subs. (old).—1.  A bully; a braggart: also as adj. = turbulent. Hence BANGSTRY = violence.

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  c. 1570.  Legend of the Bischop of St. Androis [Scotish Poems of the Sixteenth Century (1801); II. 326]. Proude ambitious BANGESTERS.

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  1594.  Acts James VI. (1597), 217. Persones wrangously intrusing themselves in the rowmes and possessiones vtheris be BANGSTRIE and force.

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  1651.  D. CALDERWOOD, The History of the Kirk of Scotland (1843), II. 516. My lord, mak us quite of thir Matchiavelian and BANGESTER lords.

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  1755.  A. ROSS, Helenore [JAMIESON]. That yet have BANGSTERS on their boddom set.

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  2.  (Scots’).—A victor; winner: cf. BANG, verb.

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  1820.  SCOTT, The Abbot, xix. If the Pope’s champions are to be BANGSTERS in our very change-houses, we shall soon have the odl shavelings back again. Ibid. (1824), St. Ronan’s Well, xxiii. If you are so certain of being the BANGSTER—so very certain, I mean, of sweeping stakes …

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  3.  (common).—A wanton; a harlot: see TART.

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