▪ I. farrier, n.
(ˈfærɪə(r))
Forms: 6–8 ferrier, farriar, (7 farrior, -yer), 6– farrier.
[a. OF. ferrier:—L. ferrārius, f. ferr-um iron, in med.L. (often ferrus) horseshoe.
The synonym ferrour, current in Eng. in 14–16th c., is a different formation.]
1. One who shoes horses; a shoeing-smith; hence, also one who treats the diseases of horses.
| 1562 Act 5 Eliz. c. 4 §3 The..Crafts..of..Smiths, Farriers. 1622 F. Markham Bk. War v. ii. §6 An excellent Smith or Farryer who shall euer be furnished with Horse⁓shooes, nayles, and drugges, both for inward and outward applycations. 1718 Quincy Compl. Disp. 80 Essential Oil is much in use amongst our Farriers. 1751 Smollett Per. Pic. (1779) I. xvii. 146 Blacksmith and ferrier. 1821 Scott Kenilw. x, The light stroke of a hammer as when a farrier is at work. 1872 Yeats Techn. Hist. Comm. 178 Farriers or shoeing smiths appeared first in Germany. |
2. An official who has care of the horses in a cavalry regiment. Also farrier-major, corporal-farrier, serjeant-farrier.
| 1832 Regul. Instr. Cavalry iii. 60 The Farriers and Band fall out. 1844 Regul. & Ord. Army 373 The Troop Farrier is carefully to examine each foot of every Horse. 1868 Ibid. ¶317 The Farrier Major is liable to be reduced for misconduct to the rank and pay of Farrier. 1885 Ibid. 279 Serjeant-farriers at home (including corporal-farriers of the Household Cavalry) are required to train men to become efficient as shoeing smiths. Ibid. 281 The services of the farrier quartermaster-serjeant are to be placed entirely at the disposal of the veterinary surgeon. |
† 3. With n. prefixed, as sergeant-farrier, yeoman-farrier = ferrour 3. Obs.
| 1647 Haward Crown Rev. 33 Three Yeomen ferriers. 1711 Lond. Gaz. No. 4791/4 John Willis, late Sergeant-Farrier. |
4. Comb., as farrier-like adj.
| 1809 Med. Jrnl. XXI. 308 Relieving them [strictures] in some scientific way; not by the Farrier-like..methods too commonly practiced. |
▪ II. farrier, v. rare.
(ˈfærɪə(r))
[f. the n.]
1. trans. To treat (an animal) as a farrier does.
| 1814 Selby & M. Weighton Road Act ii. 7 Beasts..returning from being shoed or farriered. |
2. intr. To practise farriery.
Hence ˈfarriering vbl. n., the action of the vb.
| 1707 Mortimer Husb. 154 The Art of Farriering and Cow-leeching. a 1873 Livingstone in Boy's Own Paper (1889) 7 Sept. 778/3 Carpentering, gun-mending, farriering. |