[f. STAND v. + -ER1.] One who or something that stands.
I. 1. One who stands, in the senses of the verb. Constr. with preps., as before, on.
In quot. 1423 used appositively, expressing the notion that the elephant was incapable of lying down.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., clvi. The standar oliphant.
c. 1550. Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees), 309. Four copes of crimson velvett … for standers.
1602. Narcissus (1893), 491. O, the hares a lusty stander, Follow apace.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. iii. 84. When they fall, as being slippery standers.
1635–56. Cowley, Davideis, I. Note 28. One, τῶν ἐστηκότων, of the standers before God.
1657. J. Watts, Scribe, Pharisee, etc., I. 13. Loyterers, and standers idle.
1788. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 2 Feb. ’Tis indeed, to us standers, an amazing addition to fatigue to keep still.
1815. Sporting Mag., XLVI. 124. The crowd of sitters and standers gradually increases.
1850. Tait’s Mag., XVII. 716/1. The most obstinate stander on old ways.
b. with advs.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Mark xiv. 47. And one certaine man of the standers about … smote the seruant of the cheefe priest.
1591. H. Smith, Exam. Usurie, i. 13. The standers about said one to another, See how he loued him.
a. 1716. South, Serm. (1727), VI. 114. Publick Spirits, Standers-up for their Country.
1885. E. C. Lefroy, Echoes fr. Theocritus, etc. II. xxix. And six tall lads break through the standers-round.
† c. slang. (See quots.) Obs.
1610. Rowlands, M. Mark-all (1874), 41. A Stander, he that stands sentinel vpon the Pad or high-way to robbe. Ibid., 53. [He] was faine to liue … a stander for the padder.
2. Stander-by. a. One who stands by; one who looks on and abstains from interfering; one who stands aside from or has no concern in (a game, a quarrel, etc.); occas. a casual spectator or auditor, a bystander. Now rare.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., II. (Arb.), 120. Thys kynde of breakynge is mooste perilouse for the standers by.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 210. Riuers and Dorset, you were standers by … when my Sonne Was stab’d. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., IV. v. 190. That I haue said vnto my standers by, Loe Iupiter is yonder, dealing life.
1612. Naunton, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 113. Hereupon some standers by are apt to conceive that the King mea[neth] to keep these places in suspense.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., V. § 155. It was thought strangely ridiculous by standers by that [etc.].
1659. [H. Nevile], Game at Pickquet, 4. I shall be a kind of stander-by this time.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 26, ¶ 8. If a Stander-by sees one at Play cheat, he has Right to come in for Shares.
1771. Act 11 Geo. III., c. 45 § 29. In Default of a sufficient Number of Persons so impannelled, the said Sheriff shall return other honest and indifferent Men of the Standers-by.
1827. Scott, Surg. Dau., iv. Will you, that are a stander-by, tell us, who are the unlucky players, what you think of this game of ours?
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., II. III. 278. From off the poplar-block white chips would fly ’Neath some deft hand, watched of the standers-by.
Proverb. 1613. Uncasing of Machiav., 18. Standers by discerne more then gamsters can.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 303. It is commonly said that a stander-by sees more of the game than he that plays.
† b. Naut. A gunner’s assistant. (Cf. stand by: STAND v. 70 b, 91 e.) Obs.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., V. xii. 69. Standers by, or Matrosses. Ibid., 72. The standers by raise the Britch with Crows. Ibid., VII. xxx. 44. Let a stander by stop on the Glass a Thred.
¶ 3. Misused for CONSISTENT sb. 2. rare.
1885. Encycl. Brit., XVIII. 486. They are first defined in an epistle ascribed to Gregory Thaumaturgus about the year 258, and are as under: (1) Weepers…; (2) Hearers…; (3) Kneelers…: (4) Standers, who might remain throughout the entire rite, but were not suffered to communicate.
4. A person of long standing (in a profession, or place) as distinguished from a novice or newcomer; an old hand, an old resident. Only in old, ancient, long stander. (Cf. STANDARD sb. 26 b; also STAGER 1.) ? Obs.
1589. R. Harvey, Plain Perc., 2. It moues me as much as the fatherly rebuke of an old stander moude that vniuersity post, which seemed to take the wall of a Senior.
1591. Greene, Conny Catching, II. Wks. (Grosart), X. 174. Which did so much content him, as that he had beguiled so ancient a stander in that profession.
1681. R. Knox, Hist. Relat. Ceylon, IV. xiii. 176. We begin with the Portugueze, who deserve the first place, being the oldest Standers there.
1699. Dampier, Voy., II. I. iii. 49. [The Dutch] are the longest standers here by many years.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 7. Our young proficients in the minute philosophy … do far outgo the old standers and professors of the sect.
1801. C. Gadsden, in J. Adams’ Wks. (1854), IX. 579. Our old-standers and independent men of long well-tried patriotism, sound understanding, and good property, have now in general very little influence in our public matters.
1832. W. Irving, Life & Lett. (1864), II. 486. It seems as if all the old standers of the city had called on me.
transf. 1646. W. Harington, in J. Hall, Poems, A Genethliacon to the Infant Muse of his dearest Friend, A 6. Thus thy luxuriant Laurel-sprout As soon as it hath its head put out, Or’e tops old standers!
II. Something upright.
5. A pan or barrel set on end. dial. = STANDARD sb. 25. In quot. 1459 used appositively.
1459. Paston Lett., I. 490. Item, iij. grete standere pannes, j. bochers axe.
1882. Francisque-Michel, Crit. Inquir. Sc. Lang., App. 427. Staunder, s. a barrel set on end for containing water or salted meat.
† 6. An upright support; a supporting pillar, stem, and the like; also, a candlestick. (Cf. STANDARD sb. 17–19.)
1552. Berksh. Ch. Goods, 39. A payre of grete Candylstyckes called Standers.
1605. in R. Welford, Hist. Newcastle (1885), III. 170. [He] shall so work the mines as he leave standers for the upholding of the grounds thereof.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 149. [The idols] are placed upon standers gilded or painted, to be carried in procession upon mens shoulders.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 257. To preserve their Ricks of Corn … they commonly place them in this Country, on standers and caps of stone; the standers being four Obeliscs about two foot high.
1711. W. Sutherland, Shipbuild. Assist., 164. Standers; Knees fitted upon any of the Decks; also Pieces placed to raise Stages or Scaffolds.
1860. Song of Solomon in Lowland Scotch, v. 15 (E.D.D.). His shanks are as stanners o’ merbel set on sockets o’ fine gowd.
† b. See quot. Cf. ORLOP2. Obs.
1703. R. Neve, City & C. Purch. (1736), s.v. Lead § 7. Of laying on Sheet-lead…. They bend up the Edge of the Sheet, both for the Stander and Orlop…. They bring them together, and proceed to make a Seam of them, by first turning the Orlop … over the Stander.
† 7. Something that remains in a fixed position; a fixture. Obs. rare.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. iv. 62. Though he useth barbarous School-terms, which like standers are fixt to the controversie, yet in his moveable Latine … his style is pure. Ibid. (1647), Good Th. in Worse T., 164. Mixt-Prayers … Wherein the Standers,… remaine alwayes unaltered. Whilst the moveable petitions … are added … as Gods Spirit adviseth.
1666. J. Smith, Solomon’s Portr. Old Age, 76. There is necessary both these, viz. the firm stander, and the strong mover; the upper and the nether milstone.
† 8. A tree left standing for timber (= STANDEL 1, STANDARD sb. 20 a). Obs.
1548. [see STADDLE 1 appos.]
a. 1568. Ascham, Scholem., II. (Arb.), 135. The fairest standers of all, were rooted vp, and cast into the fire.
1611. Cotgr., Balliveaux, standers, or trees left standing after a wood sale.
1707. Mortimer, Husb., 427. I resolved to cut a Cart-way … to carry off both my Wood and Timber, which saved my Standers and Wood too very much.
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 50. The old Standers left at the other Cuttings.
b. = STANDARD sb. 20 b.
1685. Penn, Further Acc. Pennsylv., 8. All sorts of English fruits … take mighty well for the time: The Peach Excellent, on standers.
† III. 9. Device on a coin, ‘image and superscription.’ Obs. rare–1.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., VII. 375. He defaced out of their monies and coynes their auncient stampes, causing them for afterwards to beare his standers and stamp [It. has merely il segno suo] in signe of absolute superioritie.
