Also 5 woider, 5–7 (9) voyder, 6 -iar, vodyer; 5, 6–7 Sc., voydour, Sc. 5 vyd-, 6 vod-, voidour. [f. VOID v. + -ER1, or ad. OF. vuideur, vuideor, voideor, etc. (obs. F. videur), f. voider VOID v. Cf. AVOIDER.]
† 1. That which keeps off or away; a screen or defence; a remover or driver away of something.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 339. Vmbe the sercle of the Citie was sothely a playne,… With lef-sales vppon lofte lustie and faire,… With voiders vnder vines for violent sonnes.
c. 1520. Everyman, B v. A precious iewell I wyll gyue the Called penaunce, voyder of aduersyte.
a. 1550[?]. in Dunbar’s Poems (S.T.S.), 329. The sterne of day, voyder of dirknes.
† 2. A piece of armor covering an exposed or unprotected place (see quot. 1880). Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 10028. Doublet & quysseux, wiþ poleyns ful riche, Voydes [sic], breche of maille, wyþ paunz non liche.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, III. 50. [They] did on firste, after her desires, Sabatouns, grevis, cusschewis, & voideris. Ibid., 64. On his armys, rynged nat to wyde, Þer wer woiders frettid in þe maille.
c. 1425. J. Hill, in Illustr. Anc. State & Chivalry (Roxb.), 5. First behoveth sabatouns, greevis, and cloos qwysseux with voydours of plate or of mayle, and a cloos breche of mayle.
[1880. Encycl. Brit., XI. 697/1. The voider in defensive armour was a gusset-piece either of plate or of mail, used to cover a void or unprotected space at the elbow or knee joints.]
3. A receptacle into which something is voided or emptied: a. A tray, basket or other vessel in which dirty dishes or utensils, fragments of broken food, etc., are placed in clearing the table or during a meal. Also ellipt., the carrying round or use of this (quot. 1659). Obs. exc. dial.
1466. in Leland, Collect. (1715), VI. 11. In the meane tyme the Sewer geveth a voyder to the Carver, and he doth voyde into it the Trenchers that lyeth under the knyves poynt,… and so cleanseth the table cleane.
c. 1475. For to serve a Lord, in Babees Bk. (1868), 371. The kerver muste … have a voyder to geder in all the broke brede, trenchours, cromys lying upon the tabill.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, I. xi. 58. Eftir the first paws, and that cours neir gane, And voduris and fat trunscheouris away tane, The goblettis greit with mychty wynis in hy Thai fillit.
1594. in Archaeol. (1884), XLVIII. 131. Item ij pewter voyders, x s.
1607. Heywood, Wom. Killed w. Kindn. (1617), D 3 b. Enter 3 or 4 seruingmen, one with a Voyder and a woodden Knife to take away.
1620. Sir R. Boyle, in Lismore Papers (1886), I. 265. I sent my old silver voyder … to be exchandged for a new.
1659. Evelyn, Char. Eng., 64. Their ceremony at the Table, and to see the formality of the Voider, which our Withdrawing roomes in France are made to prevent.
1703. R. Neve, City & C. Purchaser, 90. The Butler … disposes … his Napkin-press…, Spoons, Knives, Forks, Voider, or Basket, and all other Necessaries appertaining to his Office.
1739. ‘R. Bull,’ trans. Dedekindus’ Grobianus, 114. See now, the Stripling, with his Voider, waits To bear away the greasy Load of Plates.
1755. Gentl. Mag., XXV. 190. Ten waiters … Produce vast voiders, and a load of bread.
1823. E. Moor, Suffolk Wds., Voider, a pail-like article, of wood or wicker, into which bones, etc. are shelved or thrown, during a meal.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Voider, a butler’s Tray.
attrib. 1610. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons (1860), App. p. vii. Item voyder knives, whereof one is steele with a case.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xiv. (Roxb.), 16/2. He beareth sable a Voyder Baskett, or a night Baskett Or.
b. fig. or in fig. context.
Very common in the first half of the 17th c.
1609. Dekker, Gull’s Horn-bk., i. 7. Piers ploughman layd the cloth, and Simplicity brought in the voyder.
1615. T. Adams, Leaven, 112. You may as well … set him the voyder of abstinence instead of his table of surfeits.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., verse 13. vii. (1669), 139/1. Death comes with a Voider to carry away all thy carnal enjoyments.
† c. fig. A receptacle for refuse or rubbish. Obs.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, VIII. v. 631. Haply some conceiued indignitie … that our Britannia should make her Virginian lap to bee the voider, for her lewder and more disordered Inhabitants.
1615. S. Ward, Coal fr. Altar, 79. How are his Sabaoths made the voider and dung-hill for all refuse businesse.
† d. A tray, basket or large plate, esp. one of ornamental pattern or design, for holding, carrying or handing round sweetmeats. Also transf. a quantity or amount carried in this. Obs.
1676. Lady Fanshawe, Mem. (1829), 164. Several times we saw the Feasts of Bulls [at Madrid] and at them we had great voiders of dried sweetmeats brought us upon the King’s account.
1677. Lond. Gaz., No. 1249/1. And many Voiders of Sweetmeats were thrown among the People.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 259. Every one of the Guests were serv’d … with a Voider of Sweat-Meats Dry and Wet,… the Voiders themselves being of Wood Painted and Gilt.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Voider,… Among Confectioners, a wooden painted Vessel to hold Services of Sweet-meats.
† e. Brickmaking. (See quot.) Obs.–1
1683. J. Houghton, Collect. Lett. Improv. Husb., II. VI. 188. Then we have a Mould or Frame made of Beech, because the Earth will slip easiest from it. This Mould, Frame, or Voyder is made of the thickness of the Brick abovesaid, only half inch deeper.
f. dial. A large basket or receptacle of wicker-work for holding soiled clothes, etc.; a clothes-basket; a wicker basket of any kind.
1707. in Boyle, Ch. of St. Nicholas, Newcastle, 94. Paid for a voider for ye sirplices.
1788. W. H. Marshall, Yorksh., II. 362. Voider, a kind of open-work basket.
1879. Saunterer’s Satchel, 25 (E.D.D.). I catched a lad running off wi’ ahr voider.
1880. West Cornwall Gloss., 62. Voyder, a clothes basket; a large basket for holding unmended linen sold by gipsy women.
† 4. Sc. a. An empty barrel, cask, or the like.
1482. in Charters (etc.) Edinb. (1871), 168. All the tvm vydouris of gudis ventit or temyt in the … toun of Leith.
1603. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 516/1. All the twme voydouris of guidis [etc.].
b. Packing or wrappers removed from bales or bundles of goods. Obs.
1511. Burgh Rec. Edin. (1869), I. 134. It is ordanit be the provest baillies and counsale anent the voydour callit cord and canves … of pakkis of lint [etc.]. Ibid. To deliuer the cords and canves thairof as voidouris.
5. Her. As the name of an ordinary (see quots.).
1562. Legh, Armory (1597), 70 b. He beareth Tenné, two voyders, Or. This is the rewarde of a Gentlewoman for seruice by her done to the prince or princes, but then the voiders shoulde be of one of the nine furs or doublings.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, II. vi. (1611), 64. Last of all in our ordinaries, cometh the voider, consisting of one arch line moderately bowing from the corner of the chiefe by degrees towards the nombrile of the escocheon and from thence in like sort declining untill it come unto the sinister base.
1780. Edmondson, Her., II. Voider, is an ordinary much resembling the flanch, but is not quite so circular towards the centre of the field.
1882. Cussans, Her., 71. Flasques and Voiders are Flanches which encroach less on the Shield.
6. One who or that which voids, clears away, or empties; an emptier. rare.
1589. ? Lyly, Pappe w. Hatchet (1844), 25. We are … in all cases alike, till we haue brought Martin to the ablatiue case, that is, to be taken away with a Bulls Voyder.
1598. Florio, Vuotatore, an emptier, a voider.
1607. Markham, Cavel., IIII. (1617), 39. Purgations which are the emptiers and voiders of all superfluous humours.
† 7. A servant or attendant who clears the table after a meal. Freq. fig. or in fig. context. Obs.
Often indistinguishable from senses 3 a and b.
1609. Dekker, Lanth. & Candle Lt., Wks. (Grosart), III. 221. The voider hauing cleered the table, Cardes and Dice … are serued up.
1644. Cleveland, Char. London Diurnall, 6. O brave Oliver! Times voyder, Sub-sizer to the Wormes. Ibid. (1651), Poems, 8. Thou that art able To be a Voider to King Arthurs Table.
† 8. pl. Castings, ejections (of worms). Obs.–1
a. 1683. Oldham, Wks. (1686), 83. Hither are loads from emptied Channels brought, And Voiders of the Worms from Sextons bought.
