usher
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: ŭshʹ-ər
ipa: /ˈʌʃəɹ/
ipa: [ˈʌʃ.ə(ɹ)]
ipa: [ˈʌʃ.ɚ]
ipa: [ˈaʃ.ə(ɹ)]
rhymes: -ʌʃə(ɹ)
Forms: form: ushers
form: ushering
form: ushered
form: ushered
form: huisher
form: husher
Etymology: From Middle English ussher, uscher, usscher, from Anglo-Norman usser and Old French ussier, uissier (“porter, doorman”) (compare French huissier), from Vulgar Latin *ustiārius (“doorkeeper”), from Latin ōstiārius, from ōstium (“door”). Akin to ōs (“mouth”). Probably a doublet of ostiary and huissier.
Senses: examples: text: Her entrance into church on Sunday is always the signal for a little bustle in the side aisle, occasioned by a general rise among the poor people, who bow and curtsey until the pew-opener has ushered the old lady into her accustomed seat, dropped a respectful curtsey, and shut the door;
ref: 1836, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC, chapter THE CURATE. THE OLD LADY. THE HALF-PAY CAPTAIN.:
text: Needless to say, one's seat must be booked in advance and a platoon of urbane officials, one to each door of the train, awaits passengers to usher them to their seats and relieve them of their bulkier baggage.
ref: 1960 March, G. Freeman Allen, “Europe's most luxurious express - the "Settebello"”, in Trains Illustrated, page 140:
glosses: To guide people to their seats.
examples: text: [N]ay he can ſing / A meane moſt meanely, and in huſhering, / Mende him vvho can, the Ladies call him ſvveete.
ref: c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], signature H2, recto, lines 234–237:
text: Hee brought-in likevvise the ancient cuſtome againe, that in vvhat moneth hee had not the Knitches of rods vvith Axes borne before him, a publique Officer called Accensvs ſhould huiſher him before, and the Serjeants or Lictours follovv after behinde.
ref: 1606, Caius [i.e., Gaius] Suetonius Tranquillus, “The Historie of Caius Iulius Cesar Dictator”, in Philêmon Holland, transl., The Historie of Twelve Cæsars Emperours of Rome. […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes and George Snowdon] for Matthew Lownes, →OCLC, section 20, page 8:
text: Margaret was astonished at the magnificence of the apartments into which she was ushered.
ref: 1898, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic, page 509:
glosses: To accompany or escort (someone).
examples: text: Thus the Harvard poets and wits ushered The New England Courant out of existence.
ref: 1912, Elizabeth Christine Cook, Literary Influences in Colonial Newspapers, 1704-1750, page 31:
glosses: To precede; to act as a forerunner or herald.
examples: text: McCoist unexpectedly ushered back a defender of his own with Kirk Broadfoot taking over from Steven Whittaker. There was, of course, another change, Kyle Bartley stepping in at centre-half to replace suspended Dorin Goian.
ref: 2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, in Daily Record:
glosses: To lead or guide somewhere.
Derived terms: usher in