[f. WEED v. + -ER1.]
1. An implement used to eradicate weeds.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 519/2. Wedare, runco.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xx. (Roxb.), 246/1. The Fift is a long staffe, with a Broad Hooke of three teeth turning vp made fast on the end of it…. This is termed a weeder.
1862. Ansted, Channel Isl., IV. xx. 478. Weeding is commonly done by hand with a small weeder.
1875. J. Grant, One of ‘Six Hundred,’ ii. Occupied with a weeder, which he always carried, and with which the ends of all his walking-sticks were furnished.
2. A person employed to remove weeds from a crop, land, etc.
1534. MS. Acc. St. John’s Hosp., Canterb. For mett & drynk for ij weders ij days, ij d.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Sarritor, & sartor, a weder of corne. Ibid., Stirpices, wieders in gardeynes.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. 52 b. The beddes and the borders must be so cast, as the weeders hands may reach to the middest of them.
1645. Wither, Vox Pacifica, 74.
| Some Weeds, and Corne, are in the blade so like, | |
| That many Weeders have deceived bin; | |
| And, oftentimes, good corne away do pick, | |
| And make the crop, at harvest, very thin. |
1691. Sir J. Foulis, Acc. Bk. (S.H.S.), 136. To ye weiders in ye yard to drink, 0 4 0.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 385. My wheat was putting out into ear when I sent weeders to weed it.
1760. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, III. xxxiv. Whilst I am worth one [sc. shilling] to pay a weeder—thy path from thy door to thy bowling-green shall never be grown up.
1794. J. Boys, Agric. Kent, 25. Women weeders, per day … 0s. 8d.
1827. Clare, Sheph. Cal., 47. Each morning now, the weeders meet To cut the thistle from the wheat.
1835. App. Munic. Corpor. Rep., III. 1699 [Among Officers of Richmond, Yorks., corporation]. Weeder of Footpaths.
1870. Inquiry, Yorksh. Deaf & Dumb, 20. He is employed as weeder in the garden at Wighill Park.
fig. 1607. [see WATERER 1].
1801. W. Taylor, in Monthly Mag., XI. 648. Novels, Poems, Plays, and Periodical Trash, without end, press upon us for notice—it must be left to the weeders.
3. An extirpator (of weeds). Chiefly fig. Also with out.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 123. I was a packe-horse in his great affaires: A weeder out of his proud Aduersaries.
1598. Yong, Diana, 228. Thou art a weeder out Of vices, from the place of vertues graine.
1611. Cotgr., Eschardonneur, a weeder of thistles.
4. attrib., as weeder woman; weeder-clips Sc. = weeding shears (see WEEDING vbl. sb. 3).
1748. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess of Bute, 10 July. I generally rise at six, and as soon as I have breakfasted, put myself at the head of my weeder women and work with them till nine.
1787. Weeder-clips [see WEEDING-HOOK].
