α. pre-1700 pondlair, pre-1700 pondlar, pre-1700 pondler, pre-1700 poundlar, pre-1700 1700s– pundlar, pre-1700 1700s– pundler, pre-1700 1900s– poundler.
β. pre-1700 1900s– punlar, pre-1700 1900s– punler.
γ. 1700s pundar, 1900s– punder.
pundlern.
/ˈpʌndlə/, U.S. /ˈpən(d)lər/, Scottish English /ˈpʌndlər/ Scottish (chiefly Orkney). Now historical.
= steelyard n.2
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > equipment for weighing > [noun] > a weighing apparatus > steelyard
statera?a1560
pundler1575
Roman balance1585
Roman beam1611
stelleer1611
Venice beam1611
steelyard1639
bismar1701
Roman steelyard1730
staff-bismara1733
weigh-beam1804
1575 in D. Balfour Oppress. 16th Cent. Orkney & Zetland (1859) 7 In alteration and changing of the auld weigh of the bismyre and pondlar of Orkney, be making the same the fifth part mair nor it was of before..(except the beir pondler).
1628 Acts of Bailiary in G. Barry Hist. Orkney (1805) App. ix. 473 That every pundlar be justed and made equal with the King's pundlar.
a1688 J. Wallace Descr. Orkney (1693) 93 Pundler, a Beam marked with the marks of their weight, which hath a stone on the one end, and a Hook at the other end for hinging up the Cassie [basket].
1734 in Proc. Orkney Antiquarian Soc. (1923) 1 65/2 One measuring barrell, two sufficient riddles, two sufficient pundlers..a Beer pundler with Stones, cleiks and tows.
1805 G. Barry Hist. Orkney ii. v. 212 The pundler is the instrument employed for weighing malt, meal, bear, oats, and other gross and weighty commodities.
1935 Discovery Jan. 8/2 A very large pundler or wooden steelyard, of the Roman type, from the Orkneys has been recently acquired by the Avery Museum.
1970 Times 14 Feb. p. vi/5 The majority of steelyards are entirely metal, but crude wooden ones were also made, and known as pundlers.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1575