coistrel Obs. or arch.
Also 6 coystrel(l, coisterel, 6–7 coystril(l, 8 coistril.
[A variant of custrel q.v. (An interchange of u and oi in words from Fr. is frequent.)]
1. A groom, or servant in charge of the horses of a knight.
| 1577 Holinshed Chron. II. 429 A knight with his esquire, and coistrell with his two horsses. ― Hist. Scotl. (1586) II. 89 Such coisterels and other as remained with the Scotish cariage, seeing the discomfiture of their aduersaries, ran foorth and pursued them into those marishes. 1825 Scott Betrothed xviii, Nor can you fly from your standard without such infamy as even coistrels or grooms are unwilling to incur. |
b. = Lad. (
Cf. groom.)
| 1688 Miege Fr. Dict., Coistrel, a young Lad, un jeune Gar{cced}on. |
2. Used as a term of reproach or contempt: Knave, base fellow, low varlet.
| 1581 B. Rich Farewell D ij, Her Chastitie assailed by suche a simple coisterell. 1591 Troub. Raigne K. John (1611) 28 Sham'st thou not coystrell, loathsome dunghill swad, To grace thy carkasse with an ornament. 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iv. ii, You whorson, bragging Coystril! 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. i. iii. 43 He's a Coward and a Coystrill that will not drinke to my Neece. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell) 1, A coistril..Met. homo timidus. |
| attrib. 1588 Fraunce Lawiers Log. Ded., The swarming rabble of our coystrell curates. |