[f. URGE v. + -ER1.]
1. One who urges or incites. Also with on.
1598. Florio, Scongiuratore, a conspirer, a coniurer, an vrger.
1605. W. Bradshaw, Eng. Puritanism, v. 29. They hould that such an ooth (on the vrgers part) is most damnable.
1659. F. Osborn, Misc. Ess., etc., 149. I confesse Necessity cannot onely abate the Edge of these Reasons; but turne their Poynts against the Urger.
1704. D’Urfey, Heir Adopted, lxx. ’Twas past all Bounds before, And needed not an urger on.
1753. Richardson, Grandison (1781), II. xxix. 276. If the urger suspects not the fitness of his addresses.
1837. B. D. Walsh, Aristoph., Knights, IV. i. The urgers-on of nimble steeds.
1892. Temple Bar Mag., Dec., 496. Scott … was the tempter and urger in a ruinous policy.
1903. T. Hardy, Dynasts, I. VI. iii. The Eternal Urger, pressing change on change.
2. An instigator or advocate, an earnest supporter or presenter, of something. Now rare.
In frequent use c. 1620–c. 1670.
1575. Brieff Disc. Troub. Franckford, 215. From whose … pennes, the vrgers of theis [letters] receiued first the light off the gospell.
1632. Le Grys, trans. Velleius Paterc., 39. Marcus Cato, the perpetuall urger of the destruction thereof.
1640. in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1692), I. 114. The Author and Urger of some Particular Changes.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 209. The Urgers of the forementioned Objection.
1847. Coventry Dick, in Brown, Horæ Subs. (1882), 406. Nought detains the urger of these pleas, But dinners.
