ˈlivery-man, ˈliveryman
1. A liveried retainer or servant. ? Obs.
| 1693 Lond. Gaz. No. 2877/1 After them Sir William's own Livery-men, to the number of 12, all with their Hats off. 1711 Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) III. 340 Some inferiour officer or livery-man of the train. 1821 Scott Kenilw. vii, Officers of the Earl's household, liverymen, and retainers, went and came. |
b. (See quot.) ? Obs.
| 1743 Zollman in Phil. Trans. XLII. 458 Those [Caterpillars] to which Gardeners have given the Name of Livery⁓men, by reason of the Distribution of their Colours. |
2. A freeman of the City of London who is entitled to wear the ‘livery’ of the company to which he belongs, and to exercise other privileges.
| 1682 Enq. Elect. Sheriffs 21 In the Case of my Lord Mayors imposing a Sheriff upon the City, without the concurrence of the Livery-men. c 1710 C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 241 All freemen or Liverymen of this city hath a Right to Choose their sherriffs. 1773 Gentl. Mag. XLIII. 149 The lord mayor, at the request of a numerous body of liverymen, having summoned a common-hall. 1861 Evening Star 4 Oct., He is a Liveryman—and a member of one of the twelve great companies. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xx. 416 The franchise was formally transferred to the livery⁓men of the companies. |
3. A keeper of or attendant at a livery-stable.
| 1841 Lytton Nt. & Morn. (1851) 103 Come off, clumsy! you can't manage that 'ere fine animal’, cried the livery man. 1853 G. J. Cayley Las Alforjas I. 135 We had a slight altercation with the livery-man,..who wished to charge us for more days than our ponies had been in pupilage. |