organizer
(ˈɔːgənaɪzə(r))
[f. as prec. + -er1.]
1. a. One who organizes; one who arranges systematically (see organize 2); sometimes (with qualifying adj.), one skilled in organization. Also spec., one who ‘organizes’ criminal activity (cf. organize v. 4).
| 1849 Grote Greece ii. xliii. V. 304 An organizer of that systematic espionage which broke up all freedom of speech. 1853 Ibid. ii. lxxxvi. XI. 295 The ablest organiser and the most scientific tactician of his day. 1864 Burton Scot Abr. I. i. 16 Wallace..an organiser..of his fellow-men. 1884 Manch. Exam. 22 Mar. 4/7 The organisers of obstruction. 1945 C. Burney Dungeon Democracy i. 19 He was an admirable ‘organiser’ at worst,..and succeeded in building up a private stock of those luxuries which did not come on the standard lists of the canteen. 1976 E. Ward Hanged Man iii. 15 Gold was now an organizer—setting up criminal work on commission. |
b. Mediæval Mus. (See organize 3.)
| 1880 W. S. Rockstro in Grove Dict. Mus. II. 609 Nothing could be more natural than..that the choristers who practised that method of vocalisation should be called Organizers, though..they sang without any instrumental accompaniment whatever. 1881 Ibid. III. 61 Quintoyer (Old Eng. Quinible) To sing in Fifths—a French verb, in frequent use among extempore Organizers during the Middle Ages. |
2. Embryol. [tr. G. organisator (see organizator).] = inductor 5.
| 1925 H. Spemann in Brit. Jrnl. Exper. Biol. II. 500, I have given the name of ‘organisers’ to cells capable of inducing the formation of new anlagen. 1927 ― in Proc. R. Soc. B. CII. 177 (heading) Organizers in animal development. 1934 [see evocator b]. 1946 [see inductor 5]. 1970 A. M. Winchester Concepts Zool. xviii. 474/1 The transplanted dorsal lip acted as an organizer. 1975 Nature 13 Nov. 129/2 The organiser for the axial pattern of the whole body [of Xenopus] during amphibian development is a small group of cells at the dorsal lip of the blastopore. |
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Add: 3. That which organizes, or is used in organizing systematically; spec. an object (as a purse, folder, or piece of office furniture) with several compartments for filing or storing items separately. Freq. ellipt. for personal organizer s.v. *personal a. 10. Cf. also filofax n. orig. U.S.
| 1966 Office Appliances Dec. 64/1 Desk Organizer... The 5DO ‘Large Form’ organizer accommodates legal size files. 1974 Sears, Roebuck Catal. Fall & Winter 1251/2 Desk-top or kitchen counter-top Organizer for letters, magazines recipes etc. 1979 Ibid. Spring & Summer 114/2 Organizer Bag. Roomy main section has slip-in pocket holding a removable zippered cosmetic case. 1983 Punch 27 Apr. 59/3, I see from the mail order catalogues that bags are being called organisers under current sales talk. 1985 Harrods Mag. Christmas 74 Travel organiser with document compartments and wallet facility {pstlg}89. 1988 Practical Parenting Apr. 8/3 It has one shelf and two small plastic ‘organisers’ to hold all your baby's toiletries. |