▪ I. mister, n.1 Obs. exc. arch. and dial.
(ˈmɪstə(r))
Forms: 3–4 meister, 3–5 mester, (4 me(i)stere, mæster, meyster, mystare, -eir), 4–5 misteir, -ere, mestyer(e, 4–6 mistir, mystir, 4–7 mestier, 4–8 myster, (5 mestyer, -ire, -ur, -our, maister, mystur, -yr, -ire, -air, mystre, mistre, -tyr, 6 mistar, 7 mistier), 4– mister.
[a. OF. mestier, mester, mod.F. métier, (1) service, office, occupation, (2) instrument or made-up article of certain kinds, (3) need, necessity (etc.) = Pr. mester, meistier, Sp., Pg. mester, It. mestiere:—popular L. *misterium for ministerium: see ministry and cf. métier. (In 13–14th c. stressed miˈster.)]
I. Occupation, service, etc.
† 1. Handicraft, trade; profession, craft. man of mister: a craftsman (cf. 5). Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11840 He..dos him leches for to seke, And þai com bath fra ferr and ner, Þat sliest war o þat mister. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 94 He asked for his archere, Walter Tirelle was haten, maister of þat mister. Ibid. 169 Respons þei gaf him þere, þei were men of mistere. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 613 In youthe he lerned hadde a good mister; He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 142 Of hem that ben Artificiers, Whiche usen craftes and mestiers. c 1477 Caxton Jason 21 For to mayntene the noble mestier of armes. 1538 Starkey England ii. i. 159 Euery man scholer apply hym selfe to hys mystere and craft. 1613 Daniel Coll. Hist. Eng. i. 11 As one who well knew his mistier. |
† 2. Office, duty, business, function. Chiefly qualified by possessive pron. Obs.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 72 Holde euerich his owene mester, & nout ne reame oðres. Ibid. 414 Marthe mester is uorto ueden & schruden poure men, ase huselefdi. a 1300 Cursor M. 2154 Sem had fiue suns sere, Of an to spek es our mistere. c 1320 Cast. Love 478 Rihtes mester hit is and wes In vche dom Pees to maken. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 482, I noot which hath the wofullere mester. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6976, I am somtyme messager; That falleth not to my mister. c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 352 in Babees Bk., Now speke we wylle of officiers Of court, and als of hor mestiers. |
† 3. Employment, occupation; practice. to do, use (such) misters: to be so employed. Obs.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 84 Þus ha beoð bisie i þisse fule mester. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 536 And ðe fifte hundred ȝer, wapmen bigunnen quad mester, bi-twen hem-seluen hun-wreste plaȝe. a 1300 Cursor M. 29319 Þe tent [case of cursing] es of þis okerers þat openli dose sli misters. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 11576 We haue now al þis fyue ȝer Lyued in lechours mester. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 414 Thai maid knychtis, as it efferis To men that oysis thai mysteris. |
† 4. Skill or cunning in a profession; art. Obs.
| a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 600/547 Mester wol not fayle þi lyf, Hit nul þe neuere forsake. c 1450 Merlin 156 And he lepte vp lightly as he that hadde grete mystere. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 442, I haue na myster to matche with maisterfull men. |
5. Comb. † mister man, misters (genitive) man: a craftsman, artificer; a man having a certain occupation. Also † mister folk. Phrases like all mister men, what mister man, such a mister man came to be analysed as ‘men of all misters’, ‘a man of what mister’, ‘of such a mister’; and these were subsequently interpreted as = ‘men of all classes’, ‘a man of what (such a) class, or kind’, ‘what kind of a man’, etc. The idiom occurs as an archaism in Spenser and later writers, from whom it was adopted (but with misapprehension of its meaning) by Pope and Scott; it survives dialectally in Yorkshire (see E.D.D.).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 27261 All mister men wirkand wit handes. c 1325 Prov. Hendyng 270 in Rel. Ant. I. 115 Of alle mester men mest me hongeth theves. 1340 Ayenb. 39 Ine zuyche reuen, prouost, bedeles, oþre mesteres men huiche þet hy byeþ. 13.. St. Erkenwolde 60 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 267 Mony a mesters mon of maners dyuerse. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 852 But telleth me what mister men ye been. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6332 Now am I maister, now scolere; Now monk, now chanoun, now baily; What-ever mister man am I. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. cxx. (1869) 63 So þat ayens suich a mister man it is good to haue suich a gorgeer. c 1440 Love Bonavent. Mirr. xlvi. (Gibbs MS.), Othere mester men þat broghten with hem dyuerse instrumentys. c 1450 Lovelich Merlin 13 What mester man Js he, this, that doth vs here al this distres? c 1530 Crt. of Love 227 Seeing full sundry peple in the place, And mister folk. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. ix. 23 To weet what mister wight was so dismayd. 1593 Drayton Sheph. Garl. vii. 47 These mister artes been better fitting thee. c 1620 Fletcher & Mass. Lit. Fr. Lawyer ii. iii, What mister thing is this? Let me survey it. 1626 Quarles Feast for Worms Medit. ii, What mister word is that? 1728 Pope Dunc. iii. 187 Right well mine eyes arede the myster wight. 1814 Scott Wav. ix, Sometimes this mister wight held his hands clasped over his head. |
II. † 6. Instrument, tool. Obs.
| c 1450 Holland Howlat xvi, He couth wryte wounder fair, With his neb for mistar. |
III. Need, necessity.
† 7. Need arising from the circumstances or facts of the case. mister is, (it) is mister: it is necessary.
In the predicative use, the word becomes quasi-adj.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 24810 O siluer and gold giftes to bede, Mar þan mister es to rede. Ibid. 28377, I ha ben mare Grenand and greueand þan mister ware. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 1388 In his schip was boun Al þat mister ware. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 7373 Helle..es..swa wyde and large, þat it moght kepe Alle þe creatures..Of alle þe world if myster ware. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1919 Mete & al maner þing þat hem mister neded. c 1400 Song Roland 321 And we may son help yf me þink myster. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11815 Þat mys to amend, is maistur ye go To the corse of þat kyng in his cleane towmbe. c 1440 York Myst. viii. 52 Me liste do no daies dede, Bot yf gret mystir me garte. c 1450 Erle Tolous 434 Hyt was no mystur them to bydd. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xv. 57, I wylle encountre with kynge bors and ye wil rescowe me whan myster is. 1543 Aberdeen Reg. (1844) I. 191 That the portis be mendytt and lokit and reformit as mister is. 1556 Lauder Tractate 490 Be wer..And mend, geue ony myster be. 1600 in Pitcairn Crim. Trials (Bannatyne Cl.) II. 286 Hald me excused for my vnsemly Letter, qhilk is nocht sa veil vrettin as mister ver. |
† 8. A condition in which help is needed, or there is a lack of some necessary thing; a state of difficulty or distress; esp. a state of destitution, lack of means. Phr. in or at (one's) mister. Rarely pl. = necessitous circumstances. In later use Sc.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 803 Þai cled þam þan in þat mister Wit leues brad bath o figer. Ibid. 10134 For-þi rede i þaim þat yee here þat mai yow help at [other texts in] your mistere. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints l. (Katerine) 248 Gret mystere gert me assemble ȝou & call. a 1400–50 Alexander 1774 For mestire & miserie vnneth may þou forthe Þine awen caitefe cors to clethe & to fede. 1487 How Good Wife Taught Dau. 288 Sic mysteris haldis madynnis in, That thai ar pynit with pouerte. 1549–50 Extracts Burgh Recs. Stirling (1887) 58 Neid and mister compellit hir to sell the saidis warklumes to sustene hir. 1570 Buchanan Admon. (S.T.S.) 25 Saying yat yai had enterit yame in dangeare and not supportit in mister. 1641 Ferguson Prov. (1785) 24 Mister makes man of craft. 1768 Ross Helenore i. 27 To come alang sweer was she to intreat, An' yet I kend her mister to be great. |
† b. to have mister: to be in straits or in necessity; to be in want of something. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 19044 At þair gain come mete þai gaue, Ilkan þat þai sagh mister haue. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 743 Till releif thame that had mister. 1432 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) II. 22 A rough felt..to be in kepyng of Agnes Weston..to lay on y⊇ pore folke y{supt} hafe mystre in y⊇ winter. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ix. 249 Socoure vs for the love of Ihesus, for we have well mystre. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 97 Bot he will gif and len his gude at large, Till thame that myster hes. |
† 9. Need or want of something specified. Const. of, to. Chiefly in to have mister. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3247 Wit tresur grette and riche ring, Suilk als maiden had of mister. Ibid. 4718 Was neuer mare mister o bred. Ibid. 28275, I..lette o þam þe lighter þat þai suld haue to me mister. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 3428 (Kölbing), Ȝou worþ to hem wel gret mister. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxiv. 113 God hase na mister of mete ne drink. c 1475 Partenay 6253 Tho which had grett necessite, Both mister and ned vnto som goodnesse. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon vii. 180 Yf they have mystre of vs, Lete vs goo helpe & socoure theym. 1533 Bellenden Livy v. v. (S.T.S.) II. 160 Þe ciete had grete myster of money, havand sa mony armyis to gif wagis to. 1603 Philotus xv, He is richt gude, Ane man of wealth and nobill blude, Bot hes mair mister of ane Hude. 1692 Sc. Presbyt. Eloq. (1738) 140 England, that stands muckle in mister of a Reformation. |
† b. with ellipsis of prep. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 20793 Disput, he sais, es na mister Bituix te wis in swilk a wer. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 24 Thurghe þese gyftes oure Lord Ihesu lerres man all þat he hase myster till þe lyfe þat es callid actyfe. |
† c. with inf. to have mister: to need, require (to do something). Obs.
| c 1325 Metr. Hom. 3 Laued men hauis mar mister, Godes word for to her, Than klerkes. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 67, I haf ȝerned & ȝat ȝokkez of oxen, & for my hyȝez hem boȝt, to bowe haf I mester. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 583 To the mownteyne he toke the wey, To rest hyme alle that day, He had mystyrr to be kyllyd [= cooled]. 1549 Compl. Scot. v. 36 Ve haue mistir to be vigilant ande reddy, sen the terme of cristis cumming is schort. |
† 10. a. pl. Necessary articles, fittings, etc.; necessaries. Obs.
| 1413 Pilgr. Sowle iv. xxxvii. 134 b, Alle tho mystres, whiche that apperteynen to the body without, as clothyng howsynge and defense ageyne dyuerse perylles. 1513 in Acc. Ld. Treas. Scot. (1902) IV. 481 Item for 1/3{supc} Swetyn burdis to the said Lorence for misteris in the schippis. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 29 (Stat. Rob. I) Reseruand to the tutours their reasonable misterres and necessare expenses. |
b. Something needed or necessary. rare.
| 1829 Scott Hrt. Midl. xliv, Warld's gear was hence⁓forward the least of her care, nor was it likely to be muckle her mister. |
11. A matter or respect in which some necessity or want is felt; a case of need. Sc. in phr. with the vb. to beet: see beet v. 3.
| 1508 Dunbar Tua mariit wemen 128 He..may nought beit worth a bene in bed of my mystirs. 1513 Douglas æneis i. viii. 105 To hew, and tak Tymmer to beit ayris and wther mysteris. Ibid. vi. i. 15. 1721 Ramsay Scribblers Lashed 78 To please the sighing sisters, Who often beet them in their misters. 1823 Hogg in Blackw. Mag. Mar. 314 If twa or three hunder pounds can beet a mister for you in a strait, ye sanna want it. |
▪ II. mister, n.2
(ˈmɪstə(r))
Also 6 myster.
[See master n.1 22, note.]
1. a. Used as a title of courtesy prefixed to the surname or Christian name of a man (not entitled to be addressed as ‘Sir’ or ‘Lord’), and to designations of office or occupation.
The word in mod. use may be best described as the oral equivalent of the written prefix Mr. (q.v. in its alphabetical place). In writing, the unabbreviated form is now used only with more or less of jocular intention; in a passage like quot. 1859 in d, most persons would now write ‘Mr.’ (with inverted commas).
| 1551 Acts Privy Council Eng. (N.S.) III. 397 To suffer the ij Mysters Bassetes to have accesse and speake..with theyre brother. 1706 in Mem. Ripon (Surtees) II. 302 My best hat which is at Mister Rigedale's in Ripon. 1786 A. M. Bennett Juvenile Indiscr. II. 42 'Squire Franklin meant to do great things for Mister Dellmore. 1840 Hood Up Rhine xvii, Mister Broker, is that 'ere your carpet-bag? 1853 R. S. Surtees Sponge's Sp. Tour xliv, Spraggon took advantage of a dead silence to call up the table to Mister Sponge to take wine,..and by-and-by Mister Sponge ‘Mistered’ Mr. Spraggon to return the compliment. |
b. transf. and jocular.
| 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) I. p. vii, O Jupiter, some water, a little water! dear mister Jupiter, water, water, water! a 1806 H. K. White Descr. Summer's Eve, The snare for Mister Fox is set. |
c. The word ‘mister’ (Mr.) as a prefix or title.
| 1758 Goldsm. Mem. Protestant (1895) II. 244, They never spoke to us without putting Mister to our Names. 1837 Lytton E. Maltrav. 43 Stop, mon cher, don't call me Mister; we are to be friends. 1860 Emerson Cond. Life, Culture Wks. (Bohn) II. 373 Mr. Pitt..thought the title of Mister good against any king in Europe. 1888 Burgon Lives 12 Gd. Men I. 440 ‘Well, Mr. Burgon?’ ..‘Mister at the end of 20 years!..I wish you wouldn't call me Mister’. |
d. One who is entitled to be addressed or spoken of only as Mr. ―.
| 1764 Foote Mayor of G. i. i, Has his majesty dubb'd me a Knight for you to make me a Mister? 1859 Macaulay Biog., Pitt (1860) 182 Plain Mister himself he [Pitt] had made more lords than any three ministers that had preceded him. 1864 Burton Scot Abr. I. ii. 98 Whether the Persian Mirza expresses a Prince or a mere Mister. |
e. Mister Big, Mister Fixit: see 2 e; Mister Charlie: see Charley, Charlie 7.
2. a. As a form of address not followed by the name; = sir (or less respectful than that title). Now only vulgar.
| 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) I. 31, I must..tell you, Mister, that matters are much changed. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia ix. iii. (1882) II. 322 Mrs. Belfield,..running into the passage,..angrily called out [to the chairmen], ‘What do you do here, Misters?’ 1834 Hawthorne Twice-told T., Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe, ‘Good morning, mister’, said Dominicus. 1862 Lowell Biglow P. Ser. ii. The Courtin', Says he, ‘I'd better call agin’; Says she, ‘Think likely, Mister’. 1901 Punch 22 Jan. 65 Please Mister, when are we going to get through? |
b. Colloq. shortening of Mister Mate (mate n.2 4 a). Freq. as vocative.
| 1909 F. H. Shaw Daughter of Storm xx. 177 ‘All right, sir,’ said the second mate to Steadman... ‘West by north,’ said Steadman... ‘I'll go and turn in, mister.’ a 1966 C. S. Forester Hornblower & Crisis (1967) v. 40 The mate was marking up the traverse board. ‘What's the course, Mister?’ asked Hornblower. 1972 Listener 6 Jan. 18/3 The Captain..addressed the Mate as William, except when he thought he was getting uppish, when he called him ‘Mister’. |
† 3. A (horse's) rider. (= master n. 4.) Obs.
| c 1620 in J. P. Hore Hist. Newmarket (1885) I. 360 The horse and mister yairof that first comes over the scoir at the said Walnuik of Paislaye. |
▪ III. † mister, v.1 Chiefly Sc. Obs.
(ˈmɪstə(r))
Forms: as in mister n.1 Also pa. tense mustrid, 6 mestoret, mistorit, mystart, mistert.
[f. mister n.1]
1. impers. To be necessary or needful. Const. inf. or clause, or absol.
| 1424 Sc. Acts Jas. I (1814) II. 7 Ande gif it misteris þat secular power be callyt þerto in suppowale and helping of halykirk. ? c 1500 King & Barker 99 in Hazl. E.P.P. (1864) I. 9 The hors prekyd, as he was wode, Het mestoret to spor hem not. c 1500 Melusine 222 Yf it mystier, we shal guyde & lede you..thrughe all the passages. 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 884 Ten pund Stirveling I have heir, And mair, when misteris, you command. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. vii. 51 As for my name, it mistreth not to tell. |
b. what misters (a person to do something): what need is there for him to, why need he? Also what misters (a thing)? What need is there for it?
| c 1440 York Myst. vii. 54 What mystris þe, in gode or ille, of me to melle þe? 1490 Caxton Eneydos xvi. 62 What mystreth hym to edyfie cartage? 1581 in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.) 77 Quhat misterit men in this eage seik out ane neu interpretation? 1590 R. Bruce Serm. (1843) 17 Quhat misterd us to have a sign? 1603 Philotus cxxvi, Gude-man, quhat misteris all this mowis? 1715 A. Pennecuick Poems 17 What misters me for to express, My present Poverty. |
2. Of things: To be necessary, needful, or requisite. Const. dat. of person.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 215 And alkynd othir apparaill That mycht availl, or ȝeit mysteir Till hald castell. a 1400–50 Alexander 4281 Vs mistris neuire na medcyne for malidy on erthe. 1412 Catterick Ch. Contract (Raine 1834) 8 All the stuffe of the stane that misters more for the makyng of the Kirke of Katrik. c 1450 Merlin 22 Blase sought all that hym mystered to write with. a 1530 Heywood Weather (Brandl) 314 At all tymys when suche thynges shall myster. |
3. trans. To have need of, require.
| 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 268 Gif me think I mister ma, I sall have leve to produce ma. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xii. 231 We myster no sponys here, at oure mangyng. c 1470 Henry Wallace iii. 212 Harnes and hors, quhilk thai mysteryt in wer. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. ii. 117 Now is the tyme that I maste mister the. 1533 Gau Richt Vay (1888) 62 Thay quhilk ar hail thay mister notht ane lech. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 125 For surelie, we mister na Magistrat. 1722 Ramsay Three Bonnets iv. 146 Counting what things he now did mister. |
| absol. 1438 Bk. Alexander Gt. (Bannatyne Cl.) 2 And gif thay mister, to mak rescours. 1572 Act 31 Mar. in Peebles Burgh Rec. (1872) 337 Quhair superabundance of stanis is to help vtheris thairwith that mistaris. |
4. intr. To find it necessary to do something. Also with ellipsis of inf.
| c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 6, I sall so ordand at þou sall nott myster to be a thief no mor. 1540 J. Heywood Four P.P. 175 (Manly) That way, perchaunce, ye shall nat myster To go to heuen without a glyster! a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 20 Na man misterit to tak feir of the Erle of Douglas. 1585 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 805 First quhen he mistert not, he micht, He neids, and may not now. |
5. To have need (of). Also pass. to be mistered of: to have lost, feel the loss of.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 361 Bot blynd he was..Throuch hurt of waynys, and mystyrit of blud. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iii. xvii, Gyue thou not that thynge of whiche thow hast nede of to the ende that afterward thow myster not of hit. c 1500 Melusine 219 He..proffred to them his seruyse, yf they myster of it. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. 59 To be distrubit to thaim self sa far as thai myster to thair honest sustentatioun. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. iii. Wks. (Wodrow Soc.) II. 81 It mycht chance that the Kyng mycht mister of his greit gunis and artailyerie in France. |
6. To be of advantage or service.
| c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon iv. 129 Lady moder, gramercy of so fayre a yefte as here is, For it mystreth me well. Ibid. vi. 141. |
▪ IV. ˈmister, v.2
[f. mister n.2]
trans. To address or speak of by the title of ‘Mr.’
| 1742 Fielding J. Andrews iv. ii, ‘Pray, don't mister such fellows to me’, cries the Lady. 1817 Hazlitt Pol. Ess. (1819) 213 He would not have been content..with Mistering his opponent, and Esquiring himself. 1830 Miss Mitford Village Ser. v. (1863) 338 Mr. Warde—pshaw! he is too eminent a man to be mistered! John Warde, the celebrated fox-hunter. 1838 Dickens O. Twist xiii, ‘None of your mistering’, replied the ruffian; ‘you always mean mischief when you come that’. 1892 T. Hardy Tess xxvii, Darling Tessy!.. Don't, for Heaven's sake, Mister me any more. |