webster1 Obs. exc. Hist.
(ˈwɛbstə(r))
Forms: 2 webbestre, 4 web(b)ester, webister, 4–5 webstere, 5 webstar, 6 wyebster, 3– webster; Sc. 5–6 wobstar, 6–7 wobster, 6– wabster.
[OE. webbestre, fem. of webba weaver, webbe: see -ster.]
A weaver: a. as the designation of a woman.
| c 1100 Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 188/11 Textrix, webbestre. a 1300 Cursor M. 1525 Scho was þe formest webster Þat man findes o þat mister. 1375 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 330 Anota Milner, Webster. c 1475 Pict. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 795/8 Hec textrix, a webster. |
b. extended, or applied spec., to a male weaver.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 99 Wollene websteris [1377 B. Prol. 219 Wollewebsteres, 1393 C. i. 222 Webbesters] and weueris of lynen. 1379 Poll-tax W. Riding in Yorks. Archæol. Jrnl. V. 14 Thomas Webester..Webester vj d. Ibid. 15 Johannes Clerke.., Webester vj d. 1382 Wyclif 1 Sam. xvii. 7 The shaft of his speer was as the beem of websters. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1587 Wrightes, websters, walkers of clothe. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 519/1 Webstar (or weware), textor, textrix. 1467 Ord. Worcester §17 in Eng. Gilds 383 Spynners, websters, dyers, shermen, and other laborers or artificers apperteynynge to the same [i.e. cloth-making]. 1525 in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 1530–1, 219/2 The best and worthiest of the haile craft of the wobstaris within the burgh. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 4106 Find me ane Wobster that is leill, Or ane Walker that will nocht steill. 1573–80 Tusser Husb. (1878) 32 Sell webster thy wull. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 626 The wooll of Istria and Liburnia, which if it were not for the spinning in Portugall, and the web-sters Art thereupon, it were no better then haire. a 1733 Shetland Acts 16 in Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot. (1892) XXVI. 199 That the webster's ell be 3 feet 4 inches, or 40 inches long, on which only unscoured cloth is measured. 1792 Burns ‘Willie Wastle dwelt on Tweed’ i, Willie was a wabster guid, Cou'd stown a clew wi' ony bodie. 1841 Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) VI. 12 Is it likely that it is only because the websters and hosiers do not set about it themselves? 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 194 The wabsters weary at their looms, Maun still at them be thruming. 1892 Stevenson Catriona xv, Tod was a wabster to his trade. |
c. attrib., as webster beam, webster loom.
| 1334–5 Leicester Borough Rec. (1901) II. 17 Webstere bem. 1599 Lanc. & Cheshire Wills (Chetham Soc.) 152 Webster Lomes. |
d. appositive.
| a 1568 Satir. Poems Reform. xlviii. 43 A weid..Weill wrocht in the lwmis with wobster gwmis [see gome1]. 1721 Ramsay Elegy on Patie Birnie xii, A crishy Webster Loun. 1785 Burns Holy Fair ix, An' there, a batch o' wabster lads, Blackguarding frae Kilmarnock. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxvi. A puir wabster body. 1888 Doughty Arabia Deserta I. 225 Good webster-wives weave in white borders made of their sheep's wool. |