goer
(ˈgəʊə(r))
[f. go v. + -er1.]
1. a. One who or that which goes (see the vb.).
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. ix. 104 A gedelynge, a goer to tauernes! 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love ii. i. (Skeat) l. 63 The envyous people, whiche alway ben redy, both ryder and goer, to scorne and to jape this leude book. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. i. 20, 21 The Angel brought the message beyng as a goer betwene God and her. 1577–87 Harrison England ii. x. (1877) i. 217 They mooue the harts of the goers by such places where they lie, to yerne at their miserie. a 1639 Wotton Parallel Reliq. W. (1651) 16 The Earl..was so far from being a good dancer, that he was no gracefull goer. 1734 Swift Corr. Wks. 1841 II. 725 The intervening officious impertinence of those goers between us. 1862 Latham Channel Isl. iii. xiv. (ed. 2) 329 He was named Rolf Ganger; i.e. Rolf the Goer on foot, or Rolf Walker. |
† b. with adverbs, about, back, between, by, etc.
| 1546 in Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 182 The procurars therof and goars about theryn to be punysshed. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John 28 b, I haue doen the office of a goer before. 1601 Shakes. All's Well i. ii. 48 Goers backward. 1606 ― Tr. & C. iii. ii. 208 Goers betweene. 1611 ― Cymb. i. i. 169, The goer backe. a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Little Fr. Lawyer ii. iii, These two long houres I have trotted here, and curiously Survei'd all goers by. 1668 R. L'Estrange Vis. Quev. (1708) 108 Some such Reverend Goer-between, that's a Well-willer to the Mathematicks. a 1774 Goldsm. tr. Scarron's Com. Romance (1775) II. 6 All the neighbours and goers-by came into the inn. 1800 Bentham Wks. (1838–43) X. 356 Comers-in by birth;..goers-out by death. |
c. Of a horse, rider, coach, clock, etc.; preceded by some adjective, indicating the manner or speed of going. Also simply, one that goes fast. transf. One who behaves in a lively, persevering, or profligate manner; also, a successful man; an expert.
| a 1586 Sidney Apol. (Arb.) 19 Hee sayde, they [horsemen] were..speedy goers, and strong abiders. 1613 Beaum. & Fl. Cupid's Rev. ii. vi, Is the rough French horse brought to the dore? They say he is a high goer; I shall soone try his mettall. 1697 Lond. Gaz. No. 3281/4 Stolen or strayed..a light grey Nag..about 8 years old, a very good Goer. 1710 Ibid. No. 4689/4 She is hard mouthed but a very pleasant Goer. c 1810 W. Hickey Mem. (1960) v. 78 The whole party, male and female, were of the description yclept ‘hard goers’. This did not alarm me, for..I could keep way with the best of them at fair drinking. 1811 [see article n. 14 b]. 1830 H. Angelo Remin. I. 205 Hence all his clocks were ‘good goers’. 1835 Sir G. Stephen Adv. Search Horse i. (1841) 6 A charming goer: so docile that a lady might drive him with a pack-thread. 1843 Haliburton Attaché I. ii. 41 ‘He looks..as if he'd trot a considerable good stick..I guess he is a goer.’ 1857 Hughes Tom Brown i. iv, The Tally-ho was a tip-top goer, ten miles an hour including stoppages. 1857 G. A. Lawrence Guy Livingstone xx. 185 She was always deeply engaged, and generally to the best goers in the room. 1859 F. E. Paget Curate of Cumberworth 81 My watch is a perfect goer. 1883 E. Pennell-Elmhirst Cream Leicestersh. 48 Several of the best and hardest goers of the hunt got off badly. 1886 Century Mag. Jan. 371/2 A dog with a broad, bull-dog chest is never a good goer. 1908 Mrs. A. Gunn We of Never-Never i. 5 By George!..she is a regular goer. 1946 F. Sargeson That Summer 38 Miss Briggs is a goer anyhow. You want to see her on a wet day. 1959 Observer 1 Mar. 10/2 Princie is a ‘goer’, nerveless and brave, say the other members of the team. 1966 P. Willmott Adolescent Boys E. London iii. 51 ‘She was a right banger,’ said a 17 year old of one girl. ‘A banger's a goer—a girl who'll do anything with anyone.’ |
d. One who frequently or regularly attends a specified place, type of entertainment, etc.; usu. with defining word prefixed: see church-goer, cinema-goer, concert-goer, film-goer, theatre-goer.
2. Phr. goers and comers (more usually comers and goers): travellers or guests arriving and departing.
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxvii. 277 And so thei eten every day in his Court, mo than 30000 persones, with outen goeres and comeres. 1526 [see comer 1]. 1648 Gage West Ind. xviii. (1655) 136 Which never shut gate against any goer or comer. 1694 Echard Plautus 173, I shall have a fine time on't, if I must be bound to draw water for all comers and goers. 1885 Manch. Exam. 17 June 5/3 All the comers and goers appear to be fairly well pleased. |
† 3. A foot. Obs.—1
| 1615 Chapman Odyss. xiii. 329 His fair goers graced With fitted shoes. |