▪ I. currier1
(ˈkʌrɪə(r))
Forms: 4 curiour, 4–6 coriour, curryour, 4–7 corier, 5 coryowre, coryer, correher, coureour, curriour, 5–6 coryer, -ar, coryour, 6 corrier, curryar, courrar, currer, 6–7 coriar, 6– currier.
[In sense 1, ME. corier, coryer, a. OF. corier, coryer:—L. coriārius, tanner, currier, f. corium hide, leather. The forms in -our, as coureour, are assimilated to, or directly from, F. courroyeur, in Palsgrave couraieur, OF. conreeur (13th c.) currier, f. conreer, in Cotgr. courroyer, now corroyer to curry, whence senses 2, 3. A confusion between the two words appears already in OF. where we find coroier, couroier as variants of coriier, in which the oi is due to corroyer, corroyeur.]
1. One whose trade is the dressing and colouring of leather after it is tanned.
In the earlier quots. confused with tanner; but the two trades were quite distinct and legally incompatible in 1488.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 471 Seynt petre dwelte in a corieris hous. 1382 ― Acts ix. 43 Many dayes he dwellide in Joppe, at Symound, sum coriour, or tawier [1388 a curiour; Vulg. Simonem quemdam coriarium]. Ibid. x. 6 [v.r. curryour]. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 93 Coryowre, coriarius, cerdo. 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. iii. 77 Coupers, coryers, tawyers, skynners. 1488 Act 1 Hen. VII, c. 5 §2 That no Tanner whiles he occupieth the mistere of a Tanner..use the mistere of a Coriour nor blak no leder to be put to sale. c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. (Percy Soc.) 1 The nexte that came was a coryar And a cobeler, his brother. 1576 Gascoigne Steele Gl. (Arb.) 79 When Tanners are with Corriers wel agreede. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 36 The tanners, makers, curriers, and dressers of the same [leather]. 1639 [see curry v.1 2]. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 833 Useless to the Currier were their Hides. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) I. 761 The trade of a coach currier is hardly carried on anywhere except in the metropolis. 1854 Lowell Cambr. 30 Years Ago Wks. 1890 I. 70 A currier's shop, where..men were always beating skins. |
2. One who curries horses, etc.
| 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 134 When short hors and short coriers doo meete. 1786 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1834) 39 A currier of camels. |
3. One who curries favour.
| 1515 Barclay Egloges i. A iv/2 Flatterers and lyers, curriers of fafell. |
▪ II. † ˈcurrier2 Obs.
Also 6 curriar, corriar, corier, 6–7 curriour, 7 courriour.
[By some assumed to be identical with currier1; others suggest that it may be from F. coureur, light horseman, scout, skirmisher (see courier n. 2); but evidence is wanting.]
1. An early kind of fire-arm: see quot. 1834.
| 1557–8 Ld. Wentworth Let. to Q. Mary (on siege of Calais) in Hardwick State Papers (1778), The enemies..with their curriors (which assuredly shot very great bullets and carry far). 1575 Churchyard Chippes (1817) 105 Their corriars were more woorth Then double tolde, the peeces that wee brought. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. ii. 61 He caused his bases, curriers, and harquebusses to be shot off. 1659 Howell Vocab. §6 Smaller guns, as courriours, harque⁓busses, muskets. 1834 Penny Cycl. II. 373/2 The Currier, or currier of war..of the same calibre and strength as the arquebus, but with a longer barrel. |
2. A man armed with a currier.
| 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. III. 1215/1 Heerewith a companie of curriours and caliuers were put forward. 1581 Styward Mart. Discipl. i. 44 The Caleuers or Coriers. Such must haue either of them a good and sufficient peece. |
▪ III. currier, -or
obs. forms of courier n.