beadsman
Americannoun
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beadsmen
plural
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a person who prays for another as a duty, especially when paid.
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an inmate of a poorhouse; almsman.
noun
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a person who prays for another's soul, esp one paid or fed for doing so
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a person kept in an almshouse
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of beadsman
1200–50; bead's man man of prayer; replacing Middle English bedeman. See bead, 's 1, man
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It was too dark for Leslie to ascertain who it was; but the words "Escape—fly," repeated hurriedly, satisfied him that it was the beadsman who was thus making an effort to save him.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
Goddess, vouchsafe this aged man his right, To be your beadsman now, that was your knight.
From Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth by Lucy Aikin
Goddess! vouchsafe this aged man his right, To be your beadsman now that Was your knight.”
From Bacon and Shakspere by William Henry Burr
Whereby ye shall bind me to be your poor beadsman for ever unto Almighty God.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Noah Webster
"I ken that baith you and I are owre lang here," replied the beadsman, as he hurried out.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
Behind the decrepit beadsmen came a long array of Canterbury canons, chaplains and dignitaries in all their robes, followed by pages carrying the maces of Canterbury and York and the cross of Canterbury.
From Time Magazine Archive
Behind the verger walked a cross-bearer, the Canterbury choristers and seven decrepit beadsmen.
From Time Magazine Archive
Sir Stephen Scroop, when telling Richard of Bolingbroke’s revolt, declares that “Thy very beadsmen learn to bend their bows Of double-fatal yew against thy state.”
From Folk-lore of Shakespeare by Thomas Firminger Thiselton-Dyer
The betters are the factious noise of the alley, or the gamesters beadsmen that pray for them.
From Microcosmography or, a Piece of the World Discovered; in Essays and Characters by John Earle
That its wood was certainly employed for making bows, we learn from Shakespeare:— "Thy very beadsmen learn to bend their bows Of double-fatal Yew against thy state."
From Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by William Thomas Fernie
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