers preens.Ayr. 1891 H. Johnston Kilmallie I. iii.:
Run to the merchant's for a white loaf, a pound o' cracknels, and a dozen cookies.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (25 July):
Dir twa or tree wyes o' daelin wi' a merchan'.Bnff. 1924 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 342:
The merchan's in an awfu' ill teen the day, swearin' like a' that.Abd. 1961 Buchan Observer (6 June) 5:
For Sale, by Private Bargain, this well-sited General Merchant's Business, at the junction of the main Fraserburgh and Peterhead Roads.

2. A member of the Guild. q.v., of Merchants in a burgh, who had until 1833 a predominant share in the Magistracy and Town Council, and now form, esp. in the larger cities, companies or societies managing funds for benevolent, educational, etc. purposes. Freq. attrib. with Bailie, Company, Councillor, Guild, Hospital, House, Maiden, etc.Edb. 1717 J. D. Marwick Guilds (1909) 198:
Traidsmen as well as merchants are declaired capable of being gild brother.Sc. 1720 Session Papers, Deacons Haddington (18 July) 1:
20 Merchant Counsellors, whereof 16 to be the old Counsellors, and 4 new; which 4 are to be chosen yearly by the Provost, Baillies, Treasurer, and old Merchant Council allenarly, and 11 Tradesmen.Gsw. 1747 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1911) 260:
They had under consideration the state of the stock and funds of the Merchants house, and the provision for maintenance of the poor of the merchant rank was very small.Edb. 1779 H. Arnot Hist. Edb. (1816) 436:
Of the Merchants' Maiden Hospital. This charitable foundation was established in the end of the last century, by voluntary contribution, to which the company of merchants in Edinburgh, and Mrs Mary Erskine, a widow gentlewoman, lent particular assistance. It is destined for the education and maintenance of young girls, daughters of the merchant burgesses of Edinburgh.Gsw. 1798 J. Denholm Hist. Gsw. 138:
The Provost being thus elected, the nomination of the Bailies is next proceeded in, by dividing the Merchant Counsellors for the election of the two Merchant Bailies into the same number of leets, as was done in the election of the Provost.Sc. 1891 J. Colston Incorporated Trades Edb. xlii.:
The old feuds between the Merchant class and the Crafts in regard to their respective municipal rights.Sc. 1903 A. Heron Merchant Co. Edb. 248:
The Burgh Reform Act in 1833, by which statute the distinction between merchant and other councillors was abolished.Sc. 1924 D. Murray Early Burgh Organization 159:
Burgesses, again, were intown and outintown; and in later days were divided into craftsmen and merchants, a distinction which did not exist in early days.

3. A customer, a buyer (Bnff., Abd., Ags. 1962); fig. a suitor.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 21:
A toom Purse makes a bleat Merchant.Slk. 1829 Hogg Shepherd's Cal. iii.:
My rule was, to sell my little things, such as wool, lambs, and fat sheep, worth the money, and not to part with them till I got the price in my hand. This plan I never rued; and people finding how the case stood, I had always plenty of merchants.Dmf. 1831 R. Shennan Tales 43:
Sweer to put a merchant by, When we hae goods, and want to sell.Per. 1835 J. Monteath Dunblane Trad. (1887) 71:
His aid and assistance in procuring merchants for the goods.Cld. 1880 Jam.:
I can get a merchant for my guids ony day at my ain siller.ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays & Leg. 83:
There wis na want o' merchan's Eager for her hert an' han'.Gall. 1903 E.D.D.:
Have ye found a merchant for your horse?Bwk. c.1930:
It's guid gear that pleases the merchant.

†4. Purchases, shopping. Cf. Mercat, 3.Ayr. 1880 Jam.:
I'm gaun to mak ma marchand.

5. Attrib. in combs.: (1) merchant look, a critical appraising scrutiny, as of a buyer at an intended purchase; (2) merchant shop, a general store, a retail shop for miscellaneous small wares; (3) merchand wair, the goods sold at a general store, retail goods.(1) Mry. 1913 Northern Scot.:
It was very amusin tae see the weemanfolk sittin cheekmajoul at the road side herdin a tethered coo an takin a merchant look o' a'body gyaun by.(2) Edb. 1726 Edb. Ev. Courant (4–5 July):
The Merchant Shop in Brown's Land, possest by the Representatives of George Brown Merchant.(3) Wgt. 1700 Arch. and Hist. Coll. Ayr. & Wgt. IV. 198:
Thirtie seven shiling 2d for merchand wair.

6. Phrs.: (1) one's e(y)e is one's merchant, a proverbial saying indicating that one makes a purchase on one's own appraisal and responsibility without guarantee or persuasion from the seller, with the implication that one should scrutinise an intended purchase closely, cf. Lat. caveat emptor. Gen.Sc.; (2) to meet wi one's merchant, to meet one's match, to fall in with someone who will get the better of the bargain, or the upper hand (w.Lth. 1962).(1)Sc. 1712 Morison Decisions 14237: 
If one's eye be his merchant.Abd. 1761 Session Papers, Petition M. Burnet (14 Jan.) 8:
The Defender's Answer was, That his Eyes were his Merchant.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
A man's eye is proverbially said to be his merchant, when he buys any article entirely on his own judgment, without any recommendation or engagement on the part of another.(2) Ayr. 1827 R. Chambers Picture Scot. I. 285:
He's ay plan-plannin and ay change-changin, and ae way or another he's never off our tap. Od, I wiss he mayna meet wi' his merchant some day.Edb. 1872 J. Smith Sc. Stories (1881) 24:
But she'll maybe meet wi' her merchant yet; if no in this world, by my wordie she'll find him in the next.