[f. as prec. + -ER1.]
1. One who looks into the nature or condition of (a person or thing); one who inquires or searches into (facts); an investigator. Also † an official inspector (obs.). Const. of.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. 202. Sinne is a spirituall leprosie, therfore let vs be also examiners of sinn.
1639. Massinger, Vnnat. Combat, V. ii. Be but a just examiner of thyself.
1665. Orders Ld. Mayor Lond., in De Foe, Plague (1754), 47. That these Examiners be sworn by the Aldermen, to … learn … what Persons be Sick.
1668. Hale, Pref. Rolle’s Abridgm., 2. He was a strict Searcher and Examiner of businesses.
1799. V. Knox, Consid. Lord’s Supp., xviii. 155. The rigid examiners of Christ’s pretensions … seldom take into consideration … the love of God.
b. Hence: a frequent title of newspapers.
1710–14. Swift, etc. (title), The Examiner.
1808–36. L. Hunt, etc. (title), The Examiner.
c. (More fully Examiner of India Correspondence.) Under the East India Company, the title of an official at the India House, who was responsible for the conduct of the Company’s correspondence.
1779. Royal Kalender, 212. Examiner of India correspondence, S. Wilks.
1836. Gent. Mag., Aug., 212. The duties of his [J. Mill’s] important office, that of Chief Examiner to the East India Company.
1883. Encycl. Brit., XVI. 309/1. The duty of the so-called examiners was to examine the letters of the agents of the Company in India, and to draft instructions in reply. The character of the Company’s government was almost entirely dependent upon their abilities as statesmen.
† 2. One who examines or interrogates (an accused person, a witness, etc.); one who conducts an official inquiry. Obs.
1530–1. Act 22 Hen. VIII., c. 14. If the same person so endited … do make suche profe as the said examiners … shall thynke sufficiente.
1541. R. Copland, Maner to Exam. Lazares, Q ij. The examyners ought to enquyre of theym by the prymatyfe causes of lepry.
1557. Paynell, Barclay’s Jugurth, 44. He was electe to be one of the examinours or commyssioners to make inquisicion of these thre pointes rehersed.
a. 1676. Hale, Com. Law Eng., xii. § 9. A crafty Clerk, Commissioner, or Examiner, will make a Witness speak what he truly never meant.
1681–6. J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 606. Nor did they [the Apostles] … alter any one of them [Circumstances] upon different Examinations before different Examiners.
b. spec. An officer, formerly of the Court of Chancery, now of the High Court of Justice, whose duty it is to take the depositions of witnesses when so directed by the court. Formerly more fully Examiner in Chancery.
3. A person appointed to conduct an examination of pupils, candidates for degrees, etc.
1715. [See EXAMINE 5].
1861. Times, 29 Aug., 8/6. To defeat cramming is the most useful, if it is not the highest, art of the Examiner.
1886. Oxf. Univ. Calendar, 56. An Examination … conducted by the Regius Professor of Civil Law … with three or four other Examiners.
Hence Examinership, the office of examiner.
1880. in Webster, Supp.
1881. Athenæum, 14 May, 655/2. It ought to make examinerships less the monopoly of resident tutors than they have been.
1885. Law Times, 25 July, 237/1. Solicitors would not like to take paid examinerships on the terms suggested.
