shelly-coatn.
/ˈʃɛlɪkəʊt/, U.S. /ˈʃɛliˌkoʊt/, Scottish English /ˈʃɛlɪkot/ Scottish.
1. A water sprite wearing seashells which make a clattering noise. Also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > fairy or elf > [adjective] > wearing sea-shells
shelly-coat1720
shelly-coated1725
the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > fairy or elf > [noun] > specific types of
colt-pixie1542
shelly-coat1802
night-rider1856
airy fairy1863
sky fairy1876
couril1889
1720 A. Pennecuik Streams from Helicon (ed. 2) i. 65 No Shellicoat Goblin, or Elf on the Green.
1802 W. Scott Minstrelsy Sc. Border I. Introd. 84 Shellycoat, a spirit who resides in the waters, and has given his name to many a rock and stone upon the Scotish coast.
1803 A. Boswell Spirit of Tintoc To Rdr. Nor Kelpy, nor Shellycoat, nor any of the spirits of the deep.
a1869 C. Spence From Braes of Carse (1898) 90 All the sea and river imps With shelly coats and scaly jimps.
2. ‘A sheriff's messenger, or bum-bailiff, denominated perhaps from the badges of office on his coat’ (Jamieson).
ΘΚΠ
society > law > administration of justice > one who administers justice > an officer of the court > [noun] > official who executes orders of court > bailiff
beadlec1000
ridemanlOE
cacherela1325
outrider1332
bailiff1377
catchpolea1382
bailiec1386
officer?1387
sheriff's manc1400
attacher1440
messenger1482
tipped staffc1500
servitor1527
bailie-errant1528
processar1534
bum-bailiff1560
tipstaff1570
nut-hook1600
saffo1607
servera1612
bailiff-errant1612
bum-bailey1615
process servera1616
buckle-bosom1622
bumbee1653
exploiter1653
moar1656
bum1659
bummer1675
bumbail1696
bulldog1699
sheriff's officer1703
bum-trap1749
bound-bailiff1768
shelly-coata1774
body snatcher1778
lurcher1785
fool-finder1796
messenger1801
bugaboo1809
borough-bailiff1812
sheriff mair1812
speciality1815
grab1823
legalist1835
candy man1863
writter1882
sheriff1928
a1774 R. Fergusson Poems (1785) 177 I dinna care a single jot, Tho' summon'd by a shelly-coat.
Derivatives
shelly-coated adj. (see 1 above).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > fairy or elf > [adjective] > wearing sea-shells
shelly-coat1720
shelly-coated1725
1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd i. i She fled as frae a shelly~coated cow [= goblin; see cow n.2].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1720