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:
The night was passed by the inmates of Riddlestain with fearful forebodings, and next morning, and during a part of the day, Henry expected a secret visit from the beadsman.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
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
And, without even troubling himself to look over the quarry brink, the beadsman began his ordinary half-trotting pace; and in a short time Henry saw him, in the distance, making rapid progress over the heath.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
In a few minutes, the door was opened by the beadsman.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
"Only Carey, the wandering beadsman of Pittenweem," replied the son.
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
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
Thy very beadsmen learn to bend their bows Of double-fatal Yew against thy state.
From The plant-lore & garden-craft of Shakespeare by Henry Nicholson Ellacombe
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