caird

American  

[kaird, keyrd] / kɛərd, keɪrd /

noun

Scot.

1. a traveling tinker, especially a Romani.

2. a wandering tramp or vagrant.

---

caird British  

/ kerd, kɛəd /

noun

1. obsolete a travelling tinker; vagrant

---

Etymology

Origin of caird

First recorded in 1655–65; from Scots Gaelic ceard “tinker”; akin to Latin cerdō “workman,” Greek kerdṓ “cunning one”

Example Sentences

I'll make sae bauld, miss, au to chairge ye wi' that bit caird.

From Man and Wife by Collins, Wilkie

But tho’ his little heart did grieve When round the tinkler prest her, He feign’d to snirtle in his sleeve, When thus the caird address’d her: AIR.

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert

And Mysie, wha's clavering aunty Wud match her wi' Laurie the Laird, And learns the young fule to be vaunty, But neither to spin nor to caird.

From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 3 by Mabie, Hamilton Wright

Cruikshank's caird is a noble creature; his face and figure show him to be fully capable of doing and saying all that is above written of him.

From George Cruikshank by Thackeray, William Makepeace

When I got atower i' the mornin', what is there sittin' on my chair but a great muckle shortie in a braw box, wi' a Christmas caird on the tap o't.

From My Man Sandy by Salmond, J. B.