summoner
(ˈsʌmənər)
Forms: 4 somunur, -on(o)ur, 6 -oner, 6–7 sommoner, 6– summoner. See also somner, sompnour, sumner1, and summonder.
[a. AF. so-, sumenour, = OF. somoneor, semoneor (mod. arch. F. semonneur):—med.L. summonitōrem: see summonitor.]
1. A petty officer who cites and warns persons to appear in court. Now Hist.
| a 1325 MS. Rawl. B. 520 lf. 55 That he be þanne þer to heren þe reconisaunce and that thou habbe þere þe somunurs and this writ. 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 30 And viij. men..schulen chesen..a somono{supr}, for ye nexte yer. 1529–30 Rec. St. Mary at Hill 349 Paid to a Somoner for Somenyng of M{supr} hiltons, preist ij d. 1530 Palsgr. 725/1, I sommon, as a sommoner dothe one to the courte. 1581 [A. Gilby] Pleas. Dial. Soldier & Chapl. L 7 b, The Summoner or Apparitor. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 7 It is necessare that everie summoner (executer of summons) sall lawfullie verifie his summons. 1651 tr. Kitchin's Courts Leet (1657) 561 The Defendant avers, That the summoners now returned were not the summoners in Precipe. 1768 Blackstone Comm. iii. 279 Two of the sheriff's messengers called summoners. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet let. xi, The Bishop's summoner, that they called the Deil's Rattle-bag. 1865 Nichols Britton II. 87 Let the summoners [of a jury] be charged to be there. 1865 Kingsley Herew. xx, Neither summoner nor sheriff of the king..could enter there. |
| Comb. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) I. 432 An inchanted staff, which the devil, summoner like, was used to deliver some mercat-women to ride upon. |
2. One who summons another to a place. Often
fig. of immaterial or inanimate agents.
| 1580 Ord. Prayer in Liturg. Serv. Q. Eliz. (1847) 572 A messenger and summoner of us to the dreadful Judgment⁓seat. 1597 Middleton Wisd. Solomon xvii. 3 The darkesome clouds are summoners of raine. 1605 Shakes. Lear iii. ii. 59 Close pent-vp guilts..cry These dreadfull Summoners grace. 1808 Scott Marm. v. xxvi, The summoner was gone. 1820 Keats Lamia i. 11 From high Olympus had he stolen light..to escape the sight Of his great summoner. 1836 Bray Descr. Tamar & Tavy (1879) I. x. 174 The Summoner appeared to be a strange, squint eyed,..old fellow. 1897 E. W. B. Nicholson Golspie 31 The minister..followed his summoner to the basement of the castle. |
3. One who takes out a summons.
| 1865 Pall Mall Gaz. 3 Aug. 10/1 If he will not appear..the summoner can bring an action against the doctor, should he lose his cause. |