Stalker

[f. STALK v.¹ + -ER¹.

  The identity of the word in sense 1 is questionable.]

  † 1.  A kind of net used by poachers. Also stalker net. Obs.

1389.  Act 13 Rich. II., Stat. I. c. 19 § 1. Qe null pescho^r … ne mette … en les ewes de Thamise … ascuns rees appelez stalkers … par les quelles le frie … des salmons … purra … pris ou destruit.

1584.  [see TRINK sb.¹ d].

1667.  Lond. Gaz., No. 183/4. [They] did no more hurt then only by the taking up some few Stawkers or Nets laid for Lobsters.

  † 2.  One who prowls about for purposes of theft.

1508.  Dunbar, Flyting, 156. And lyk twa stalkaris steilis in cokis and hennis, Thow plukkis the pultre, and scho pullis off the pennis.

  3.  One who stalks game. In early use only Sc., one who stalks game illegally, a poacher (cf. sense 1). Also fig.

1424.  Sc. Acts 2 Jas. I., § 13 (1814), II. 7. It is ordanyt þat þe Justice clerk sall inquyre of stalkaris þat slais dere … And als sone as ony stalkar may be conuict of slauchter of der he sal pay to þe king xl s.

c. 1575.  in Balfour’s Practicks (1754), 542. Stalkeris that slayis hart, hind, dae, rae.

1675.  J. Smith, Chr. Relig. App., I. 21. Had it [the World] wanted the eye of Theology, a cunning Stalker might possibly have catcht it on its blind side.

1790.  Grose, Prov. Gloss. (ed. 2), Suppl., Stalker, a fowler.

1872.  Daily News, 8 Oct., 3/5. The assembled stalkers and gillies drank to the health of his Royal Highness.

1902.  Times, 13 Nov., 10/6. Self-denying stalkers … have devoted several seasons to the killing of all inferior stags and hinds, sparing the better-class animals.

  4.  One who walks with long measured steps.

1585.  Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 522. Grallator … a stalker: a goer vpon stilts or crutches.

1601.  B. Jonson, Poetaster, III. iv. You, player, rogue, stalker, come backe here.

1604.  Meeting Gallants at Ordinarie, C 1 b. Away he went with himselfe as coragiously, as the best stalker in Europe.

1631.  Anchoran, Comenius’ Gate Tongues, 215. Grallator.… A stalker makes great long strides with scatches or stilts and crowches.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., IV. ix. The stately stalker stalked back.

  b.  † Used as the name of a bird found in N.W. Africa (obs.). Also in Ornithology, as the rendering of mod.L. Gradatores, an order of birds in certain now disused systems of classification.

  Macgillivray (Brit. Birds, 1852) adopted the word as the rendering of Aucupatores (the name of an order in his own system), evidently associating it with sense 3.

1623.  Jobson, Golden Trade, 154. The greatest bird or fowle we see, is called a Stalker; who by reason of his long legs and necke, when he stands vpright, is in height taller then a man.

1872.  Coues, N. Amer. Birds, 240. The birds stand in wait, or stalk stealthily along; hence they are sometimes called Gradatores (stalkers).