scullery
(ˈskʌlərɪ)
Forms: α. 4 squillerye, 5–6 squillery, 6 -erie, squyllary, squylery, suyllarye; β. 5 skulery, 6 skullary, scullary, -arie, -erie, 6–7 skullery, 7 -erie, 5– scullery.
[a. OF. escuelerie, f. escuelier squiller.]
1. The department of a household concerned with the care of the plates, dishes, and kitchen utensils. Also the room or rooms in which the work of this department is carried on. Obs. exc. Hist.
| α [1330 Rolls of Parlt. II. 33/1 Johan de la Squillerye.] 1445 in Turner's Dom. Arch. (1859) III. i. 78 To make in all hast possible..a new halle with a squillery, saucery, and surveyng place. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII 10 b, He had been a turne broche and executed such vile officies in the kynges kytchyn & suyllarye for a space. 1576 in Nichols Progr. Eliz. (1823) II. 43, 1 Sergiant and Clerk of the Squillery. |
| β c 1440 Scullery [see saucery]. 1481–90 Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 179 [Given] to the kinges cookes white x.s. And to the skulery iij.s. iiij.d. 1520 [see saucery]. 1555 Latimer Let. in Foxe A. & M. (1570) III. 1911/2 And as for suffrage,..I have leauer haue the suffrage of iacke of the skullery. 1583 in Nichols Progr. Eliz. (1823) II. 402 The kitchin, with bylinge-house, scullery, pastry, and larders. 1634 W. Wood New Eng. Prosp. ii. vi. 67 Some of their scullerie having dressed these homely cates, presents it to his guests. a 1656 Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 258 Holding it unbeseeming that the businesses of the scullery should be done in our parlour. 1708 Chamberlayne Pres. St. Gt. Brit. (1710) 537 Her Majesty's Household Officers [etc.]. Scullery. |
† b. silver scullery: the department concerned with the care of the silver utensils.
Obs.| 1686 Lond. Gaz. No. 2149/4 Whoever shall give notice thereof unto any Officer of the King's Silver Scullery, shall have two Guinea's Reward. 1725 Ibid. No. 6364/1 The Officers of the Board of Greencloth, or Silver Scullery. |
† c. Kitchen refuse.
Obs.| 1659 Gauden Tears Ch. ii. xxxiii. 258 Besides the black pots, among which these doves [sc. ministers of the Church] must lie, I mean the soot and scullery of vulgar insolency..and fanatick contempt. |
2. In modern use: A small room attached to a kitchen, in which the washing of dishes and other dirty work is done; a back kitchen.
| 1753 J. Collier Art Torment. i. i. (1811) 36 In the wash-house or the scullery, performing the most laborious offices. 1869 E. A. Parkes Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3) 332 Attached to the wards are attendants' rooms, scullery [etc.]. 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. x. 229 Everything must have a name, even the slate that roofs your scullery. |
3. attrib. and
Comb., as
scullery board,
scullery boy,
scullery maid,
scullery man,
scullery work.
| 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 156 Wasshe all the grecy dysshes..and set them clene vpon the *squylery bourde. |
| 1675 H. Woolley Gentlew. Comp. 217 [Directions] To *Scullery-Maids in great Houses. |
| 1595 in Sussex Archæol Collect. VII. 210 The *Scullerye man and his Office. |