▪ I. † ˈwafter, n.1 Obs.
Also 5 waughter, 6 waghter, 7 Sc. waughtar, -er.
[App. a. Du. or LG. wachter, lit. guard, f. wachten to guard; but the specific use has not been found in Du. or LG.]
1. An armed vessel employed as a convoy.
| 1484 in Lett. & Papers Ric. III & Hen. VII (Rolls) II. 287 We understande that certain of you entende hastely to departe towardes Island, not purveied of waughters for your suertie. Ibid., That ye gadre and assemble your selff..and..departe alle togider toward Humbre, to attende there upon our shippes of Hull as your waughters, for the suretie of you all. 1524 Wolsey in St. Papers Hen. VIII, IV. 89 It appereth that 7 prises and oone wafter of the Island flete be lately taken by 2 shippes of Lethe. 1524 ― ibid. VI. 276 Considring what tract of tyme it shalbe, bifore waghters may be put in redynes and sent from hens for your conduytyng. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 212 b, Commaundement was geuen to the Haberdashers..that they should prepare a barge..with a wafter and a foyst garnished with banners. c 1595 Capt. Wyatt R. Dudley's Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.) 58 Shee was a man of war and a wafter either to theire Byskin fleet of fishermen for Newfoundlande or bounde to meet theire Indian fleet now comminge home. 1622 R. Whitbourne Newfoundland 53 These ships thus sent to guard their [sc. the Hollanders'] Fleets, which are called Wafters, doe continually breede many fit seruiceable Sea⁓men. 1623 Melros Papers (Abbotsf. Club) II. 489 The lyke charge being execute aganis the captaines of the waughtaris at Abirdeene. 1670 J. Smith Eng. Improv. Reviv'd iii. 257 There were about 20 Wafters, as they call'd them, which were Ships carrying about 30 Guns a piece, being the Convoys of the Fleet of Busses. |
2. The commander of a convoying vessel.
| 1482 Pat. Roll 22 Edw. IV m. 2 (1802) 326 Certi conductores sive waftores [printed wastores] piscatorum Reg' in partibus Norff' et Suff'. 1513 T. Howard in Lett. & Papers War France (1897) 163, I shall..send all the vitellers there forth to Hampton warde and with them Antony Poynes, Wisman and Draper for wafters. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. i. 75 The reuerend lord great master..sent vessels called brigantines, for to cause the wafters of the sea to come into Rhodes for the keeping and fortifying of the towne. Ibid. 76 The lord master seeing that the Turkes hoste drew neere, and that he had the most part of the wafters within the towne, he caused generall musters of men of armes to be made. 1622 R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea iv. 9 The Vice-admirall, and other Wafters [printed Wasters] that should be the Shepheards to guard and keepe their flocke,..were..the Men who made most hast to flie from the Wolfe. |
▪ II. wafter, n.2
(ˈwɑːftə(r), ˈwæf-, ˈwɒf-)
[f. waft v.1 + -er1.]
One who wafts.
| 1619 Fletcher Mad Lover iv. i. Song, Charon o Charon Thou wafter of the soules to blisse or bane. |
▪ III. † ˈwafter, v.1 Obs. rare.
In 5 waftyr.
[f. the root of wave v. Perh. immediately f. a n. *wafter, formed with suffix as in laughter. Cf. wafture.]
intr. To wave.
| c 1450 Mirk's Festial 273 When þe bestys þat droghen þe cart seen hys mantell waftyr wyth þe wynde. |
▪ IV. † ˈwafter, v.2 Obs. rare—1.
[f. wafter n.1]
trans. To convoy (a vessel): = waft v.1 1.
| 1615–6 Privy Council Reg. 7 Feb. (MS.), The eastern counties petitioned ‘for two of H.M. small shippes to wafter and defend them from the said pirattes’. |
▪ V. wafter
see wafture.
▪ VI. [wafter
error for waster foil, singlestick.
The error originated with Meyrick Ant. Armour (1824) II. 144. The word occurs in a quot. of 1455; it was not a mere misprint, for Meyrick attempts an etymological explanation from the verb waft. Hence in recent Dicts.
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