Forms: 1–4 fullere, 3 follare, 4 south. vollere, 4–6 fullar(e, (6 fullor, furler, 7 fullner), 4– fuller. [OE. fullęre, ad. L. fullō (of unknown origin), assimilated to agent-nouns in -ęre, -ER1. If there existed an OE. *fullian vb., ad. late L. fullāre to FULL, the agent-noun may have been derived from it.]
1. One whose occupation is to full cloth.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Mark ix. 3.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 366/53. Mid one follares perche; þat men tesieth opon cloth.
a. 1327. Pol. Songs (Camden), 188. The webbes ant the fullaris assembleden hem alle.
1340. Ayenb., 167. Mochel is defouled mid þe uet of uolleres þe robe of scarlet.
1511–2. [see FULL v.3 1].
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 24. Compounding with the Fuller to thicke it [wool] very much.
1645. Bp. Hall, Remedy Discontents, 118. The Fuller treads upon that cloth which hee means to whiten.
1764. Burn, Poor Laws, 156. The people that are employed in bringing about this cloth to be ready, are fourteen; viz. three weavers and spoolers, two breakers, six spinners, one fuller and burler, one sheerman, one parter and picker.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. iv. 103. There are twelve clergymen … seven bakers, six fullers, and six girdlers.
1885. Instructions to Census Clerks, 66 (In list of workers in textile fabrics). Fuller.
2. In the names of various materials, plants, etc., used in the process of fulling; as fuller’s clay = FULLER’S EARTH; fuller’s grass, herb, weed, (Saponaria officinalis); fuller’s teazel, thistle (Dipsacus fullonum); fuller’s thorn ? = prec.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., IV. viii. (1869), II. 238. *Fuller’s earth or fuller’s clay.
1876. Page, Adv. Text-bk. Geol., v. 101. Fullers’ Clay or Earth is a hydrous silicate of alumina, employed, from its absorbent nature, in the scouring or fulling of greasy woollens; hence the name.
1526. Grete Herball, ccclxxxiiij. Saponaria … is called … *fullers grasse.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 262. The *Fullers herb in wine honied.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 486. There is an herb called Fullers-herb which doth soften wool.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, IV. lx. 522. This kinde of Thistel is called … *Fullers Teasel.
1653. Culpeper, Eng. Phys., 356. *Fullers Thistle, or Teasel.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 661. An Herbe called Hippophaston [that groweth] vpon the *Fullers Thorne; Which they say, is good for the Falling-Sicknesse.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), *Fullers-weed, or Fullers-thistle, an Herb.
