spider-catcher
[spider n.]
1. One who catches spiders. Chiefly fig., and freq. as a vague term of abuse (obs.).
| 1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love Brief Descr. p. iii, Not only in the priuate assemblies..did these spidercatchers swarme together. 1599 Peele Sir Clyom. vii. 64 Charm, enchant, make a spider-catcher of me, if I be false to you ever. 1620 Bp. Hall Hon. Marr. Clergy iii. ii. (1628) 793 He that would doubt whether such an Epistle were written..may doubt whether spider-catcher, corner-creeper C.E...wrote a scurrilous letter. 1625 Shirley Love-Tricks i. i, If I fail, call me spider-catcher. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 21 ¶7 Innumerable Retainers to Physick..: Not to mention the Cockleshell-Merchants and Spider-catchers. |
b. A monkey (Halliwell, 1847).
2. One or other of certain birds which catch or eat spiders, as: (a) The wall-creeper, Tichodroma muraria. (b) One or other of the East Indian sunbirds belonging to the genus Arachnothera; a spider-hunter. (c) local. (See quot. 1854.)
| 1668 Charleton Onomast. 86 Picus Murarius,..the Creeper, or Spider-catcher. 1678 Ray Willughby's Ornith. ii. vi. §2. 143 The Wall-creeper, or Spider catcher. Picus murarius... It is somewhat bigger than a House-Sparrow. 1764 G. Edwards Glean. Nat. Hist. iii. 320. 1840 tr. Cuvier's Anim. Kingd. 207 The Spider-Catchers (Arachnotheres) have the same long, arcuated beak, as the Sun⁓birds. 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., Spider-catcher, the spotted Fly-catcher or Beam-bird, Muscicapa grisola. |
† 3. (See quot.) Obs.—0
| a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Spider-catcher, a Spindle for a Man. |