Forms: 4 wier, weir, 4–5 weiere, weyere, 5 weyor, -ar, 5–6 weyer, 6 waier, weygher, 6–7 wayer, 6– weigher. [f. WEIGH v.1 + -ER1. Cf. MLG., MHG. weger.]
† 1. ? One who bears up or supports (a person).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22115. Þe wicked gastes his wiers [Gött. weirs] Him foluand in al his afers.
2. One who heaves up or weighs (an anchor).
1598. Florio, Salpatore, a wayer or heauer of ankers.
a. 1818. M. G. Lewis, Jrnl. W. Ind. (1834), 5. The weigher of the anchor.
3. A person who is employed to weigh commodities; an official appointed to weigh or to supervise weighing, to test weights, etc.
14[?]. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 618/3. Trutinator, a weyere.
1463. Cases bef. King’s Council (Selden Soc.), 111. Brouwurs weyers porters tresourers clerkys [etc.] of the Staple.
1476. Stonor Papers (Camden), II. 5. And whan I haue weyyde heme to … pay … to the weyor ffor euery sake j d.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. (1811), 342. Where before tyme ye weyer vsyd to lene his draught towarde the marchaundyse, soo that the byar hadde by that meane .x. or .xii. li. in a draughte to his aduauntage.
1535. Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 14 (¶ 1). The waier of the Wolles within the said Porte.
1677. W. B., Touch-stone Gold & Silver Wares, 20. Their Assay-Office,… wherein is a Sworn Weigher.
1701. Luttrell, Brief Rel., V. 79. Mr. Fitch, cheif weigher of the gold and silver at the Mint.
1794. Griggs, Agric. Essex, 26. Two men are nominated … whom we call public weighers, whose business it is to … examine the weights of all millers and shopkeepers.
1812. J. Smyth, Pract. Customs (1821), 11. At landing the Goods, the Weigher is to call out the full and true gross weight in the scale.
1855. H. G. Dalton, Hist. Brit. Guiana, II. 568. Licensed Weighers or Gaugers.
1880. ‘Mark Twain,’ Tramp Abroad, xxxii. 351. The crowd mash one another to pulp in the effort to get the weigher’s attention to their trunks.
1886. Act 19 & 50 Vict., c. 49 § 16. The Admiralty may appoint … persons to be meters and weighers at and within the harbour.
b. in fig. sense or context.
1388. Wyclif, Prov. xvi. 2. The Lord isa weiere [1382 peisere] of spiritis.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lif Manhode, III. xx. (Roxb.), 146. The time and the sunne j made myn owen and in my balaunce j putte hem. Bi myn outrage j haue maad my self weyere ther of and sellere.
1566[?]. W. P., trans. Curio’s Pasquin in Trance, 64 b, marg. Seint Michaell wayer of soules.
1759. [E. Young], Conj. Orig. Comp., 72. Old Time, that best weigher of merits.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 171. Do you, like a skilful weigher, put into the balance the pleasures and pains.
1903. Critic (U. S.), XLIII. 360/1. Now that you are becoming a professional weigher of books yourself.
c. A machine for weighing.
1905. Westm. Gaz., 21 Aug., 4/1. The coal is then placed into a weigher, which dips at each quarter of a ton.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. § 17. This same cercle [the equinoctial] is cleped also the weyere, equator, of the day.
Hence Weighership, the office of (public) weigher.
1885. American, XI. 68/1. After all, Mr. Sterling seems likely to miss the Brooklyn weighership.
