▪ I. ˈgrosser1 Obs. exc. dial.
Also 6, 9 groser, 8 grozer.
[f. gross v. + -er1.]
= engrosser n. 1.
| 1545 Brinklow Compl. xx. (1874) 49 All inclosars, grossers vp of fermys, extorcyonars, and oppressers of the common welth. 1796 W. Marshall Yorksh. (ed. 2) II. 324 Grozer, one who keeps money or other valuables long by him. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Groser, a saver. |
▪ II. grosser2
(ˈgrəʊsə(r))
[f. gross v. + -er1.]
A film, etc., that ‘grosses’ or brings in a sum of money: usually qualified by a defining word (big, etc.).
| 1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 335 We've had approximately the same number of big box-office grossers and box-office duds. 1964 C. Chaplin Autobiogr. xxv. 432 The Great Dictator..turned out to be the biggest grosser of all my pictures up to that time. 1966 Listener 15 Dec. 889/3 The gross last year of Goldfinger was {pstlg}15,000,000. When the film is re-released it will almost certainly become the biggest grosser in the history of the cinema. |
▪ III. grosser, grossery
obs. ff. grocer, grocery.