corrector
(kəˈrɛktə(r))
Forms: 4 corectour, (5–6 Sc. correker, -ar), 5–7 correctour, 6–9 -er, 6– -or.
[a. Anglo-Fr. co(r)rectour = F. correcteur, ad. L. correctōr-em agent-n. f. corrigĕre to correct: see -or.]
1. One who corrects or sets right; one who points out errors or faults, and substitutes or indicates what is right; a censor, critic.
| 1377 [see correct v. 3.]. a 1455 Houlate xvii, The archedene, that ourman, ay prechand in plane, Correker of kirkmen was clepit the Claik. 1474 Caxton Chesse 6, All kynges ought specially to here her corrigiours or correctours. 1590 Greene Mourn. Garm. Pref. (1616) 4 Diogenes of a coyner of money became a Corrector of manners. 1602 Manningham Diary (1868) 1 The Puritan is a curious corrector of things indifferent. 1710 Swift On a Broomstick, He sets up to be an universal reformer and corrector of abuses. 1818 Byron Ch. Har. iv. cxxx, Time! the corrector where our judgments err. 1869 Baldw. Brown Div. Myst. i. ix. 224 Teachers, correctors, and exemplars to their fellow-men. |
b. Printing. A printer's employé who reads proofs and marks the corrections to be made in the type before printing off; a proof-reader.
| 1530 Palsgr. Introd. 36 That thyng passed my correctours handes. 1590 Nashe Pasquil's Apol. i. B ij b, Who was corrector to the Presse at Couentrie? 1634 Malory's Arthur Pref. 12 Amended..by the pains and industry of the compositor and corrector at the press. 1720 Swift Proposal Irish Manuf., The corrector of a hedge-press in some blind alley about Little Britain. 1875 Ure Dict. Arts III. 645 The first proof..with the MS. is handed to the corrector of the press, or reader. 1884 Q. Rev. Jan. 215 Mere misprints, showing only carelessness on the part of the corrector. |
2. An official title = director, controller: a. In the Roman Empire, a governor of a province of lower rank than a proconsul or consul. b. A director or superior of an ecclesiastical office, religious order, etc. † c. Formerly, an officer in a chamber of accounts in France and some other countries. † d. = Sp. corregidor, magistrate. e. corrector of the staple: the controller of a wool staple: see quot. 1617.
| 1353 Act 27 Edw. III (Statute of the Staple) c. 22 Nous avons ordene que en chescun lieu ou lestaple se tiendra, soit certein nombre des Corecters. 1515 in Pitcairn Crim. Trials I. 232* Makand him and his assignais Keparis, ouersearis, correkaris, and suplearis of the Isle of Litill Comeray. 1553 Burgh Rec. Aberdeen 5 Oct. (Jam. Supp.), Correctour of the queir. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xxvii. iii. 307 Terentius..administered the office of a Corrector in this selfe same province. 1617 Minsheu Duct. Ling. 2448 e, Correctour of the staple, is an Officer or Clerk belonging to the staple, that writeth and recordeth the bargaines of Merchants there made. 1631 Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 342 Officers belonging to these Staples, were Maiors, Constables, Manipernors, correctours. 1690 Lond. Gaz. No. 2622/3 The Creation of two new Presidents, four Masters in Ordinary, four Correctors, and other Officers in the Chamber of Accounts of this City [Paris]. 1693 tr. Emilianne's Hist. Monast. Ord. xvii. 181 He will have the Superiors of his Order to be called Correctors. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. II. 37 The whole empire was distributed into one hundred and sixteen provinces..Of these, three were governed by proconsuls, thirty-seven by consulars, five by correctors, and seventy-one by presidents. |
3. One who exercises discipline; one who inflicts correction or chastisement.
| 1531 Elyot Gov. iii. xxi, Wherfore, said he to the corrector..loke that thow styl beate him. 1557 North tr. Gueuara's Diall of Pr. 125 a/1 The children being but .2. or .3. years old, it is to sone to giue them maisters, or correcters. 1591 Percivall Sp. Dict., Castigador, a chastiser, a corrector. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxv, Having praised my Heavenly Corrector. 1884 Manch. Exam. 15 Nov. 5/2 A judge..holds his position as a public corrector. |
4. Something that corrects, or furnishes a means of correction; something by means of which error may be got rid of or prevented.
| 1603 Florio Montaigne (1634) 628 Defective and vnperfect formes..rather corrupters then correcters. 1646 (title) A Corrector of y⊇ Answer to the Speech. 1778 R. Lowth Isaiah Prelim. Diss. 62 This vast collection of variations, taken in themselves as correctors of the text. 1778 Sir J. Reynolds Disc. viii. (1876) 443 Simplicity..is considered as the general corrector of excess. 1882 Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 242 The correctors..are bar magnets. |
† 5. Med. and Chem. Something that counteracts what is harmful, or that restores (the bodily system, etc.) to a healthy state; a neutralizing or remedial agent, a corrective. Obs.
| 1605 Timme Quersit. i. vi. 25 The true and proper corrector of opium..is vineger. 1661 Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. 334 Inquietude, which is a various turning of the body..[is] cured by correctors. 1740–1 Berkeley Let. in Fraser Life 263 No more powerful corrector of putrid humours. 1773 Projects in Ann. Reg. 130/1 Rice..is..a very weak corrector of putrefaction. |