Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: 2 webbestre, 4 web(b)ester, webister, 4–5 webstere, 5 webstar, 6 wyebster, 3– webster; Sc. 5–6 wobstar, 6–7 wobster, 6– wabster. [OF webbestre, fem. of webba weaver, WEBBE: see -STER.] A weaver: a. as the designation of a woman.
c. 1100. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 183/11. Textrix, webbestre.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1525. Scho was þe formest webster Þat man findes o þat mister.
1375. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 339. Anota Milner, Webster.
c. 1475. Pict. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 795/8. Hec textrix, a webster.
b. extended, or applied spec., to a male weaver.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. Prol. 99. Wollene websteris [1377 B. Prol. 219 Wollewebsteres, 1393 C. I. 222 Webbesters] and weueris of lynen.
1379. Poll-tax W. Riding, in Yorks. Archæol. Jrnl., V. 14. Thomas Webester … Webester vj d. Ibid., 15. Johannes Clerke…, Webester vj d.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xvii. 7. The shaft of his speer was as the beem of websters.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1587. Wrightes, websters, walkers of clothe.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 519/1. Webstar [or weware], textor, textrix.
1467. Ord. Worcester, § 17, in Eng. Gilds, 383. Spynners, websters, dyers, shermen, and other laborers or artificers apperteynynge to the same [i.e., cloth-making].
1525. in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 1530–1, 219/2. The best and worthiest of the haile craft of the wobstaris within the burgh.
1535. Lyndesay, Satyre, 4106. Find me and Wobster that is leill, Or ane Walker that will nocht steill.
1573–80. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 32. Sell webster thy wull.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 626. The wooll of Istria and Liburnia, which if it were not for the spinning in Portugall, and the web-sters Art thereupon, it were no better then haire.
a. 1733. Shetland Acts, 16, in Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot. (1892), XXVI. 199. That the webster’s ell be 3 feet 4 inches, or 40 inches long, on which only unscoured cloth is measured.
1792. Burns, ‘Willie Wastle dwelt on Tweed,’ i. Willie was a wabster guid, Cou’d stown a clew wi’ ony bodie.
1841. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), VI. 12. Is it likely that it is only because the websters and hosiers do not set about it themselves?
1847. H. S. Riddell, Poems, 194. The wabsters weary at their looms, Maun still at them be thruming.
1892. Stevenson, Catriona, xv. Tod was a wabster to his trade.
c. attrib., as webster beam, loom.
1334–5. Leicester Borough Rec. (1901), II. 17. Webstere bem.
1599. Lanc. & Cheshire Wills (Chetham Soc.), 152. Webster Lomes.
d. appositive.
a. 1568. Satir. Poems Reform., xlviii. 43. A weid … Weill wrocht in the lwmis with wobster gwmis [see GOME1].
1721. Ramsay, Elegy or Patie Birnie, xii. A crishy Webster Loun.
1785. Burns, Holy Fair, ix. An’ there, a batch o’ wabster lads, Blackguarding frae Kilmarnock.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxvi. A puir wabster body.
1888. Doughty, Arabia Deserta, I. 225. Good webster-wives weave in white borders made of their sheep’s wool.
