In (6 coritser), 7 cuiraisier, -asseer, -azeer, curaseer, -asheer, -useer, -iazier, -(s)sier, coriassier, 8 curiasser, 9 cuirasseur, -sieur. [a. F. cuirassier, f. cuirasse: introduced in 17th c., and applied to the heavy cavalry in the Civil Wars. Coritser for LG. koritzer (= early mod.G. kürisser), occurs 1551 as an alien word in a document abstracted by Strype.]
1. A horse soldier wearing a cuirass.
The proper name of a certain type of heavy cavalry in European armies. The name is not now used in the British army, though some of the regiments of Guards correspond in equipment.
1551. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. 258. Sixteen horsemen and two coritsers.]
1625. Markham, Souldiers Accid., 41. The first and principall Troope of horsemen … are now called Cuirassiers or Pistolliers.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 2. Armed Cap-a-pe like a Curiazier in warr.
1671. Milton, P. R., III. 328. Cuirassiers all in steel for standing fight.
1702. W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, ii. 6. Many Troopers, Curiassers, armed Switz.
1801. Sporting Mag., XVII. 135. Exercising his regiment of cuirasseurs.
1824. Macaulay, Naseby. Our cuirassiers have burst on the ranks of the accurst.
1874. Green, Short Hist., x. 811. The victorious horsemen were crushed in their turn by the French cuirassiers.
b. fig. and transf.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., Ep. Ded. The Fleas that are Curasheers, and their back stiffe with bristles.
1727. Pope & Arbuthnot, Art of Sinking, 108. Call an army of angels, angelic cuirassiers.
¶ 2. (erroneously). A cuirass. Obs.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gentl. (1661), 162. His Curuseers to be of gold, his robe blew and silver, his buskins of gold. Ibid., 165. The Roman Emperours habit, was this their caruseers yellow embroidered with silver.
