‖ vetturino
(vettuˈrino)
Pl. -ini. Also 7 -ine.
[It., f. vettura: see prec.]
1. In Italy: One who lets out carriages or horses on hire; also, a driver of a vettura.
In early use, one who provided horses and made other arrangements for the convenience of travellers whom he accompanied on a journey.
| 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 99 We agreed with a Vetturine or letter of horses, that each of us paying him fiftie five Poli, hee should finde us horses, and horsemeate, and our owne diet to Rome. a 1668 R. Lassels Voy. Italy (1670) ii. 258 Others take with them a Vetturino, that lets them have horses, and dyets them to. 1756 tr. Keysler's Trav. xxxv. I. 301, I made a little excursion into the Milanese, in which I found that the best way of performing it is with the vetturini. 1792 A. Young Trav. France 209 Yesterday I agreed with a vetturino, to take me this morning at six o'clock, to Brescia; but..I insisted that he should not come for me without his vettura. c 1820 S. Rogers Italy, Harper (1838) 232 note, Within a crazed and tattered vehicle,..Then degraded, and belonging to a Vetturino. 1883 W. H. Russell in 19th Cent. Sept. 483 Asserting my right of way notwithstanding the fierce opposition of many of the local vetturini, I toiled up the steep ascent for the hotel. 1905 R. Bagot Passport xi. 104, I must drive back to Genzano. I told the vetturino to wait. |
2. = vettura.
| 1789 A. Young Autobiog. (1898) viii. 176, I went by a vetturino to Turin. 1857 Lady Morgan Autobiog. iii. (1862) I. 16 A lumbering post-coach, the Irish vetturino, the ‘leathern convenience’ of that time (like those of Italy of the present day). 1881 Blackw. Mag. July 122/1 The lumbering vetturino..was packed with the jolly party of bachelors! |
3. attrib., as vetturino-carriage, vetturino-fashion, etc.
| 1838 Murray's Hand-Bk. N. Germ. 193 In vetturino travelling, he must expect to start at break of day, in all weathers. 1851 Helps Comp. Solit. vi. 82 It was necessary to stay some time (for we travelled vetturino-fashion) at the little post-house. 1859 Lever Dav. Dunn lxx, A miserable⁓looking vetturino carriage stood at the inn door. |