caird

American  

[kaird, keyrd] / kɛərd, keɪrd /

noun

Scot.

1. a traveling tinker, especially a Romani.

2. a wandering tramp or vagrant.

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caird British  

/ kerd, kɛəd /

noun

1. obsolete a travelling tinker; vagrant

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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

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 Tune—"Clout the Cauldron."

From Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Burns, Robert

Two occupative names of Celtic origin are Gow, a smith, as in The Fair Maid of Perth, and Caird, a tinker— "The fellow had been originally a tinker or caird."

From The Romance of Names by Weekley, Ernest

O Willy, I can caird an' spin, Sae ne'er can want for cleedin'; An' gin I hae my Willy's heart, I hae a' the pearls I'm heedin'.

From The Home Book of Verse — Volume 2 by Stevenson, Burton Egbert

An' I'll send the auld cat a caird wi' something nice on it, to please ye .

From Wee Macgreegor Enlists by Bell, J. J. (John Joy)

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