Word of the Week over at REDEFiNE iT: bedlamer

Word of the Week (March 23-29)

bedlamer

Entry from the Dictionary of Newfoundland English:

bedlamer n also beddamer, bedlemer, bedlimmer, bellamer [phonetics unavailable].

Cp OED ~ 'lunatic' (1675, 1753); EDD bedlam sb1 1 'troublesome person or animal', EDD ~ 1 'Bedlam-beggar' (1742); DC ~ Nfld (1773-) for sense 1; EDD ~ 2 (Nfld: 1898) for sense 2.

1 An immature seal, esp a harp seal, approaching breeding age; also attrib. [1766] 1971 BANKS 145 The Bedlamer Quite dusky without any mark they themselves tell you that the Bedlamer is the young harp.

Read the rest at our REDEFiNE iT Blog
or visit our REDEFiNE iT Facebook Group .