wire-drawer
(ˈwaɪəˌdrɔːə(r))
[f. wire n. + drawer.]
1. One who draws metal into wire; one who practises or is skilled in wire-drawing.
| 1265 in C. W. Bardsley Dict. Surnames, Robert le Wyr⁓draere. 1320 in Cal. Letter-bk. E. London (1903) 136 [Emma, daughter of William] le Wirdrawiere. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. vii. (Skeat) l. 103 The even draught of the wyr⁓drawer maketh the wyr to ben even and supple-werchinge. 1480 Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV (1830) 121 Rauff Vnderwood wyre-drawer for iij lb. and a quarteron of wyre of iren. 1589 [? Lyly] Pappe w. Hatchet 27 O, what a braue state of the Church it would be for all Ecclesiasticall causes to come before Weauers and Wierdrawers. 1656 T. Violet Proposals 52 Not to suffer either Refiner, Goldsmith or Wyer⁓drawer to melt the Coyn or Plate of the Nation, to make Gold or Silver Wyer. 1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3810/8 The Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Company of Gold and Silver Wire-Drawers. 1768 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 499 Like a wire-drawer, who takes a little bar of silver,..and by driving it successively through smaller and smaller holes, brings it to a fineness fit for winding round a thread of silk. 1833 J. Holland Manuf. Metal II. 346 It has all requisite qualities given to it in the workshop of the wire-drawer. 1881 Instr. Census Clerks 44 Wire Drawers' Plate Maker. |
† 2. In allusive phr. (to go to the wire-drawer's, etc.) or directly fig., applied to one who spins out a matter to extreme length or draws it fine. Obs.
| 1566 Queen Elizabeth in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 226 note, Are my wordes like lawiers bokes which nowe a dayes go to the wiar drawers to make subtall doings more plain? 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 106 Shee..will either shut me out for a Wrangler, or cast mee off for a Wiredrawer. 1584 ― Alex. & Camp. v. iii, I meane to inioy the world, and to draw out my life at the wiredrawers, not to curtall it off at the Cuttelers. 1609 [Bp. W. Barlow] Answ. Nameless Cath. 309 For Tortus, according to his name, plaies the wire-drawer, and will needs stretch the resemblance, into an identity. 1623 Webster Duchess Malfi i. ii, You play the wire-drawer with her commendations. 1805 W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. III. 649/1 The arts of amplification and illustration they cultivate in various manners; but they are still wire-drawers. |
† 3. One who plays on a stringed instrument. jocular nonce-use.
| 16.. Middleton, etc. Old Law iv. i, Clowne. Is there no Musick in the house? Drawer. Yes sir, heere are sweet wire drawers. |
4. dial. (See quot. and cf. wire-draw 3 f.)
| 1828 Craven Gloss., Wire-drawer, a covetous person, a penurious wretch. |
5. Comb., as wire-drawer-like adv. (cf. 2).
| 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Petit, Petit à petit, faire and softly, now one and then one, wiredrawer-like. |