? Obs. Forms: 4–5 chaufour(e, 5 chafor, -ur, -ir, -our(e, -owre, chaufur, -yr, chawfer, chaffire, -our, chalfer, 5–7 chaufer, chaffer, 6 chaver, chauffer, 6– chafer. [f. CHAFE v. + -ER1; or (in sense 1) a. F. chauffoir:—late L. type *calefātōrium for calefactōrium. See CHAUFFER.]

1

  † 1.  A vessel for heating something: a. A vessel for heating water, a saucepan. b. A portable grate, a chaffing-dish. Obs.

2

  α.  form chauf(f)our, -er.

3

1395.  E. E. Wills (1882), 5. A chaufour of siluer.

4

1427.  Mem. Rip. (1882), I. 329. j chawfer.

5

1434.  E. E. Wills (1882), 101. A chaufur of bras.

6

1558.  Wills & Inv. N. C. (1835), II. 162. ij fyer chauffers.

7

1603.  Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 215. Faire chaufers and goodly pots.

8

  β.  form chafour, -er.

9

1420.  E. E. Wills (1882), 46. Þe best of yren broches, & a chafur.

10

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 68. Chafowre to make whote a thynge as watur, calefactorium.

11

1488.  Inv. Jewels Jas. III, in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), II. 392. A chalfer, of silver ouregilt.

12

c. 1590.  Marlowe, Faust, v. (stage direction) Re-enter Mephistophilis with a chafer of coals.

13

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 398/1. Barbers … carry about with them … a small Chafer.

14

1721–33.  Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. I. I. i. 2. Basin and chavers of silver and gilt … to wash the Prince.

15

1825.  Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 1257. These [barbers’] chafers are no longer made in London.

16

  γ.  form chaffer.

17

c. 1460.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, in Babees Bk. (1868), 161. Lay þem vppon youre galantyne stondynge on a chaffire hoote.

18

1505.  Will of Horwood (Somerset Ho.). A large chaffer of laton.

19

1629.  Inv. Hatfield Priory, in Trans. Essex Archæol. Soc., New Ser. III. II. 160. j great brasse chaffer to heat water in.

20

  † 2.  = CHAFE-WAX. Obs.

21

1577.  Holinshed, Chron., III. 920/2. A clearke of the hamper; and a chafer of the wax.

22

1647.  Haward, Crown Rev., 2 Chafer of Wax. Fee.—7l. 6s. 7d.

23

1805.  Lett. Patent, in Law Times, LXXXI. 442/2. The office or place of chaffer of the wax.

24

  3.  One who chafes or fumes. ? Obs.

25

1598.  Florio, Bronfatore … a snorter, a huff snuff, a chafer.

26

1604.  T. Wright, Passions, IV. ii. § 1. 127. Chafers in play are couetous, great gamesters are foolish.

27