Forms: see STIR v. Also 7 stirrier (sense 3 b). [f. STIR v. + -ER1.] One who or something that stirs, in various senses.
1. One who or something that excites or provokes something, as strife, passion, etc., or incites a person to something; an inciter, instigator; † a promoter (obs.); † an exhorter (obs.).
1382. Wyclif, 2 Macc. iv. 1. Symont … spake yuel of Onye, as … he hadde be stirer of yuels [Vulg. incentor malorum].
1399. Rolls of Parlt., III. 451/2. The man … sayd, that he was noght controevour, ne fyrst doer, no styrer of the Bille.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., III. viii. 324. Bischopis and abbotis, whiche schulden be grete sterers to the lay partie into deedis of pitee.
1455. Rolls of Parlt., V. 282/1. Thaire Assistours, Helpours, Sturrers, Confortours, and Counseillours aforesaid.
1543. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 170. Itt appeared the Mayor to have ben a great sturrer of this garboyle.
1545. King’s Primer, Lauds, Hymn, C iij b. Christ the styrer of the hert.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1875), 74. This woorde ‘Minoresse’ sholde bee ‘Moueresse,’ signyfyinge ‘a mover or styrrer to debate.’
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XIV. ix. 21. The principall stirrers of those tumults and seditions.
1632. Marmion, Holland’s Leaguer, II. ii. D 4. With Musicke, Songs, and dancing, such as are The stirrers of hot appetites.
1635. H. Sydenham, Serm. (1637), 74. This is … the prime wheele and stirrer of all our turbulent motions.
1695. Locke, Reasonabl. Chr. (1696), 178. A stirrer of Sedition against the Publick Peace.
1817. Byron, Manfred, I. i. 101. I am the Rider of the Wind, The Stirrer of the storm.
1849. G. P. R. James, Woodman, xix. This Morton is … the stirrer of every trouble in the realm.
1876. Morris, Sigurd, IV. 378. No stirrer nor stayer of strife.
1890. Illustr. Lond. News, 6 Sept., 298/3. You a stirrer of passions—you a minstrel!
b. Often with up: cf. STIR v. 16.
1532. Tindale, Exp. v–vii. Matt. (? 1550), 19. Cursed be … sterers [1573 stirrers] vp of princes to batayle & warre.
1563–83. Foxe, A. & M., 1257/2. He was a styrrer vp of sedition & commotion.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 357. He was author, and steiryr vp of the first president of Orknay.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1638), 57. The chiefe stirrer vp of the King vnto this war, was one Gerbert.
1605. A. Warren, Poor Man’s Pass., E 2 b. Sedition-sowers, stirrers vp of strife.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., 37. Maximinus, the stirrer up of the sixt Persecution.
1716. Atterbury, Serm. (1734), I. 222. There is scarce any Truth so bright and clear, but that an Industrious Stirrer up of Doubts may do somewhat towards clouding and darkning it.
1800. Coleridge, Piccolom., I. xii. 66. That long-practised stirrer-up Of insurrection.
1908. Academy, 6 June, 853/2. Goethe was undoubtedly … a tireless stirrer-up of ideas.
† c. One who makes a commotion, or raises a tumult; an agitator. Obs.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. xxviii. (1893), 97. Kepe þou þiself in gode pees, and lete þe stirer stire [L. dimitte agitantem agitare] as muche as he wol.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades, III. ix. 449. These fellowes are seditious stirrers.
1610. Carleton, Jurisd., 125. These Pharises, he describeth to be seditious and intollerable stirrers in States.
1612. Paule, Abp. Whitgift, 48. The afore-said stirrers, and seditious attempts of sundry persons in this our Archbishops time.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Underwoods, To Mem. Sir L. Cary, 30. What did this Stirrer, but die late?
a. 1660. Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.), I. 101. This good man will not trust any bodie … but those religions that are inative styrers of the present and other faction.
2. In physical sense: a. An instrument or appliance for stirring a liquid or the like.
c. 1450. Two Cookery Bks., II. 107. Sterre it well with ij sturrers.
1600. Surflet, Country Farm, V. xxiii. 725. Leauing the same for the space of an hower to drinke in this water: afterward they put the meale aside with their stirrers.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xx. (Roxb.), 247/1. The Third, is called a Padle or Mundle…; some call it a sturer; which is to stire vp the Tallow and turn it about in the pan whilest it is in melting.
1803. Phil. Trans., XCIII. 122. The whole being well melted, was stirred with a large earthen stirrer.
1813. T. Rudge, Agric. Surv. Glouc., 222. The stirrer, reever, and shovel used in the process [of cider making].
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., vi. (1842), 174. Besides these vessels, stirrers are frequently required in the progress of these operations. They should be made of solid glass rod.
1845. G. Dodd, Brit. Manuf., V. 67 (Vinegar.) The mash-tuns … are circular vessels with a central ‘stirrer’ or instrument for keeping in constant agitation the ingredients which may be in the tuns.
1852. Morfit, Tanning & Currying (1853), 163. To make a fresh vat, quicklime is thrown in, covered with water, and agitated with a stirrer.
1856. J. C. Morton, Cycl. Agric., s.v. Plough, The stirrer, or acting tine, has a chisel-edge with a sloping front, down the middle of which is a vertical tine.
1884. Health Exhib. Catal., 110/1. Model Steam Jam Boiling Pan, with Revolving Stirrer in action.
b. One who troubles (a stream).
1851. Trench, Poems, Leg. Alhambra, 36. How, rising from that watery floor, A Moorish maiden … stands before The stirrer of the stream.
3. a. One who moves about; esp. in early stirrer, one who is up early.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Ambulator, a walker or styrer.
a. 1560. Phaër, Æneid, VIII. Z 1. Nor morning styrer lesse, Æneas then abroad was stalkt.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. ii. 3. An early stirrer, by the Rood!
1607. Dekker, Westw. Hoe, II. i. B 4. I had not thought … you had bin such an early stirrer.
1620. Fletcher, Chances, I. iii. And longer to expect my friend may pull me Into suspition of too late a stirrer, Which all good Governments are jealous of.
1638. R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. III.), 131. The Prince I speak of, is a stirrer, and makes no stay any where.
1828[?]. Coleridge, Alice du Clos, 143. Two stirrers only met my eyes, Fair Alice, and one more.
1855. Dickens, Dorrit, II. xxv. They both looked up at the sunny morning sky, into which … the breath and voices of a few early stirrers were peacefully rising.
b. A person or animal that moves briskly; one who bestirs himself, an active person. † Of a horse: see STIRRING vbl. sb. 3 b, STIRRING ppl. a. 2 b.
1573. Tusser, Husb., lxxiii. (1878), 164. As huswiues keepe home, and be stirrers about, So speedeth their winnings.
1575[?]. Blundevil, Art of Riding, II. i. D vj. If your horse be nimble … you maye make him a sterer, by teachinge him to bounde aloft, and to yarke withall: to galloppe [etc.].
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Reposer, Qui va, il leche; qui repose, il seiche: Prov. The stirrer thriues, the lazie house-Doue pines.
1639. T. de Gray, Compl. Horsem., 6. Instead of a stirrier or horse for mannage, you have bred him fit for nought.
1657. Ligon, Barbadoes (1673), 58. For Hawkes, I never saw but two, and those the merriest stirrers that ever I saw fly.
