surveyor
(səˈveɪə(r))
Forms: α. 5–6 surveyoure, 5–7 surveyour, surveior, 6–7 surveiour, (6 survayour, -ore, -er, survoier, serveiour, -veyar, surveighor, -our, 7 surveigher, surveier, surveyer), 5– surveyor. β. 5 surveour(e, surviour(e, survyour, -owre, 5–6 survear, 6 surveor.
[a. AF., OF. surve(i)our, f. surveeir to survey: see -or.]
One who surveys.
1. One who has the oversight or superintendence of a person or thing; an overseer, supervisor. a. gen. (also fig.)
| c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. i. 263 He was suruyour to all þat þer wer, And..he payed her hyer. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 485/1 Survyowre, supervisor. c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. (1906) 1862 Your Suruayour, Crafty Conueyaunce. 1552 Huloet, Surueiour of a bridall, pronubus. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. i. 253 Wer 't not madnesse then, To make the Fox surueyor of the Fold? 1616 Breton Good & Badde, Worthy Judge Wks. (Grosart) II. 7/2 Hee is a surueier of rights and reuenger of wrongs. a 1631 Donne Serm., Matt. v. 8 (1640) 112 Men who are so severe..may..become Surveyors, and Controllers upon Christ himself. |
b. As a title of officials in various departments, offices, or works; e.g. one who superintends the construction of a building, the administration of an office or department, the collection of taxes, the keeping of a structure in good order or repair.
Usually (except where the context is explanatory), with a defining phr., as surveyor of highways, surveyor of taxes, † surveyor of wards and liveries, or with prefixed n., as borough surveyor, district surveyor, forest surveyor, road surveyor, timber surveyor.
surveyor of the navy: formerly, an official whose duty was ‘to know the State of all Stores, and see the Wants supplied; to survey the Hulls, Masts, and Yards, and estimate the Value of Repairs by Indenture; to charge all Boatswains and Carpenters of his Majesty's Navy with what Stores they received; and at the End of each Voyage, to state and audite their Accompts’ (Chamberlayne's Pres. St. Gt. Brit.).
| 1442 Rolls of Parlt. V. 54/2 Sercheours, Countrollours, and Surveyours of Serchis. 1472–3 Ibid. VI. 58/1 Countroller and Surveyour of the Kynges werkes there. 1518 in Lupton Life Colet (1887) App. A. 278 The Maisters and surveyors of the scole. 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. xix. 35 b, Surueyours and other that..gathered the reuenues of his crowne. 1543 tr. Act 9 Hen. V, Stat. ii. c. 4 Wardeyns and surueyours and minysters of the eschaunges out of the tower. 1553 in Archaeologia XII. 382 Surveiors of the Stable. 1555 Act 2 & 3 Ph. & Mary, c. 8 §1 The Constables & Churche⁓wardens of every parishe..shall..electe..twoo honest persons..to bee Surveyours & orderers..of the worckes for Amendement of the Highewais. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 185 There is..appointed to euery man by the suruoiers of the mynes, a square plotte of grounde. 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 582 This man..was the master Mason or Surueior of the kings stone-works. 1660 in Pepys' Diary (1870) 43 His Royal Highness James, Duke of York, Lord High Admiral..Sir William Batten, Surveyor. 1666 Ibid. 7 Oct., He dreads the reports he is to receive from the Surveyors of its [sc. the fleet's] defects. 1670 Pettus Fodinæ Reg. 41 The Surveyor of the Melting, who is to see the Silver cast out. 1698 T. Savery Navig. Improv. 8 The Commissioners of the Navy..told me, that the Model must be survey'd by Mr. Dummer the Surveyor of the Navy. 1708 J. Chamberlayne Pres. St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. 618 Surveyor of the High⁓ways. 1709 Brit. Apollo II. No. 67. 4/1 [In the Customs] a Surveyor and 16 Tidewaiters. 1793–4 Matthews's Bristol Directory 37 Surveyor of the Distilleries,..Surveyor of the Salt duties. 1872 Schele de Vere Americanisms 264 Surveyor, an official who surveys all the inspectors, weighers, gaugers,..in a United States Customs-House. |
† c. (of a will) = overseer 1 b, supervisor 1 b.
| 1420 E.E. Wills (1882) 54 The surveiors of my testament. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 240 To make Jhesu to be cheef surveyour, Of my laste wyl set in my Testament. 1463 in Bury Wills (Camden) 43 Be y⊇ avys and supportacion of y⊇ surviour and my executours. |
† d. An officer of the royal or other great household who superintended the preparation and serving of the food. Obs.
| c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 545 in Babees Bk. (1868) 317 Surueour and stuarde also. a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. (1790) 37 A Surveyour for the Kyng, to oversee, with the maister cooke for the mowthe, all maner of stuffe of vytayle which is best and moste holsom, and the conveyaunce and sauf guarde of it. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vii. 586 Ye shall vnderstande y{supt} this feest was all of fysshe. And for y⊇ orderyng of y⊇ seruyce therof, were dyuers lordes appoynted..as stewarde, controller, surueyour. 1601 F. Tate Househ. Ord. Edw. II, §36. (1876) 22 A serjant surveiour of the dressor for the hall. |
† e. One who had the oversight of the lands and boundaries of an estate and its appurtenances. Obs.
| 1485 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 349/1 That this Acte of Resumption..be [not] prejudicial..to John Huse..for any Graunte made to hym, of the Office of Survearship of all the Lands and Tenements of Richemonde fee..or to be Survear of the same in any maner fourme. 1523 Fitzherb. Surv. Prol., It is necessary that euery great estate..shulde haue a Surueyour that can extende, but, and bounde, and value them. 1574 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 335 Fowre Aldermen shalbe elected surveighours yearely..to determyne all mischaunces and variaunces of mearing betwixt thinhabitaunts. 1577 Holinshed Chron. I. Hist. Scot. 10/1 Men..were apointed to be Surueyours of the whole countrey, and to deuide the same..into a set number of equal portions. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 29 When a gentleman..hath a farme..to let..he causeth a surueior to make strict inquirie what may be made of it. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §208 He employed his own Surveyor..to treat with the Owners, many whereof were his own Tenants. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia ix. i, She sent for the surveyor who had the superintendance of her estates. |
| fig. 1621 Quarles Argalus & P. i. (1629) 24 Thrice had the bright surueyour of the heauen Diuided out the dayes and nights by euen And equall houres. 1624 Ford Sun's Darling iii. iii. (1656) 25 What land soe're, the worlds surveyor, the Sun, Can measure in a day. |
† f. The or a principal magistrate of a town or district. Obs.
| 1548 Acts Privy Council II. 555 The Survayore of Bolloyne. 1679 Providence Rec. (1895) VIII. 44 Ye Surveyor of ye Towne..shall see to ye retaineing..a suitable..prievelledge..not with standing. |
† g. A censor or licenser of books for the press.
| 1663 Cal. St. Papers 240 Order for a warrant for..appointing Roger L'Estrange surveyor of all books. |
2. One who designs, and superintends the construction of, a building; a practical architect.
The duties are now usually divided between the architect, who prepares the design, and the quantity surveyor (see quantity 13), who estimates the labour and the amounts of materials necessary for carrying out the design.
| 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. (Rolls) 219 The kyng began the newe edifiyng of Wyndesore, and mad Maystir William Wikham survioure of the same werk. 1593 T. Fale Horologiographia Title-p., Of speciall vse..for diuers Artificers, Architects, Surueyours of buildings, free-Masons. 1603 Dekker Wonderfull Yeare Wks. (Grosart) I. 120, [I] bespake one [sc. a coffin], and (like the Surueyours of deaths buildings) gaue direction how this little Tenement should be framed. 1663 Gerbier Counsel 4 A skilful Surveyor, from whose Directions the several Master-work-men may receive Instructions by way of Draughts, Models, Frames, &c. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 23 Sept. 1683, The surveior has already begun the foundation for a palace. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 253 The drawing of Draughts is most commonly the work of a Surveyor. 1843 Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. VI. 19/2 Several surveyors were called for the defendant, who stated it was the custom of the profession to charge 2½ per cent for rejected plans. |
| fig. 1662 Gerbier Princ. 2 The great Architect and Surveyor of Heaven and Earth. |
3. a. One whose business it is to survey land, etc.; one who makes surveys, or practices surveying: see survey n. 5, v. 2, surveying vbl. n. 2.
See also land-surveyor 2. surveyor's chain = Gunter's chain: see gunter 1.
| 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. Pref., Suruayers haue cause to make muche of me [sc. geometry]. 1608 A. Norton tr. Stevin's Disme B 4, The Surueyor or Land-meater. 1652 Nedham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 135 Things used by Surveyors in the bounding of Lands. 1794 S. Williams Vermont 378 The magnetic needle can never give to the surveyor a straight and accurate line. 1840 Buel's Farmer's Companion 285 A surveyor's chain is 4 poles, or 66 feet, divided into 100 links of 7·92 inches. 1879 C. C. King in Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 92/2 In many cases the pace of the surveyor is used for determining distances. |
b. A name for certain caterpillars: = geometer 4, looper1 1.
| 1682 Lister Gœdart Of Insects 24 Our Country-people call these kinds of Catterpillars, Surveyours (Geometræ) because of their Gate, which is like a Pole turned over and over, when one measures Land. 1816 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. xxii. (1818) II. 289 The true geometers or surveyors. |
c. One whose business it is to inspect and examine land, houses, or other property and to calculate and report upon its actual or prospective value or productiveness for certain purposes.
| 1795 Vancouver Agric. Essex 186 The Surveyor cannot close this report without expressing..his warmest acknowledgements to the following gentlemen. 1812 in Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. (1842) V. 253/2 Towards the support..of some worthy character bred a surveyor and architect. 1847 Smeaton Builder's Man. 168 The business of the surveyor is to measure and value the work executed by the builder. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Surveyor,..an inspector of shipping, tonnage, &c. for Lloyds; an examiner of buildings for a fire-insurance office. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Lloyd's Surveyors, practical persons specially appointed in London..to investigate the state and condition of merchant-ships for the underwriters. 1881 Instr. Census Clerks (1885) 28 Insurance Surveyor. |
4. a. One who views or looks at something; a beholder. rare.
| 1558 T. Phaer æneid vii. S iv b, On euery syde they seeke, and send Surveiours through the coast. 1590 Greene Mourn. Garm. (1616) 30 The eye beeing the surueyour of all exteriour obiects. 1829 Landor Imag. Conv. Ser. ii. Diogenes & Plato I. 496 The brightest of stars appear the most..tremulous in their light..from the vapours that float below, and from the imperfection of vision in the surveyor. |
b. fig. One who takes a mental view of something; an examiner, contemplator.
| 1606 Ford Honor Tri. (1843) 29 If a curious surveior will upon this approve that louers have beene witty. 1640 Bp. Hall Episc. iii. v. 245 These which I have abstracted from our judicious surveyer. 1905 J. B. Bury Life St. Patrick iii. 45 To the surveyor of the history of humanity this is the interest which Pelagius possesses. |
5. surveyor-general, † general surveyor (see general a. 10): a principal or head surveyor; one who has the control of a body of surveyors, or the general oversight of some business. Hence surveyor-generalship.
Applied esp. to the chief supervisor of crown or public lands, of the customs and other administrative departments. surveyor-general of the ordnance: see ordnance 3.
In U.S. a government officer who supervises the surveys of public lands.
| 1515 Act 7 Hen. VIII, c. 7 §37 Surveyour generall of all and singler our Castellis Lordeshippes Manours londes called Richemond [etc.] in the shire of Yorke. 1541–2 Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 39 §1 A certeyne Court commonly to be called the Court of the generall Surveyors of the Kingis landis. 1575 Nottingham Rec. IV. 157 The Quen's Maiesty's Generall Serveyar. 1665 Pepys Diary 31 Oct., Surveyor-Generall of the Victualling. 1693 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) III. 8 Sir Joseph Tredenham has kist the Kings hand for the place of surveyor generall of England. 1708 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. 560 Surveyor-General of the Riding Officers appointed for the Guard of Kent and Sussex. 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v., The Surveyor General of the King's Manors;..Surveyor General of the Works. 1754 (title) An east prospect of the city of Philadelphia: taken by George Heap..under the Direction of Nicholas Skull, Surveyor General of the Province of Pennsylvania. 1780 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 217/1 A surveyor-general of the excise. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas vii. xv. ¶5, I was proclaimed principal manager and surveyor-general of the family. 1831 in R. Ellis Customs (1840) iv. 273 The Board cannot admit the absence of an officer on leave, to be a sufficient ground for delaying an investigation before the Surveyors-general. |
| 1882 Standard 9 Dec. 5/4 The Surveyor Generalship of the Ordnance. |
6. Dentistry. An instrument used to survey the casts of teeth, esp. to determine parallelism between surfaces on different teeth.
| 1928 W. E. Cummer in Turner & Anthony Amer. Textbk. Prosthetic Dentistry (ed. 5) ix. 326 The Ney surveyor, in addition to the vertical marking member, includes a tilting table to which the cast is attached. 1939 J. Osborne Dental Mechanics for Students ix. 97 A clasp surveyor is a useful instrument for determining the exact position of the clasps. 1980 R. W. Blakeslee et al. Dental Technol. xi. 267/2 A dental surveyor consists of a platform to which an adjustable vertical tool holder is attached so that it is perpendicular to the platform. |