ˈsewster Obs. exc. Sc.
Forms: 4–5 sewestre, -stare, sou-, sowe-, sywester(e, 4–9 sewster, 5 sew-, sowstare, 5–9 sowster, 6 seu-, sewe-, sewstar.
[f. sew v.1 + -ster. Cf. Fris. dial. (Hinderloopen) syster.]
A sempstress.
| 1391 Earl Derby's Exped. (Camden) 86/26 Edwyne Moreyn sewster pro filo ab ipsa empto. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 362 Sesse þe sywestere [v.rr. sowester, sewestare, sewestre, soustere; A. v. 158 souters, v.r. soustere; B. v. 315 souteresse, v.r. sowestere]. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 454/2 Sewstare, or sowstare (sowares) sutrix. c 1440 Jacob's Well 40 Taylourys, sowsterys. 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 238 Brotherers, sylkewomen, and all seusters craftis occupye redyls. 1550 Bale Engl. Votaries ii. 29 A yonge wenche..whych was a very connynge sowster. 1567–9 Jewel Def. Apol. (1611) 450 Labouring Women, and Sewsters, and Seruants, and Handmaids. 1590 Maldon (Essex) Liber C. 121 Le sewester sive silkewoman. a 1637 B. Jonson Sad Shepherd ii. iii, At every twisted thrid my rock let flie Unto the sew'ster, who did sit me nigh. 1657 C. Beck Universal Char. K 7 b, A sewster. 1824 MacTaggart in Trotter East Galloway Sk. (1901) 370/1 When plowman Tam meets sewster Bess His dogg'rel rhymes he'll chime till her. 1825 Jamieson, Sewster, a sempstress. [ed. 1882 also Sowster.] |