† aˈchatour Obs.
Also acatour, achator, achater.
[a. AngloFr. achatour, earlier acatour (mod.Fr. acheteur):—late L. accaptātōr-em, n. of agent f. accaptāre: see prec. Originally a variant of acatour, acater.]
A purchaser or buyer of provisions; esp. the officer who purchased provisions for the royal household; a purveyor.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 568 A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple Of which achatours mighten take exemple (other MSS. acatouris). c 1475 Lib. Nig. Ed. IV in Househ. Ord. (1790) 22 The officers, ministers, achatours, purveyours, sergeaunts. 1601 Househ. Ord. Ed. II, 33 The flesh and the fish which the achators shal send into the larder. 1751 Chambers Cycl. s.v., Pourveyor became a term so odious in times past, that, by Stat. 36 Ed. III, the heinous name pourveyor was changed into that of achator, or buyer. |