beadsman

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Related to Bedesmen: almsman, almshouse, bedesman

beadsman

(ˈbiːdzmən) or

bedesman

n, pl -men
1. (Ecclesiastical Terms) a person who prays for another's soul, esp one paid or fed for doing so
2. (Historical Terms) a person kept in an almshouse
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.beadsman - a person who is paid to pray for the soul of another
supplicant, prayer - someone who prays to God
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in periodicals archive ?
"Not many people know what Bedesmen are and she was always happy to tell people about our role, which dates back to a time when the poor were offered the role in exchange for praying for benefactors who had died, with the word 'Bede' coming from the old English word 'biddan' - to pray.
But Beede refers most pointedly to the medieval bedesmen, ascetics who were authorized by the Scottish king to roam the land begging in exchange for their prayers.