assistant, a. and n.
(əˈsɪstənt)
Forms: 5–6 assystent, 5–7 assistent, 6– -ant.
[a. F. assistant, pr. pple. of assister (formerly also, as n., assistent), ad. L. assistent-em, pr. pple. of assistĕre to assist. See -ant, -ent. The current spelling follows the Fr. and not L. analogy.]
A. adj.
† 1. Standing or remaining by, present, accompanying. Obs.
| 1485 Caxton St. Wenefr. 12 She rested not..to preche and enfourme them that were assistent with holy and blessid exhortacions. 1550 Cranmer Sacrament i. 45 Christ hath promised in both sacraments to be assistent with us. 1625 Hart Anat. Ur. i ii. 21 These accidents are called assistant or accompanying. 1677 Govt. Venice 42 They see the Senat assistant at the killing of a Bull on Holy-Thursday. |
2. Present to help; aiding, helpful, auxiliary (to).
| a 1400 Cov. Myst. 240 But angelys were to hym assystent. c 1465 Eng. Chron. (1856) 31 Stirid the peple to be assistent..to the..amendement of the myschiefs. 1570 Holinshed Scot. Chron. (1806) II. 316 Which by turns should be assistant to the queen. 1720 Gibson Farrier's Guide i. v. (1738) 56 The third pair are..very assistant in the Office of Chewing. 1858 Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. I. xvii. 56 Animals assistant to man. |
3. In comb. (either as adj., or as n. in apposition.) assistant curate, see curate 2; assistant master, assistant mistress (in a school); assistant professor (chiefly U.S.); assistant stage-manager.
| 1710 Lond. Gaz. No. 4735/3 The Office of Assistant-Master of the Ceremonies. 1844 Reg. & Ord. Army 289 The Assistant-Surgeon's Tent is to be pitched in its vicinity. 1851 C. Cist Cincinnati 304 In September..he received the appointment of assistant professor of mathematics. 1872 Schoolmaster 6 Jan. 4/1 Wanted..an Assistant Master, Ex P.T., for Canal-street Wesleyan Schools, Derby. Ibid., Wanted, in a Mixed School, an ex P.T., as Assistant Mistress. 1898 L. Merrick Actor-Manager iii. 38 He was to be described on the playbills as ‘Assistant Stage-manager’. 1902 A. C. Benson Schoolmaster 29 As to corporal punishment, the doubtful privilege of dispensing it is, at my own School, not conceded to the assistant-masters. 1905 [see associate ppl. a. 1]. 1952 M. McCarthy Groves of Academe (1953) iv. 74 All these, on the instructorial or assistant-professor level, constituted the bulk of Jocelyn's faculty. |
B. n.
† 1. One who is present, a bystander; one who takes part in an assembly. Usually in pl. Obs.
| 1483 Caxton Cato A iv b, Thus shalt thou be honoured of thassistentis in thy companye. 1590 Greene Arcadia (1616) 70 The assistants greeued to see [it]. 1638 Chillingw. Relig. Prot. i. vi. §41. 363 Having your Service in such a language as the Assistants generally understand not. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1775) IV. 219 It is not at all astonishing that every convivial assistant should go home cherry-merry. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. II. 11 The growing circumference was observed with astonishment by the assistants. |
2. One who gives help to a person, or aids in the execution of a purpose; a helper, an auxiliary; a promoter; also, a means of help, an aid.
| 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Cyrurg., What condycions ought the assystentes..of the pacyent haue? a 1631 Donne Six Serm. i. (1634) 11 Those great assistants of the Reformation, Luther and Calvin. 1774 Mrs. Chapone Improv. Mind II. 167 Make use of numbers and rhymes merely as assistants to memory. 1851 H. Spencer Soc. Statics v. §5 Unpractised assistants at surgical operations often faint. |
3. spec. a. A deputy-judge. b. An official auxiliary to the Father-General of the Jesuits. † c. Obsolete name of the ‘superintendent’ among Wesleyan Methodists. d. Court of Assistants: certain senior members who manage the affairs of the City of London Companies. e. A shop assistant (see shop n.).
| 1611 Cotgr., Assessoriat, th' office..of a Judge Laterall, Assistant, or Assesseur. 1622 Fletcher Sp. Curate iii. i, The Assistant sits to-morrow. 1679 T. Oates Myst. Iniq. Jesuits 7 And there is Choice made of some other Fathers, who..are called his Assistants..One is stiled the Assistant of France, a second of Spain. 1685 in Antiquary Oct. (1881) 149/2 M{supr}. Maior and 4 or 5 of y⊇ Aldermen, with as many of y⊇ assistants as please. a 1791 Wesley Wks. (1872) VIII. 319 The Assistant [is] that Preacher in each Circuit who is appointed..to take charge of the societies and the other Preachers therein. 1829 Heath Grocer's Comp. 27 The Courts of Assistants..were compelled to hold their meetings..at various places. 1853 Mrs. Gaskell Ruth I. iv. 110 Her eldest son..was an assistant in a draper's shop. 1908 Rep. Truck Committee (Cmd. 4442–4) 132/2 The smartest assistant is the one who can sell to customers worthless goods. |