hearer
(ˈhɪərə(r))
[f. hear v. + -er1.]
1. One who hears; an auditor, listener.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter v. 11 Þai shew stynkand wordes þat corumpis þe herers. 1382 Wyclif Jas. i. 23 An herere of the word, and not a doere. 1529 More Dyaloge i. Wks. 150/2 The fruit of stryfe among the hyrers. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado i. i. 309 Thou wilt be like a louer presently, And tire the hearer with a booke of words. a 1734 North Exam. iii. vii. §19 (1740) 517 As in the proverbial Court at Dover, all Speakers and no Hearers. 1758 Johnson Idler No. 49 ¶1 He knows me to be a very patient hearer. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 151 Those who are present..ought to be impartial hearers of both the speakers. |
† b. One who hears causes; a judge. Obs.
| 1535 Coverdale Judg. xi. 10 The Lorde be hearer betwene vs. |
2. One who receives oral instruction, or attends lectures or sermons; a disciple. Cf. audient.
| 1686 J. Dunton Lett. fr. New-Eng. (1867) 59 Mr. Burroughs..formerly a hearer, and still a great lover, of my Reverend Father in Law, Dr. Samuel Annersly. 1838 Thirlwall Greece V. 251 He was for a time one of Plato's hearers. 1888 Pall Mall G. 2 Apr. 14/1 The non-matriculated students, or ‘hearers’, at the four [Swiss] universities are about four hundred in number. |
3. Eccl. Hist. [tr. L. audiens.] One admitted to hear the Scriptures read and receive instruction, but not to the common worship of the church: applied to catechumens and penitents of the second order.
| 1697 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. II. 109 This sort of Catechumens were called Hearers, because they heard the Instructions which were given in the Church. a 1711 Ken Hymnotheo iii. Poet. Wks. 1721 III. 76 Within the hallow'd Door on either Hand, The Penitents advanc'd to Hearers stand. 1722 J. Bingham Chr. Antiq. VI. 534 St. Basil says expressly, they were hearers only, and not allowed to be present at any prayers whatsoever. |