[f. CAST v. + -ER1.]
1. One who casts, in various senses of the verb.
1382. Wyclif, Prov. xxiii. 7. In licnesse of a deuynour and of a fals castere.
1552. Huloet, Brayder or caster in teeth.
1553. Act 1 Mary, Sess. 3 viii. § 1. Forcers of Wools, Casters of Wools, and Sorters of Wools.
1580. Baret, Alv., C 171. A caster of lottes, sortitor.
1598. Florio, Abbachiere, caster of accountes.
1611. Cotgr., Mathematicien, a caster of Natiuities.
1623. Bingham, Xenophon, 117. He said, he would relent vpon no other condition, than that the caster of the first stone … should be deliuered into his hands.
1669. Etheredge, Love in Tub, II. iii. The Caster wins if he fling above Ten with Doublets upon three dice.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 191, ¶ 10 (J.). Did any of them set up for a Caster of fortunate figures, what might he not get by his pretended discoveries and predictions.
1840. Thackeray, Catherine, iii. Three to two against the caster [of dice].
1856. R. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), II. VIII. iii. 49. Casters of horoscopes and makers of cunning toys.
1885. H. P. Wells, in Harper’s Mag., April, 776/1. The caster stands on a platform one foot above the water.
1887. Athenæum, 26 March, 414/3. Artificial casters of the evil eye.
b. also with adverb following.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 16703 (Trin.). Heil þou temple caster doun.
1601. Deacon & Walker, Spirits and Dev., To Rdr. 16. Exorcistes signifieth a coniurour or caster foorth of spirits and diuels.
1617. S. Collins, Def. Bp. Ely, 304. They are made to be casters on of the perfume.
1836. E. Howard, R. Reefer, xxvi. The caster-up of sums.
2. spec. a. One who casts metal; a founder.
1535. Coverdale, Jer. x. 14. Confunded be all casters of ymages.
1662. Gerbier, Princ., 31. Architect, Sculptor, and Caster in Brass.
1865. Mr. Cowper, in Parlt., 12 May. The model of the first lion is completed, and now in the hands of the casters.
1884. G. M. Fenn, Sweet Mace, III. vi. 84. Woe to the caster of cannon.
b. One employed in shovelling or ‘casting’ coals from the keels into the ships (on the Wear).
1815. J. Sykes, Local Records (1832–57) A number of misguided persons, principally keelmen and casters on the River Wear.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), I. 601. Keel-men, coal-boatmen, casters, and trimmers.
1861. Act 24 & 25 Vict., c. § 40. Whosoever shall … prevent any seaman, keelman, or caster from working at his lawful trade.
1882. J. Green, Tales & Ballads of Wearside (1885), 229. The first coal staiths … erected at Sunderland … 1815; but the keelmen and casters … pulled them to the ground.
1888. Sunderland Daily Echo, 22 March, 2/5. Casters and trimmers … their work was to cast the coals from the keels into the ships.
3. Cant. ‘A cloke’ (Harman). ? Obs.
1567. Harman, Caveat, 77. For want of their Casters and Togemans.
1608. Dekker, Lanth. & Candle-lt., C.
1640. W. M., Wandering Jew (1857), 22. A poore Alehouse is your Inne … a Plimouth cloake your Caster.
1690. in B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew.
1725. in New Cant. Dict.
4. colloq. [f. CAST ppl. a. + -ER1, as in deader.] = Cast one.
1859. J. Lang, Wand. India, 144. The horse which drew the buggy had been a caster; that is to say, a horse considered no longer fit for the cavalry or horse artillery, and sold by public auction, after being branded with the letter R (signifying rejected) on the near shoulder.
5. See CASTOR.
