▪ I. † ˈspalliard1 Obs. rare.
Also 7 spaliard, 9 spallier.
[Of obscure origin: cf. spadiard.]
A labourer engaged in tin-mining.
| 1625 Laws Stannaries xii. (1808) 21 A labouring tinner, a blower, owner of blowing-houses, a spalliard, or adventurer. 1630 J. Doddridge Dvtchy of Cornewall 93 The laborious search for Tynne in those dayes, euen as it is vsed by the Spaliard at this day with great industrie and paines. [1836 R. Polwhele Hist. Cornw. Gloss. 91/2 Spallier, a labourer in tin-works. See Acts of the Stannary Parliaments.] |
▪ II. spalliard2
dial. form of espalier.
| 1886 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-Bk. 696 Spalliard (spaal·yurd), sb., espalier, a trained fruit tree. I think, sir, we must dig up that spalliard plum. 1920 [see pleach n.]. |