whittawer Now only Hist. or dial.
(ˈhwɪtɔːə(r))
Forms: 4 whitetawier, white-tawyer, whit(t)awyer, 5 whytetawyer, 5–7 white tawyer, (7 whiteaw{supr}), 5– whittawer, 6–8 white tawer, 7–8 white-tawer, 9 whitawer, dial. w(h)ittor, whittaw, etc.
[f. white a. + tawer1. (Cf. the synonymous MDu. witgaerwer, MHG. wiȥgerwer, G. weissgerber.)]
One who taws skins into whitleather: = tawer1. In mod. dial., a saddler, harness-maker.
| 1284 12 Edw. I. Stat. Wallie c. 4 De Whitauwariis [v.rr. Whitawyariis, Whytawyariis], scilicet qui coria bovina & equina furata scienter albificant ut sic non agnoscantur. 13.. Liber Albus (Rolls) III. 432 Galfridus le Whitetawier. 1311 Letter Bk. D. Lond. lf. 127 Walterus le Whitawyer, Joh'es le Megucer. 1346 Ibid. F. lf. 126 b, Les bones gentz appellez Whittawyers. 1411 Close Roll 12 Hen. IV, dorso, Willielmus Pratte, White tawyer. 1474 Cov. Leet Bk. 401 The sise of a whittawer is that he make nor tawe no maner of lether but Shepis lether, Gettes lethir, deris ledur, horse-lethir, or houndes-lether. 1615 Manch. Crt. Leet Rec. (1885) II. 303 Robart Hilton, whiteaw{supr}. 1615 J. Manwood Lawes Forest xxv. 250 b, If any white Tawyer doe dwell in the forest, he shall be remoued, and make fine: for they are the common dressers of skins of stolne Deere. 1660 Sharrock Vegetables 88 Lime, which the Tanner and White-Tawer take out of their lime-pits. 1720 Lond. Gaz. No. 5882/8 William Welden,..Whittawer. a 1722 Lisle Husb. (1752) 45 Few Harness-makers, that are white tawers, understand how to dress their hides. 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., Whitawer, a collar-maker, or maker of husbandry harness. 1859 Geo. Eliot A. Bede vi, Men are busy there mending the harness, under the superintendence of Mr. Goby the ‘whittaw’, otherwise saddler. |
Hence † whittawing vbl. n., the practice of whittawers.
| 1581 Kitchin Le Crt. Leete 13 Auxi si ascun per ascun voie corrupt les common ewes per whitawinge per lyme ou per line. |