artificer
(ɑːˈtɪfɪsə(r))
Also 5 artyficer, -fycer.
[App. AF. or ME. formation on artifice; cf. officer. Artificier in Fr. seems quite modern; it is not in Cotgr.; OF. had artificien. Med.L. artificiārius, in Du Cange from Rymer, seems formed upon the English or AF. word.]
1. One who makes by art or skill; esp. one who follows an industrial handicraft, a craftsman.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 142 Artificers, Whiche usen craftes and mestiers Whose art is cleped mechanique. c 1460 Russell Bk. Nurture 1037 in Babees Bk. 187 Worshipfulle merchaundes and riche artyficeris. 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse C, A base artificer, that hath no reuenues to boast on. 1659 Milton Hirelings Wks. 1851. 386 From the Magistrate himself to the meanest Artificer. 1728 De Foe Syst. Magick i. i. 11 Tubal Cain the first artificer, a true natural mechanic. 1809 Kendall Trav. I. xxiii. 227 The inhabitants are principally artificers, as nailers, joiners and cartwrights. |
2. a. Mil. A soldier mechanic attached to the ordnance, artillery, and engineer service, to be employed in the construction and repair of military materials.
| 1758 S. M. Hamilton Lett. to Washington (1899) II. 321 The 2d. Company of Artificers of the 2d. Regiment. 1804 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. V. 508 The conduct of all the artificers on the late Hindostan's accident, was very meritorious. 1861 U.S. Army Regulations 520 Every volunteer non-commissioned officer,..and artificer, who enters the service. |
b. A mechanic in the Royal Navy. Also attrib. and Comb.
| 1884 Encycl. Brit. XVII. 294/1 The engine-room artificers, leading stoker, and stokers are under his [sc. the engineer's] immediate control. 1899 [see tiffy]. 1902 Monthly Rev. Aug. 92 The Admiralty have conferred the charge of machinery in small vessels on fifty-six artificer-engineers. 1957 H.M. Royal Forces Navy Openings for Boys (H.M.S.O.) (ed. 2) 22 Aircraft Artificers. An apprentice in this branch is trained to undertake the most difficult maintenance and repair work on Naval aircraft. Ibid. 27 Radio electrical artificers..deal with wireless and radar equipment. |
† 3. a. gen. Constructor, maker, manufacturer. Obs.
| 1638 Wotton in Four C. Eng. Lett. 53 Intimating unto me (how modestly soever) the true artificer. 1699 Bentley Phal. 109 Called Thericlean, from their shape, whatsoever Artificer made them. 1751 Johnson Rambl. No. 145 ¶8 The manufacturers of literature..like other artificers. |
b. Artificer of the Universe: the Creator.
| 1659 Pearson Creed (1839) 27 The great Artificer of the world. 1814 Wordsw. Excursion iv. 551 By the great Artificer endued With no inferior power. |
4. transf. Contriver, inventor, deviser. (Cf. architect n.)
| 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xxiii. §16 There is no such artificer of dissimulation. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 121 Artificer of fraud..the first That practised falshood under saintly shew. 1728 Young Love of Fame vi. (1757) 143 Wisdom, the sole artificer of bliss. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 433 That artificers of death by their own art should perish. |
† 5. One who practises any ‘art,’ or applied science; a savant. (Cf. artist.) Obs.
| 1635 N. Carpenter Geog. Delin. i. xi. 242 Oftentimes in the Artificer there wants diligence in obseruing the right houre and moment of the Eclipse. |
† 6. An artful or wily person; a trickster. Obs.
| 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iii. v. 20 Who would have thought thou hadst been such an artificer? 1614 Raleigh Hist. World iv. iii. §5. 492 Antipater..a subtle artificer, well understanding their aptness to division, refused. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. i. iv. i. (1651) 226 Mountebanks, Quacksalvers, Empericks..these base and illiterate Artificers. |