beadsman
Americannoun
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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.
It has survived in beadsman— "The beadsman, after thousand aves told, For aye unsought-for slept among his ashes cold."
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest
What can be better touched than the figures of the beadsman and the old nurse Angela?
From Life of John Keats His Life and Poetry, his Friends, Critics and After-fame by Colvin, Sidney
You might have told me at once that you and the beadsman were at Falconcleugh.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
The door was shut, and Henry immediately after heard the loud call of some horsemen, inquiring of the beadsman whether he had not with him a companion.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
In a few minutes, he saw the old beadsman, who he thought had betaken himself to his quarters at Pittenweem, come forth, in the company of a young woman rolled up in a cloak.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
