examiner
(ɛgˈzæmɪnə(r))
[f. as prec. + -er1.]
1. One who looks into the nature or condition of (a person or thing); one who inquires or searches into (facts); an investigator. Also † an official inspector (obs.). Const. of.
| 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iii. 202 Sinne is a spirituall leprosie, therfore let vs be also examiners of sinn. 1639 Massinger Vnnat. Combat v. ii, Be but a just examiner of thyself. 1665 Orders Ld. Mayor Lond. in De Foe Plague (1840) 39 That these examiners be sworn by the aldermen to..learn..what persons be sick. 1668 Hale Pref. Rolle's Abridgm. 2 He was a strict Searcher and Examiner of businesses. 1799 V. Knox Consid. Lord's Supp. §21 Wks. 1824 VII. 452 The rigid examiners of Christ's pretensions..seldom take into consideration..the love of God. |
b. Hence: a frequent title of newspapers.
| 1710–14 Swift, etc. (title) The Examiner. 1808–36 L. Hunt, etc. (title) The Examiner. |
c. (More fully Examiner of India Correspondence.) Under the East India Company, the title of an official at the India House, who was responsible for the conduct of the Company's correspondence.
| 1779 Royal Kalender 212 Examiner of India correspondence, S. Wilks. 1836 Gent. Mag. Aug. 212 The duties of his [J. Mill's] important office, that of Chief Examiner to the East India Company. 1883 Encycl. Brit. XVI. 309 The duty of the so-called examiners was to examine the letters of the agents of the Company in India, and to draft instructions in reply. The character of the Company's government was almost entirely dependent upon their abilities as statesmen. |
† 2. One who examines or interrogates (an accused person, a witness, etc.); one who conducts an official jury. Obs.
| 1530–1 Act 22 Hen. VIII, c. 14 If the same person so endited..do make suche profe as the saied examiners..shall thynke sufficiente. 1541 R. Copland Maner to Exam. Lazares Q ij, The examyners ought to enquyre of theym by the prymatyfe causes of lepry. 1557 Paynell Barclay's Jugurth 44 He was electe to be one of the examinours or commyssioners to make inquisicion of these thre pointes rehersed. a 1676 Hale Com. Law Eng. xii. §9 A crafty Clerk, Commissioner, or Examiner, will make a Witness speak what he truly never meant. 1681–6 J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 606 Nor did they [the Apostles]..alter any one of them [Circumstances] upon different Examinations before different Examiners. |
b. spec. An officer, formerly of the Court of Chancery, now of the High Court of Justice, whose duty it is to take the depositions of witnesses when so directed by the court. Formerly more fully Examiner in Chancery.
3. A person appointed to conduct an examination of pupils, candidates for degrees, etc.
| 1715 [See examine 5]. 1861 Times 29 Aug., To defeat cramming is the most useful..art of the Examiner. 1886 Oxf. Univ. Calendar 56 An Examination..conducted by the Regius Professor of Civil Law..with three or four other Examiners. |
Hence eˈxaminership, the office of examiner.
| 1880 in Webster Supp. 1881 Athenæum 14 May 655/2 It ought to make examinerships less the monopoly of resident tutors than they have been. 1885 Law Times 25 July 237/1 Solicitors would not like to take paid examinerships on the terms suggested. |