[f. TRADE v. + -ER1.]
1. One whose business is trade or commerce, or who is engaged in trading; a dealer or trafficker.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., IV. xxv. 140 b. Great traders, with merchandise & ready monie.
1600. E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 55. The traders and handie-craftsmen who had not their kinsemen there.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Milton, Wks. II. 133. Neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, II. xx. 40. One of those general gatherings of traders, trappers, and Indians.
1848. J. Williams, Law Pers. Prop., II. iv. 108. No farmer, grazier, common labourer, or workman for hire,… shall be deemed as such a trader liable to become bankrupt.
1886. L. O. Pike, Year Bks. 13 & 14 Edw. III. (Rolls), Introd. 83. Applicable to the servants of traders as well as to the servants of knights.
† b. A prostitute. Obs. slang.
1682. Radcliffe, Poems, 45. Burdellos, T’encourage She-Traders and lusty young Fellows.
1693. Humours Town, 39. I mean not Common Women, that live by Fornication, publick Traders.
1760. Foote, Minor, I. Wks. 1799, I. 247. Tip him an old trader, and give her to the knight.
c. A vessel engaged in trading; a trading ship.
1712. Lond. Gaz., No. 5017/2. Ten sail of Irish Traders.
1862. Catal. Internat. Exhib., II. XII. 9. A trader for narrow rivers, with new arrangement of rudder.
1887. Mrs. Daly, Digging, etc., S. Australia, xxiv. 296. The crews in the pearling schooners and small traders are very short-handed.
† d. A tradesman’s token (TOKEN sb. 10). Obs.
1775. R. Twiss, Tour Irel. (1776), 82. The want of small change [in 1727] was so great, that several persons were obliged to make copper and silver tokens, called Traders, which they passed as promissory notes among their workmen, customers, and neighbours.
† 2. One who is occupied or concerned in something; a dealer. Obs.
1668. Hale, Pref. Rolle’s Abridgm., a j b. The constant … course … of these great Traders in Learning, to bring in their several acquests therein … into a common Stock.
1673. [R. Leigh], Transp. Reh., 144. The nonconformists were great traders in Scripture.
1800. Coleridge, Piccolom., I. x. That ancient trader In contraband negociations.
1898. J. H. Wylie, Hist. Eng. Hen. IV., IV. 351, Gloss., Lesingmonger (trader in lies).
