Also 5–7 -our, 7–8 -er. [a. L. collātor contributor, etc., agent-sb. f. collāt- (see COLLATE). Cf. F. collateur.]
† 1. One who collects, a collector. Obs. rare.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, V. xxxiv. And in all haste throughout all the towne The collatours gathered vp the golde.
2. One who collates copies of a text or document.
1601. Bp. Barlow, Defence, 87. Any collatour, indifferent, and learned in the Originals, comparing ours with theirs [etc.].
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 105, ¶ 9. An Editor, or Collator of a manuscript.
1768. Johnson, Pref. to Shaks., Wks. IX. 292. The collator’s province is safe and easy, the conjecturer’s perilous and difficult.
1875. Scrivener, Lect. Grk. Test., 18. Few employments call for so much patience, or task the eyesight and skill of a collator so much as this.
3. One who collates the sheets or contents of a book, for binding, or for bibliographical purposes.
1770. [Luckombe], Concise Hist. Printing, 490–1. The Collater provides himself with a Bodkin…. He pricks up the corner of the first sheet A.
1879. Delamotte, Bookbinding, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 40/2. Maps, diagrams, and illustrations … have to be added afterwards, and this is done by the Collator.
† 4. ? One who takes part in a conference or discussion; a disputant. Obs. rare.
[Cf. St. Augustine, Ep., 147. Collatorem enim et disputatorem … se esse cupiebat.]
1628. J. Doughty, Ch.-Schismes, 25. The Collator … begins fairely and as a moderate pelagian, but, ere three pages are past … becomes flat Atheist.
1666. Spurstowe, Spir. Chym. (1668), 124. It is not devotion, saith Prosper, rightly against his Collator, to acknowledge almost all from God.
5. One who confers or bestows.
1627–77. Feltham, Resolves, II. xv. 189. Like well plac’d benefits, they redound to the Collator’s honour.
1854. W. Waterworth, Orig. Anglicanism, 330. The collators of the instrument of grace.
6. Eccl. One who collates to a benefice.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 4. 65. As Patrons, Prelates, beeing the collaters and instituters to benefices.
1679. Burnet, Hist. Ref., an. 1516 (1715), III. 8 (R.). Only One Benefice might be reserved from a Collator of 10.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), II. 215. The pope might prevent the ordinary collator upon a vacancy.
1882–3. Schaff, Encycl., III. 2108. All prelates, patrons, and ordinary collators of benefices.
