▪ I. † ˈscurrier Obs.
Forms: α. 5 scurrour, 6 scurrer, skurrer, skyrrer; β. 6 scurreour, -iour, -ior, -yer, scurier, 6–7 scurrier.
[App. aphetic a. OF. descouvreor discoverer; cf. the Sc. forms discurrour, discuriour (14–16th c.), and the 14th c. skouerour s.v. scourer1. The coincidence of sense with currour, courier n. 2, has probably influenced the form. The It. scorridore (agent-n. f. scorrere to run out: cf. excur v.) has the same meaning, but there is no equivalent OF. *escoureor.]
One sent out to reconnoitre; a scout, avant-courier.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 796 Apon the moss a scurrour sone fand he. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. (1812) II. xxxiii. 99 He sente forthe scurrers to aduyse the dealynge of their ennemyes. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. 94 Claudius,..send his scurriouris to spy the nature of the cuntre. c 1540 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) 21 John Fastolf..had intelligence of his comming, by meane of scurryers. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 119 Then the Dukes skyrrers made profer afore the toune, out of the whiche issued a great compagnie of horsemen and skyrmished with the Dukes horsemen. 1607 B. Barnes Divils Charter ii. i. C 4 b, Our scurriers, Are now return'd. |
| fig. 1537 St. Papers Hen. VIII, II. 491, I wolde not haue the Deputye, representing the Kinges person, be a comen skurrer for every lyght mater; but, whan he shulde begynne a warre, begynne it upon a juste goode grounde, and [etc.]. |
▪ II. ˈscurrier, n.2
[f. scurry v. + -er1.]
One who or that which scurries.
| 1890 in Webster. 1949 E. Hyams Not in our Stars xx. 266 They scurried or loafed about and both scurriers and loafers looked as helpless and purposeless as ants. 1986 T. Barling Smoke iii. 75 ‘A regular scurrier is our Vic.’ ‘Any problems?’ ‘No. They made for the underground carpark like you said, Chas.’ |