arch. Also 4 tregetowr, -ettur, trigettur, tri-, trygetoure, 4–5 tregetoure, -itour, -e, trigetour, 4–6 tregettour, 5 -etur, -ettowre, (trageotour), 6 try-, tragetour, treageter, trogeter, -ettar. [a. OF. tre(s)geteo(u)r (12th c. in Godef.) a juggler, mountebank, agent-n. of tre(s)geter to cast across or to and fro:—L. type *tra(ns)jectāre, f. TRANS- + jactāre to throw, cast: see TRAJECT. Cf. It. tragettatore juggler; and, for sense, CAST sb. 24, CASTER 1.] One who works magic or plays tricks by sleight of hand; a conjurer; a juggler; hence, a trickster, a deceiver.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12247 (Cott.). A tregetur [v.rr. trigettur, tregit-, tregettour] i hope he be, Or elles godds self es he.
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 4213. Als negremanciens and tregettours, Wiches and false enchauntours.
c. 1380. Antecrist, in Todd, 3 Treat. Wyclif, 128. Wiþ tregetours & tomblers, wiþ gestours & japeres.
c. 1520. Treat. Galaunt, 106, in Furniv., Ballads, I. 449. For trygetours & tryflours that tauernes haunte.
1533. trans. Erasmus’ Com. Crede, 65 b. These persons do make Christe a iuglere or a trogeter and a wonderfull deceiuer.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXIII. v. 223. A dauncing Tregetour … was acting and counterfeiting certaine gestures that were commonly and usually taken up.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, xliii. The sewer thought I was dressed to bear a part in the tregetour’s mummery.
1843. Lytton, Last Bar., I. ii. The more sombre Tregetour … promised to cut off and refix the head of a sad-faced little boy.
