[f. UNDERTAKE v.]
† 1. One who aids or assists; a helper. Obs.
In early quots. rendering L. susceptor.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. iii. 4. Thou forsothe, Lord, art myn vndirtakere. Ibid., liii. 6. The Lord is vndertakere of my soule.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. xviii. 85. In God, þe consolacion of poure & þe undertaker of meke men.
1612. Two Noble K., I. i. 78. I hope … some God hath put his mercy in your manhood Whereto hee’l infuse powre, and presse you forth Our undertaker.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 223. Columbus … repaires to some Christian Princes for his vndertakers.
1645. Rutherford, Tryal & Tri. Faith, 56. If believers have not Christ for their undertaker to bring them to glory, to intercede for them.
† 2. A rebuker, reprover. Obs.–1
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, II. civ. (1869), 114. I wole haue noon vndertakere [F. repreueur], no maister ne techere.
3. One who undertakes a task or enterprise. Also const. of (the thing attempted).
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3789. He was … falsest in his fare, and full of disseit, Vndertaker of treyne.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxxi. 87. Schir Johne Kirkepakar, Off many cures ane michtie vndertaker.
1595. Raleigh, Discov. Guiana (1596), 21. Neither could any of the forepassed vndertakers, nor Berreo himselfe discover the country.
1603. Daniel, Def. Ryme, H 3. May wee not … suspect these great vndertakers, lest they haue conspired with enuy to betray our proceedings.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. xvii. 55. That was like some enterprises that owe more to extremity of occasion, then to the courage of the undertaker.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 236. The Devil was the first o’ th’ Name,… Who was the first bold Undertaker Of bearing Arms against his Maker.
1712. E. Cooke, Voy. S. Sea, 251. All Attempts fail’d, either by the Death of the Undertakers, or some other Accidents.
1779. Johnson, L. P., Pope, Wks. IV. 28. Perhaps no extensive and multifarious performance was ever effected within the term originally fixed in the undertaker’s mind.
† b. Const. to with inf. Obs.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 594. Wee find it expressely set downe, That the undertaker to build a house at a certaine price, shall use no mortar under three yeers of age.
1634. Rainbow, Labour (1635), 40. Let the … Constables … be the undertakers to draine … this fenny … ground.
1684. T. Burnet, Theory Earth, I. 214. Those projectors of immortality, or undertakers to make men live to the age of Methusalah.
† c. One who takes up a challenge. Obs.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. iv. 349. Nay, if you be an vndertaker, I am for you.
4. Hist. a. One who undertook to hold crown lands in Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries.
1586. Acts Privy Counc. (N.S.), 208. A letter to the Lord Deputie of Irelande … in the favor of Mr. Smithwicke,… that he might be accepted into the nomber of those that were Undertakers for landes in that Realme.
1590. R. Payne, Descr. Irel., 10. The worsser sorte of vndertakers which haue seignories of her Maiestie, haue done much hurt in the countrie.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 26. The hatred which the Geraldines bare to those English Vndertakers … which possessed their Ancestors lands.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., I. x. (1821), 121. A Castle … appertaining to Master Edward Gray, an Vndertaker.
1642. in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1692), I. III. 417. The Cities of London-Derry, and Coleraign,… and some other places and Castles which were for the present gallantly defended by the British undertakers.
1778. Phil. Surv. S. Irel., 311. The occupier of the ground … was unable to pay the fines, and therefore dispossessed by the wealthy undertaker.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist., xviii. II. 738. These lands in the counties of Cork and Kerry … were parcelled out among English undertakers at low rents.
1888. E. Lawless, Ireland, xxxiii. 229. Something like a regular stampede of men ambitious to call themselves undertakers, began to cross over from the larger to the smaller island.
b. One of those who in the reigns of Jas. I., Chas. I. and Chas. II. undertook to influence the action of Parliament, esp. with regard to the voting of supplies.
1620. Jas. I., Sp., in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1659), I. 23. I was in my first Parliainent a Novice; and in my last there was a kind of beasts called Undertakers, a dozen of whom undertook to govern the last Parliament.
1668. Pepys, Diary, 14 Feb. The House is … quite mad at the Undertakers, as they are commonly called,… that are brought over to the Court, and did undertake to get the King money.
1670. Marvell, Corr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 314. His Majesty, fortified by some undertakers of the meanest of our House, threw up all as nothing.
a. 1734. North, Examen, III. vi. § 38. At such Times, a Sort of People stept in, called Undertakers, who would answer that all should be smooth and well in Parliament.
1738. Bolingbroke, Patriot., Idea of Patriot King (1749), 180. Let our great doctors in politics … compare the conduct of Elizabeth in this respect with that of her successor, who endeavoured … to manage his parliament by undertakers.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist., vi. I. 365. Neville, and others who, like him, professed to understand the temper of the commons, and to facilitate the king’s dealings with them, were called undertakers.
c. One of those Lowland Scots who attempted to colonize the Island of Lewis towards the end of the 16th century.
1819. Scott, Leg. Montrose, ix. He mentioned the celebrated settlement of the Fife Undertakers, as they were called, in the Lewis.
5. One who undertakes to carry out work or business for another; a contractor; † a collector or farmer of taxes. Now rare.
1602. in Moryson Itin. (1617), II. 242. So soone as any contract is made with the vndertakers, wee send an abstract thereof vnto your Lordship.
1612. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 604. One yt that hath inritched himselfe … by having been one of the principall undertakers of ye greate farme of salte.
1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, 118. An ordinary bricklayer, or carpenter (I mean not your great undertakers and master-workmen).
1688. in Cal. Treas. Papers, 28. The further answer of the present undertakers for the Tynne Farme.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4651/2. An Agreement is concluded with Undertakers for furnishing the Magazines … with Forage.
1757. McDouall, Inst. Laws Scot., 393. If one give Commission to demolish a house, which the undertaker believes to belong to him.
1778. Pryce, Min. Cornub., 337. The halvans of halvans are mostly dressed by an undertaker for so much in the pound sterling of the money they produce.
1817. Scott, in Lockhart (1839), V. 226. The other point is, to take care that the undertakers in their anxiety for employment do not take the job too cheap.
1833. 1st Rep. Comm. Employment Chidr., Western District, 2. There is a class of workmen [in Birmingham] called undertakers, who receive the material from the master manufacturer, and undertake to get it wrought up.
b. One who makes a business of carrying out the arrangements for funerals.
1698. Pres. St. Trade, in Chester Waters, Parish Reg. (1883), 52. The furnishing of funerals by a small number of men called undertakers.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Pollinctor, an Embalmer of Dead Bodies…; an Undertaker.
1708. Swift, Wks. (1755), II. I. 164. I was sent, sir, by the company of undertakers,… and they were employed by the honest gentleman, who is executor.
1728. Young, Love of Fame, V. 505. While rival undertakers hover round, And with his spade the sexton marks the ground.
1768. Goldsm., Good-n. Man, I. i. His appearance has a stronger effect on my spirits than an undertaker’s shop.
1822. Byron, Vis. Judgem., xii. He’s buried; save the undertaker’s bill, Or lapidary scrawl, the world is gone For him.
1884. F. M. Crawford, Rom. Singer, I. 55. You must look as solemn as an undertaker.
6. † a. One who engages in the serious study of a subject or science. Obs.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iv. § 7. Those [School-men]…, as they are,… are great undertakers indeed, and fierce with darke keeping.
1654. Hobbes, Lib., Necess., & Chance (1841), 250. He who will speak with some of our great undertakers about the grounds of learning, had need either to speak by an interpreter, or to learn a new language.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, V. 356. There is another Greek,… an Undertaker in Physick too, who understands Scholastick Greek a little.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, II. 71. To free the Enquiry from the Perplexities that some Undertakers have encumber’d it withall.
b. One who embarks on, or takes part in, some business enterprise. Now rare.
1615. E. S., Britaines Buss, E 2. I confesse the private gaine to euery Vndertaker before propounded may seeme too great to be hoped for.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Cumb., I. (1662), 228. I understand two small manufactures are lately set up therein;… and I wish that the Undertakers may not be disheartned with their small encouragement.
1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, II. 5. Some of the first Undertakers were encouraged once more to try the verity of their hopes.
1752. Phil. Trans., XLVII. 500. The mine, which was formerly wrought on,… yielded vast profit to the undertakers.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., IV. ii. (1904), II. 52. The undertaker of a great manufacture.
1799. Young, Agric. Lincoln., 149. It has long been the common practice for the undertakers of this culture to hire grass land.
1828. Act 9 Geo. IV., c. 98 (title), The Undertakers of the Navigation of the Rivers Aire and Calder.
1848. Mill, Pol. Econ., 479. The difference between the interest and the gross profit remunerates the exertions and risks of the undertaker.
† c. One who undertakes the preparation of a literary work. Obs.
1685. Dryden, Sylvæ, Pref., Ess. (ed. Ker), I. 269. I hope it will not be expected from me, that I should say anything of my fellow undertakers in this Miscellany.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, Auth. Pref. ¶ 3. The undertaker himself will publish his proposals with all convenient speed.
1787. J. Adams, Wks. (1851), IX. 552. I was told by a bookseller that he was about getting it translated into Dutch. But I doubt whether any of these undertakers will proceed.
1800. Monthly Mag., VIII. 878. It seems natural to expect … some patronage of a translation, which must else be a mere sacrifice of toil and time to the English undertaker.
† d. A book-publisher. Obs.
1697. Evelyn, Numism., p. lxxiii. Finding it so miserably deformed through the confident undertakers, the phrase was expunged at Bentley’s request.
1707. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), II. 31. Mr. Wasse … has so swell’d his Salust … yt the undertaker is quite weary.
1762. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1782), V. 261. His performances by no means deserved to be condemned as they were by the undertakers, and the performer laid aside.
1823. J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., p. iv. The duty of rapid revision was imposed upon the Editor … by the undertakers.
† e. A producer of an opera or play; a manager, impresario. Obs.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 5, ¶ 7. The undertakers [of the opera] being resolved to spare neither Pains nor Mony, for the Gratification of the Audience.
c. 1720. in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 367. The undertaker … has treated me ill…; I never heard a sound of his trifling songs till Monday se’nnight last.
1740. Cibber, Apol., 111. I laid it down as a settled Maxim, that no Company could flourish while the chief Actors and Undertakers were at variance.
† 7. One who acts as security or surety for another.
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, Ded. I send you this peece of what may liue of mine; for whose innocence, as for the Authors, you were once a noble and timely vndertaker.
a. 1652. Brome, Eng. Moor, Epil. Now let me be a modest undertaker For us the players, the play and the play-maker.
1677. J. Owen, Justif., xi. 349. Considering the Person and Grace of this Undertaker or Surety.
1708. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Sponsor, Surety, an Undertaker for another.
† b. spec. A baptismal sponsor. Obs.
1645. Ussher, Body Div. (1647), 422. Of the vowes and promises which we in our child-hood made by those who were undertakers for us.
1673. Cave, Prim. Chr., I. x. 326. A venerable old Deacon who had been the Undertaker for him at his Baptism.
1697. Burghope, Disc. Relig. Assemb., 126. We are brought to Christ by the charitable help of our parents and undertakers.
Hence (from 5 b) Undertakerish, -takerlike, -takerly adjs. Also Undertakery.
1861. Wynter, Soc. Bees, 136. An attendant in sable habiliments … and with an *undertakerish eye and manner.
1857. Dickens, Dorrit, I. v. One *undertaker-like Cupid had swung round on his own axis.
1876. Meredith, Beauch. Career, xix. You introduced me … to that *undertakerly old Tomlinson.
1869. G. J. Chester, Transatl. Sk., 240. I had also a sideways view of a large patent-coffin shop…. Americans, generally, are great in the matter of *undertakery.
