ˈarbalester, -balister, -blaster Obs. exc. Hist.
Forms: 4–5 alblaster(e, 4–7 arblaster(e, 5 awblaster, allblawster, 5–7 arbalaster, 5–9 arbalester, 9 arbalister, -estier. Also 5 arowblaster.
[a. AFr. alblaster, arblaster, OF. arbalestier, arbelestier:—L. arcuballistāri-us one who used an arcuballista; mixed with other OF. synonyms, as arbalestre:—L. *arcuballistor, and arbalestère, accus. arbalesteor:— L. arcuballistātor, -ōrem (med.L. arbalistātor); and phonetically or etymologically corrupted as in arbalest.]
A soldier armed with an arbalest, a cross-bowman.
| 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 205 Þat sauh an alblastere, a quarelle lete he flie. 1388 Wyclif 2 Sam. viii. 18 Forsothe Bananye..was ouer..archeris and arblasteris [1382 alblasters; v.r. arowblasters]. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ix. vi. 20 Foure hundyre Awblasteris. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. xxi, Their Arbalasters..and their best archers. c 1440 Morte Arth. 2426 All-blawsters at Arthure egerly schottes. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. vii. (1520) 82/2 The arbalesters smote hym with a quarel. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. vii. 67 An Arbalaster..standing vpon the wall. 1643 Prynne Doom Coward. 4 Men of Armes and Arblasters. 1848 in Chron. Crusaders (Bohn) 322 An arbalester..to stretch the arbalest. 1861 G. M. Musgrave By-roads 288 The said arbalestier corps comprehending the greater part of the French nobility. 1866 Kingsley Herew. vii. 131 The archers and arbalisters amused themselves with shooting. |