1. One who (occas. a thing that) succeeds another; a successor. Now rare.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 60. His succidur þe homycide, at garte sla hym, ioyes of his dignytie at he hase after hym.
1570. Foxe, A. & M. (ed. 2), I. 77/1. Alexander,… whose succeeder next was Xistus or Sixtus.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, 1 b. They rayled on them calling them … succeders of the Pharisees.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., IV. iv. 128. Ayery succeeders of intestine ioyes.
1595. Daniel, Civ. Wars, I. xxiv. But now this great succeeder all repaires, And rebrings-backe that discontinued good.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 970. The Dog-teeth also do fall out and the place of the succeeder is a little of the one side the roote of the former.
1620. E. Blount, Horæ Subs., 286. That if his owne issue failed, hee might leaue a succeeder, such as his owne affection should make choyce of.
1688. J. Renwick, Dying Test., in Biogr. Presbyt. (1827), II. 291. I am the more willing to pay this Cost, for their Instruction, and my Succeeder’s ease.
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 294. The sole succeeder to their wealth,… The last remaining pillar of their house.
2. One who is successful.
1836. L. Hunt, in New Monthly Mag., XLVIII. 56. The first undoubted succeeders in raising a man into the air … were the brothers Stephen and Louis de Montgolfier.
1884. Browning, Ferishtah, Epil. 19. Each as on his sole head, failer or succeeder, Lay the blame or lit the praise.
