[f. CANVASS v. + -ER1.]
1. One who canvasses: see CANVASS v. 1–5.
1599. Minsheu, Sp. Dict., Manteador, a canuasser or tosser in a blanket or sheet.
1628. Le Grys, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, 254. These busie Canuassers of causes.
1648. C. Walker, Relat. & Observ., 3. Old Canvasers of Factions.
1799. Sheridan, Pizarro, III. iii. Who seeks alone for living homage stands a mean canvasser in her temple’s porch.
b. One who canvasses electors for votes.
c. 1790. Burke, Sp. Short. Parl. (R.). As real publick counsellors, not as the canvassers at a perpetual election.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 458. As a canvasser he was irresistible.
1869. Daily News, 25 Jan., 4/5. It has become practicable for an authorised canvasser to vitiate an election by excessive zeal.
c. One who solicits custom, or goes about soliciting orders, esp. in the book-trade.
1865. Knight, Pass. Working Life, III. 18. Book-hawkers known as canvassers.
1879. Print. Trades Jrnl., XXVIII. 4. One of the greatest nuisances of the day is the canvasser.
d. U.S. ‘One who examines the returns of votes for a public office’ (Webster); a scrutineer.
1792. in Sparks, Life & Writ. Gouv. Morris (1832), III. 38. A majority of the canvassers rejected the votes of three counties.
