also 5–6 accusar. [f. ACCUSE v. + -ER1. See the parallel forms ACCUSOUR from OFr. and ACCUSATOUR from MFr. and L. Accuser, though Eng. in form, may have originated in an altered pronunciation of accusour with accent thrown back and final syllable obscured. Cf. soldier, warder, orig. soldiour, wardour.] One who accuses or blames; esp. one who accuses or prosecutes in a court of justice.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 5422. Many accusers þar sal be þan … Fiften maneres of accusours sere.
1388. Wyclif, Acts xxiii. 35. Y schal here thee he seide, whanne thin accuseris comen [1526 Tindale, accusars].
1489. Caxton, Fayt of Armes, IV. xi. 262. What shuld be doon of the accusar.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Esd. xvi. 65. Youre owne synnes shalbe youre accusers in that daye.
1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 174. Take that of me my friend, who haue the power to scale th’accusers lips.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 10. Satan, now first inflamed with rage, came down, The tempter ere the accuser of mankind.
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 4. Whatever Persons the Civil-Law forbids to be accusers, the Canon-Law does the self-same.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. vi. 499. Godwine’s accuser was an Englishman of the highest rank.
Comb. Accuser-general sb., accuser-like adj. or adv.
1561. T. N[orton], Calvin’s Inst., IV. 88. Whosoeuer knoweth the thyng it selfe will confesse that there is nothyng spoken accuserlike.
1828. E. Irving, Last Days, 209. There is no accuser-general in any Christian state, nor in any Christian church.
