Forms: α. 5–6 surveyoure, 5–7 surveyour, surveior, 6–7 surveiour, (6 survayour, -ore, -er, survoier, serveiour, -veyar, surveighor, -our, 7 surveigher, surveier, surveyer), 5– surveyor. β. 5 surveour(e, surviour(e, survyour, -owre, 5–6 survear, 6 surveor. [a. AF., OF. surve(i)our, f. surveeir to SURVEY: see -OR.] One who surveys.
1. One who has the oversight or superintendence of a person or thing; an overseer, supervisor.
a. gen. (also fig.)
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., I. 263. He was suruyour to all þat þer wer, And … he payed her hyer.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 485/1. Survyowre, supervisor.
c. 1520. Skelton, Magnyf. (1906), 1862. Your Suruayour, Crafty Conueyaunce.
1552. Huloet, Surueiour of a bridall, pronubus.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. i. 253. Wer ’t not madnesse then, To make the Fox surueyor of the Fold?
1616. Breton, Good & Badde, Worthy Judge, Wks. (Grosart), II. 7/2. Hee is a surueier of rights and reuenger of wrongs.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., Matt. v. 8 (1640), 112. Men who are so severe … may … become Surveyors, and Controllers upon Christ himself.
b. As a title of officials in various departments, offices or works; e.g., one who superintends the construction of a building, the administration of an office or department, the collection of taxes, the keeping of a structure in good order or repair.
Usually (except where the context is explanatory), with a defining phr., as surveyor of highways, of taxes, † of wards and liveries, or with prefixed sb., as borough, district, forest, road, timber surveyor.
Surveyor of the navy: formerly, an official whose duty was ‘to know the State of all Stores, and see the Wants supplied; to survey the Hulls, Masts, and Yards, and estimate the Value of Repairs by Indenture; to charge all Boatswains and Carpenters of his Majesty’s Navy with what Stores they received; and at the End of each Voyage, to state and audite their Accompts’ (Chamberlayne’s Pres. St. Gt. Brit.).
1442. Rolls of Parlt., V. 54/2. Sercheours, Countrollours, and Surveyours of Serchis. Ibid. (1472–3), VI. 58/1. Countroller and Surveyour of the Kynges werkes there.
1518. in Lupton, Life Colet (1887), App. A. 278. The Maisters and surveyors of the scole.
1540–1. Elyot, Image Gov., xix. 35 b. Surueyours and other that … gathered the reuenues of his crowne.
1543. trans. Act 9 Hen. V., Stat. II. c. 4. Wardeyns and surueyours and minysters of the eschaunges out of the tower.
1553. in Archaeologia, XII. 382. Surveiors of the Stable.
1555. Act 2 & 3 Ph. & Mary, c. 8 § 1. The Constables & Churchewardens of every parishe … shall … electe … twoo honest persons … to bee Surveyours & orderers … of the worckes for Amendement of the Highewais.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 185. There is … appointed to euery man by the suruoiers of the mynes, a square plotte of grounde.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 582. This man … was the master Mason or Surueior of the kings stone-works.
1660. in Pepys’ Diary (1870), 43. His Royal Highness James, Duke of York, Lord High Admiral … Sir William Batten, Surveyor. Ibid. (1666), 7 Oct. He dreads the reports he is to receive from the Surveyors of its [sc. the fleet’s] defects.
1670. Pettus, Fodinæ Reg., 41. The Surveyor of the Melting, who is to see the Silver cast out.
1698. T. Savery, Navig. Improv., 8. The Commissioners of the Navy … told me, that the Model must be survey’d by Mr. Dummer the Surveyor of the Navy.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Gt. Brit., II. III. 618. Surveyor of the Highways.
1709. Brit. Apollo, II. No. 67. 4/1. [In the Customs] a Surveyor and 16 Tidewaiters.
1793–4. Matthews’s Bristol Directory, 37. Surveyor of the Distilleries,… Surveyor of the Salt duties.
1872. S. De Vere, Americanisms, 264. Surveyor, an official who surveys all the inspectors, weighers, gaugers,… in a United States Customs-House.
† c. (of a will) = OVERSEER 1 b, SUPERVISOR 1 b.
1420. E. E. Wills (1882), 54. The surveiors of my testament.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 240. To make Jhesu to be cheef surveyour, of my laste wyl set in my Testament.
1463. in Bury Wills (Camden), 43. Be ye avys and supportacion of ye surviour and my executours.
† d. An officer of the royal or other great household who superintended the preparation and serving of the food. Obs.
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 545, in Babees Bk. (1868), 317. Surueour and stuarde also.
a. 1483. Liber Niger, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 37. A Surveyour for the Kyng, to oversee, with the maister cooke for the mowthe, all maner of stuffe of vytayle which is best and moste holsom, and the conveyaunce and sauf guarde of it.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 586. Ye shall vnderstande yt this feest was all of fysshe. And for yye orderyng of yye seruyce therof, were dyuers lordes appoynted … as stewarde, controller, surueyour.
1601. F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 36 (1876), 22. A serjant surveiour of the dressor for the hall.
† e. One who had the oversight of the lands and boundaries of an estate and its appurtenances. Obs.
1485. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 349/1. That this Acte of Resumption … be [not] prejudicial … to John Huse … for any Graunte made to hym, of the Office of Survearship of all the Lands and Tenements of Richemonde fee … or to be Survear of the same in any maner fourme.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., Prol. It is necessary that euery great estate … shulde haue a Surueyour that can extende, but, and bounde, and value them.
1574. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 335. Fowre Aldermen shalbe elected surveighours yearely … to determyne all mischaunces and variaunces of mearing betwixt thinhabitaunts.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., I. Hist. Scot., 10/1. Men … were apointed to be Surueyours of the whole countrey, and to deuide the same … into a set number of equal portions.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 29. When a gentleman … hath a farme … to let … he causeth a surueior to make strict inquirie what may be made of it.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 208. He employed his own Surveyor … to treat with the Owners, many whereof were his own Tenants.
1782. Miss Burney, Cecilia, IX. i. She sent for the surveyor who had the superintendance of her estates.
fig. 1621. Quarles, Argalus & P., I. (1629), 24. Thrice had the bright surueyour of the heauen Diuided out the dayes and nights by euen And equall houres.
1624. Ford, Sun’s Darling, III. iii. (1656), 25. What land soe’re, the worlds surveyor, the Sun, Can measure in a day.
† f. The or a principal magistrate of a town or district. Obs.
1548. Acts Privy Council, II. 555. The Survayore of Bolloyne.
1679. Providence Rec. (1895), VIII. 44. Ye Surveyor of ye Towne … shall see to ye retaineing … a suitable … prievelledge … not with standing.
† g. A censor or licenser of books for the press.
1663. Cal. St. Papers, 240. Order for a warrant for … appointing Roger L’Estrange surveyor of all books.
2. One who designs, and superintends the construction of, a building; a practical architect.
The duties are now usually divided between the architect, who prepares the design, and the quantity surveyor, who estimates the amounts of materials necessary for carrying out the design.
1460. Capgrave, Chron. (Rolls), 219. The kyng began the newe edifiyng of Wyndesore, and mad Maystir William Wikham survioure of the same werk.
1593. Fale, Horologiographia, Title-p., Of speciall vse … for diuers Artificers, Architects, Surueyours of buildings, free-Masons.
1603. Dekker, Wonderfull Yeare, Wks. (Grosart), I. 120. [I] bespake one [sc. a coffin], and (like the Surueyours of deaths buildings) gaue direction how this little Tenement should be framed.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 4. A skilful Surveyor, from whose Directions the several Master-work-men may receive Instructions by way of Draughts, Models, Frames, &c.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 23 Sept. 1683. The surveior has already begun the foundation for a palace.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 253. The drawing of Draughts is most commonly the work of a Surveyor.
1843. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., VI. 19/2. Several surveyors were called for the defendant, who stated it was the custom of the profession to charge 21/2 per cent for rejected plans.
fig. 1662. Gerbier, Princ., 2. The great Architect and Surveyor of Heaven and Earth.
3. One whose business it is to survey land, etc.; one who makes surveys, or practises surveying: see SURVEY sb. 5, v. 2, SURVEYING vbl. sb. 2.
See also LAND-SURVEYOR 2. Surveyor’s chain = Gunter’s chain: see GUNTER 1.
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., Pref. Suruayers haue cause to make muche of me [sc. geometry].
1608. A. Norton, trans., Stevin’s Disme, B 4. The Surueyor or Land-meater.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 135. Things used by Surveyors in the bounding of Lands.
1784. S. Williams, Vermont, 378. The magnetic needle can never give to the surveyor a straight and accurate line.
1840. Buel’s Farmer’s Companion, 285. A surveyor’s chain is 4 poles, or 66 feet, divided into 100 links of 7·92 inches.
1879. C. C. King, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 92/2. In many cases the pace of the surveyor is used for determining distances.
b. A name for certain caterpillars: = GEOMETER 4, LOOPER1 1.
1682. Lister, Gædart Of Insects, 24. Our Country-people call these kinds of Catterpillars, Surveyours (Geometræ) because of their Gate, which is like a Pole turned over and over, when one measures Land.
1816. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., xxii. (1818), II. 289. The true geometers or surveyors.
c. One whose business it is to inspect and examine land, houses, or other property and to calculate and report upon its actual or prospective value or productiveness for certain purposes.
1795. Vancouver, Agric. Essex, 186. The Surveyor cannot close this report without expressing … his warmest acknowledgements to the following gentlemen.
1812. in Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. (1842), V. 253/2. Towards the support … of some worthy character bred a surveyor and architect.
1847. Smeaton, Builder’s Man., 168. The business of the surveyor is to measure and value the work executed by the builder.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Surveyor,… an inspector of shipping, tonnage, &c. for Lloyds; an examiner of buildings for a fire-insurance office.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Lloyd’s Surveyors, practical persons specially appointed in London … to investigate the state and condition of merchant-ships for the underwriters.
1881. Instr. Census Clerks (1885), 28. Insurance Surveyor.
4. One who views or looks at something; a beholder. rare.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, VII. S iv b. On euery syde they seeke, and send Surveiours through the coast.
1590. Greene, Mourn. Garm. (1616), 30. The eye beeing the surueyour of all exteriour obiects.
1829. Landor, Imag. Conv., Ser. II. Diogenes & Plato, I. 496. The brightest of stars appear the most … tremulous in their light … from the vapours that float below, and from the imperfection of vision in the surveyor.
b. fig. One who takes a mental view of something; an examiner, contemplator.
1606. Ford, Honor Tri. (1843), 29. If a curious surveior will upon this approve that louers have beene witty.
1640. Bp. Hall, Episc., III. v. 245. These which I have abstracted from our judicious surveyer.
1905. J. B. Bury, Life St. Patrick, iii. 45. To the surveyor of the history of humanity this is the interest which Pelagius possesses.
5. Surveyor-general, † general surveyor (see GENERAL a. 10): a principal or head surveyor; one who has the control of a body of surveyors, or the general oversight of some business. Hence surveyor-generalship.
Applied esp. to the chief supervisor of crown or public lands, of the customs and other administrative departments. Surveyor-general of the ordnance: see ORDNANCE 3.
In U.S. a government officer who supervises the surveys of public lands.
1515. Act 7 Hen. VIII., c. 7 § 37. Surveyour generall of all and singler our Castellis Lordeshippes Manours londes called Richemond [etc.] in the shire of Yorke.
1541–2. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 39 § 1. A certeyne Court commonly to be called the Court of the generall Surveyors of the Kingis landis.
1575. Nottingham Rec., IV. 157. The Quen’s Maiesty’s Generall Serveyar.
1665. Pepys, Diary, 31 Oct. Surveyor-Generall of the Victualling.
1693. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), III. 8. Sir Joseph Tredenham has kist the Kings hand for the place of surveyor generall of England.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., II. III. 569. Surveyor-General of the Riding Officers appointed for the Guard of Kent and Sussex.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The Surveyor General of the King’s Manors;… Surveyor General of the Works.
1754. (title) An east prospect of the city of Philadelphia: taken by George Heap … under the Direction of Nicholas Skull, Surveyor General of the Province of Pennsylvania.
1780. Chron., in Ann. Reg., 217/1. A surveyor-general of the excise.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, VII. xv. ¶ 5. I was proclaimed principal manager and surveyor-general of the family.
1831. in R. Ellis, Customs (1840), IV. 273. The Board cannot admit the absence of an officer on leave, to be a sufficient ground for delaying an investigation before the Surveyors-general.
1882. Standard, 9 Dec., 5/4. The Surveyor Generalship of the Ordnance.
