Also 5 artyficer, -fycer. [App. AF. or ME. formation on ARTIFICE; cf. officer. Artificier in Fr. seems quite modern; it is not in Cotgr.; OF. had artificien. Med.L. artificiārius, in Du Cange from Rymer, seems formed upon the English or AF. word.]
1. One who makes by art or skill; esp. one who follows an industrial handicraft, a craftsman.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 142. Artificers, Whiche usen craftes and mestiers Whose art is cleped mechanique.
c. 1460. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 1037, in Babees Bk., 187. Worshipfulle merchaundes and riche artyficeris.
1592. Nashe, P. Penilesse, C. A base artificer, that hath no reuenues to boast on.
1659. Milton, Hirelings, Wks. 1851, 386. From the Magistrate himself to the meanest Artificer.
1728. De Foe, Syst. Magick, I. i. 11. Tubal Cain the first artificer, a true natural mechanic.
1809. Kendall, Trav., I. xxiii. 227. The inhabitants are principally artificers, as nailers, joiners and cartwrights.
2. Mil. A soldier mechanic attached to the ordnance, artillery, and engineer service, to be employed in the construction and repair of military materials.
1804. Nelson, in Nicolas, Disp., V. 508. The conduct of all the artificers on the late Hindostan’s accident, was very meritorious.
† 3. gen. Constructor, maker, manufacturer. Obs.
1638. Wotton, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 53. Intimating unto me (how modestly soever) the true artificer.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 109. Called Thericlean, from their shape, whatsoever Artificer made them.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 145, ¶ 8. The manufacturers of literature … like other artificers.
b. Artificer of the Universe: the Creator.
1659. Pearson, Creed (1839), 27. The great Artificer of the world.
1814. Wordsw., Excursion, IV. 551. By the great Artificer endued With no inferior power.
4. transf. Contriver, inventor, deviser. (Cf. ARCHITECT.)
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xxiii. § 16. There is no such artificer of dissimulation.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 121. Artificer of fraud … the first That practised falshood under saintly shew.
1728. Young, Love of Fame, VI. (1757), 143. Wisdom, the sole artificer of bliss.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 433. That artificers of death by their own art should perish.
† 5. One who practises any ‘art,’ or applied science; a savant. (Cf. ARTIST.) Obs.
1635. N. Carpenter, Geogr. Del., I. xi. 242. Oftentimes in the Artificer there wants diligence in obseruing the right houre and moment of the Eclipse.
† 6. An artful or wily person; a trickster. Obs.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., III. v. 20. Who would have thought thou hadst been such an artificer?
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. iii. § 5. 492. Antipater … a subtle artificer, well understanding their aptness to division, refused.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. i. IV. i. (1651), 226. Mountebanks, Quacksalvers, Empericks … these base and illiterate Artificers.
