[f. WIRE sb. + DRAWER.]
1. One who draws metal into wire; one who practises or is skilled in wire-drawing.
1265. in C. W. Bardsley, Dict. Surnames, Robert le Wyrdraere.
1320. in Cal. Letter-bk. E London (1903), 136 [Emma, daughter of William] le Wirdrawiere.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, III. vii. (Skeat), l. 103. The even draught of the wyrdrawer, maketh the wyr to ben even and supple-werchinge.
1480. Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 121. Rauff Vnderwood wyre-drawer for iij lb. and a quarteron of wyre of iren.
1589. [? Lyly], Pappe w. Hatchet, 27. O, what a braue state of the Church it would be for all Ecclesiasticall causes to come before Weauers and Wierdrawers.
1656. T. Violet, Proposals, 52. Not to suffer either Refiner, Goldsmith or Wyerdrawer to melt the Coyn or Plate of the Nation, to make Gold or Silver Wyer.
1702. Lond. Gaz., No. 3810/8. The Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Company of Gold and Silver Wire-Drawers.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), I. 499. Like a wire-drawer, who takes a little bar of silver,… and by driving it successively through smaller and smaller holes, brings it to a fineness fit for winding round a thread of silk.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 346. It has all requisite qualities given to it in the workshop of the wire-drawer.
1881. Instr. Census Clerks, 44. Wire Drawers’ Plate Maker.
† 2. In allusive phr. (to go to the wire-drawer’s, etc.) or directly fig., applied to one who spins out a matter to extreme length or draws it fine. Obs.
1566. Q. Eliz., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. II. 226, note. Are my wordes like lawiers bokes which nowe a dayes go to the wiar drawers to make subtall doings more plain?
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 106. Shee … will either shut me out for a Wrangler, or cast mee off for a Wiredrawer. Ibid. (1584), Alex. & Camp., V. iii. I meane to inioy the world, and to draw out my life at the wiredrawers, not to curtall it off at the Cuttelers.
1609. [Bp. W. Barlow], Answ. Nameless Cath., 309. For Tortus, according to his name, plaies the wire-drawer, and will needs stretch the resemblance, into an identity.
1623. Webster, Duchess Malfi, I. ii. You play the wire-drawer with her commendations.
1805. W. Taylor, in Ann. Rev., III. 649/1. The arts of amplification and illustration they cultivate in various manners; but they are still wire-drawers.
† 3. One who plays on a stringed instrument. jocular nonce-use.
16[?]. Middleton, etc., Old Law, IV. i. Clowne. Is there no Musick in the house? Drawer. Yes sir, heere are sweet wire drawers.
4. dial. (See quot. and cf. WIRE-DRAW 3 f.)
1828. Craven Gloss., Wire-drawer, a covetous person, a penurious wretch.
5. Comb., as wire-drawer-like adv. (cf. 2).
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Petit, Petit à petit, faire and softly, now one and then one, wiredrawer-like.
