Also 6–8 ingraver. [f. ENGRAVE v. + -ER.]
1. One who engraves; one whose business it is to cut devices, figures, or letters in wood, metal, stone, etc. Now often spec. one who engraves pictures on metal or wood from which prints are to be taken.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. (1594), 47. From what paterns doe Painters and Ingrauers take the fashion and forme of those Images and pictures.
1611. Bible, Exod. xxxviii. 23. Aholiab, sonne of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engrauer.
1666. Pepys, Diary, 26 March. To see the famous engraver, to get him to grave a seal for the office.
1690. Temple, Ess. Heroic Virtue, Wks. 1731, I. 214. This Odin was … the first Engraver of the Runick Letters or Characters.
1705. Hearne, Collect., 18 Aug. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), I. 30. Cole the Ingraver.
a. 1779. Warburton, Lett. Literary Property Wks. (1788, VII. 928 (R.). Could we easily think that a Printseller or Engraver should be able to obtain that for his Baubles, which LEARNING hath so long sued for in vain?
1815. W. H. Ireland, Scribbleomania, 19, note. His engraver … undertook to procure a similar stone.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vii. His eyes are like the over-tried eyes of an engraver.
2. An engraving tool, a graver. rare.
1821. Craig, Lect. Drawing, vii. 371. The implements for this species of art are five or six engravers of various lengths and thicknesses.
