beadsman
Americannoun
plural
beadsmen-
a person who prays for another as a duty, especially when paid.
-
an inmate of a poorhouse; almsman.
noun
-
a person who prays for another's soul, esp one paid or fed for doing so
-
a person kept in an almshouse
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.
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 Aikin, Lucy
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
"It maun be!—it maun be!" responded the beadsman, as he stood by the dark walls of Falconcleugh mansion, and seemed to hesitate.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various
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
Goddess! vouchsafe this aged man his right To be your beadsman now, that was your knight.
From Strange Pages from Family Papers by Dyer, T. F. Thiselton (Thomas Firminger Thiselton)
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.
