Forms: 7 avauntcourrier, avantcurrier, -curror, coureur, 9 avant courier. [Fr. avant-coureur, with the latter word modified as in COURIER. Aphetized in 16th c. as vaunt-, vant-currer; from 17th c., VAN-COURIER, q.v.]
One who runs or rides before; a herald; esp. (in 17th c.) in pl. the scouts, skirmishers or advance-guard of an army.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 217. Having suffered 2000 of the enemies horse (the avaunt-courriers of the Turks armie) to passe by him.
1658. Cleveland, Rustic Ramp., Wks. (1687), 494. Ten Lances of the Avant Currors rout them.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. III. 110. The Avant Coureurs of the Duke of Mayenne’s Army.
1810. Coleridge, Friend, I. v. (1867), 18. The avant-courier rode at full speed into the court.
b. transf. or fig.
1611. Florio, Etesij, windes blowing very stiffly … called of mariners the Auant curriers.
1649. Bramhall, Fair Warning, vi. Wks. III. 262. These are prognostics of ensuing storms, the avant-couriers of seditious tumults.
1860. Froude, Hist. Eng., V. xxv. 97. A set of noisy declaimers, avant couriers, as they called themselves, of the crown.
