▪ I. warner1
(ˈwɔːnə(r))
[f. warn v.1 + -er1.]
1. One who warns or gives warning to others.
| 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Monitor, a warner. 1572 Huloet (ed. Higins), Warner, or admonisher, monitor, admonitor. 1637 Rutherford Let. to Ld. Craighall 8 July, If ye advise..with that warner within you that will not fail to speak against you in God's time. 1805 Southey Madoc ii. xxvi, Again the ominous warner cried, Woe! woe! the Cycle of the Years is full! 1820 T. Erskine Remarks Internal Evid. iii. (1827) 66 Must the Almighty Warner demonstrate the evil of sin by undergoing its effects? a 1849 J. C. Mangan Poems (1859) 148 The Wildgrave fiercely spurns his warner. |
b. transf. esp. a mechanical device for giving warning.
| 1823 Mechanic's Mag. No. 4. 59 The Warner is to give the mariner immediate intelligence when in shoal water. 1841 Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl. IV. 240/2 The other wheels of the train produce no further effect till the warning has been replied to from D, which at the same time restores the electric circuit of the ‘warner’ for another signal. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Warner,..Also, beacons, posts, buoys, lights, &c. warning vessels of danger by day as well as by night. 1906 Lockyer Stonehenge iii. 24 This star would act as a warner of sunrise at some time of the year. |
c. As the second element in rent warner, storm warner.
| 1885 Manch. Exam. 5 May 6/2 An article by Herr Emmerig..on German bees as storm warners. 1907 Times 2 Oct. 12/5 The owner of the cattle is bailiff and rent warner on several properties near Ennis. |
† 2. One who summons people to attend a gathering. Obs.
| 1572 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 341, 4 bedells or warners. 1813 Shipway Campanalogia i. title-p., By William Shipway, Late Warner to the Society of Cumberland Youths. |
† 3. local. A man who gives notice of arrival of ships at a port. Obs.
| 1761 Ann. Reg. 169 The young man who gives the intelligence of the arrival of ships at that port [Bristol], commonly called the warner. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Warner, a sentinel formerly posted on the heights near sea-ports to give notice of the approach of vessels. |
† 4. A mongrel used as a house-dog. Obs.
| 1576 Fleming tr. Caius' Engl. Dogges v. (1880) 34 Curres of the mungrell and rascall sort and first of the Dogge called in Latine Admonitor and of vs in Englishe Wappe or Warner. |
† 5. Anc. Cookery. A table decoration or device, probably similar to the subtlety (sense 5) but preceding it. Obs.
| 1505 Inthronization Abp. Warham in Leland Collect. (1716) VI. App. ii. 21 The first course at my Lordes Table in the great Hall. First, a Warner conveyed upon a rounde boorde, of viii. panes, with viii. Towres, enbatteled and made with flowres, standyng on every towre a Bedil in his habite, with his staffe. Ibid. A Warner with three Stages, with vanes and towres enbateled. |
▪ II. † ˈwarner2 Sc. Obs.
In 6 warnour.
[? f. warn v.2 + -er1.]
? A miser.
| 1513 Douglas æneis viii. Prol. 96 Sum warnour for this warldis wrak wendis by his wyt. |
▪ III. warner(e
obs. forms of warrener.