[f. prec. Cf. HUISHER v.]
1. trans. To act as usher to (a person or persons); to admit ceremoniously; to conduct, attend, or introduce with ceremony from, to or unto or esp. into (a place), etc.; to announce, introduce, or bring in as an usher.
In frequent use from c. 1820. In group (b) with advs.
(a) 1596. Warner, Alb. Eng., XII. lxxv. 312. Vnto their Lodging Stafford did the Ladies Vsher then.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, A 3 b. Excuse my boldnesse in ushering her Excellencie … into so excellent a presence.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XVII. 447. My Lords! this stranger … The good Eumæus usher’d to your court.
1773. Cook’s Voy S. Pole, II. ii. (1777), I. 202. An old gentleman came along-side, who … was some king or great man. He was accordingly, ushered on board.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xiv. The hall … to which Tressilian was ushered by one of the Earl’s attendants.
1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, III. iii. Whose gracious lot it was to usher them from the apartment.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xxx. The tribune ushered her into the Emperor’s chamber.
(b) 1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XIV. x. He … ushered his visitant up stairs.
1760. in Doran, Mann. & Manners (1876), II. 63. For which purpose I set forth in a Coach and Six, and ushered him in.
1835. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Parish, i. Simmons bows assent, and ushers the woman out.
1853. C. Brontë, Villette, xli. Ushering me in, he shut the door behind us.
b. Predicated of things. Also transf.
1623. T. Scot, Tongue-Combat, 63. This brauerie … vshers them into the company of best princes.
1697. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 311. Boats having mett them with divers sorts of musick to usher them into that harbour.
1807–8. W. Irving, Salmag. (1824), 169. The piece opens with a gentle andante affetuoso, which ushers you into the Assembly-room.
c. fig., transf., and in fig. context.
1594. [Southwell], Mary Magd. Funeral Tears, 69 b. As desire is euer vshered by hope, and waited on by feare.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., iii. 3. Yet the blushing dawn out of the chearful east Is ushering forth the day.
1623. Cockeram, III. Nusculus, a friendly fish to the Whale, it vshers him from rocks, shelues, and shores.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Leic., II. (1662), 130. Sir Tho. Lake may be said to have ushered him [sc. Villiers] to the English Court.
1715. Rowe, Lady Jane Gray, IV. i. As if his traitor father’s haggard ghost, And Somerset,… had usher’d him to ruin.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, IV. i. [The hero] is generally ushered on the Stage by a large Troop of … Scene-shifters.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 6. That mode of signature to which you have thrown open the folding-doors of your presence chamber, and have ushered into your National Assembly.
1806. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (ed. 4), II. xiii. A furious wind which ushers the dust into your eyes.
1867. H. Macmillan, Bible Teach., vi. 109. A new class of objects is now ushered upon the scene.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, lxvi. Those whom we ushered into the reader’s presence at the beginning of this book.
refl. 1812. Ann. Reg., Chron., 47. This singular person ushered himself into public notice in London, by [etc.].
d. absol. To act as or after the manner of an usher. Also fig.
1612. Donne, Progresse of Soule, 2nd Anniversary, 156. Yet Death must usher, and unlocke the doore. Thinke further on thy selfe, my Soule.
1657. F. Cockin, Div. Blossomes, 4. For to insinuate into his will, And usher, thorough his Judgment to ’s Affection … That he may give to Thee all due subjection.
2. To precede, escort, or go before (a dignitary) ceremonially as an usher.
1612. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 599. All his equippage was ushered by certaine officers in ritche coates.
1665. Brathwait, Comment Two Tales (1900), 47. If I at any time use him for the Squire of my Body, or to Usher me in the streets.
1676. Office Clerk of Assize, E vij. His Bayliffs, with their white wands in their hands, do usher the Justices from the Court, to the place where they dine.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 23 April 1667. His Majesty went to Chappell with the Knights of the Garter…, usher’d by the Heraulds.
† b. To precede (a person, esp. of higher rank) as a forerunner or harbinger. Also in fig. context.
1629. Gaule, Pract. The., A 5. You shall see your Sauiour at once Vshered, Afforded, Humbled, and Exalted: Vshered by his Prophets, afforded in his Person.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, III. vi. 118. [Richard I.] set forth [to the Crusade] with many of our nation, which either ushered or followed him.
1646. G. H[ils], Odes of Casimire, Pref. Juno and Venus ushered by chaste love Through … Flora’s banks here move.
c. fig. and transf.
1599. T. Storer, Life & D. Wolsey, H j b. Who follow’d me, but Fortune was at hand, To follow him? or, if she went before, To vsher him?
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., III. E 2. Gastly amazement … Shall hurry on before, and vsher vs.
1609. B. Jonson, Sil. Wom., IV. i. Nor will it bee out of your gaine to make loue to her too, so shee follow, not vsher, her ladies pleasure.
1621. Brathwait, Nat. Embassie, etc. (1877), 203. My friends … Wish’d that all good successe might vsher mee.
a. 1668. Davenant, Play House to let, III. i. Wilt thou now guided be By that bright Star which ushers me.
d. To precede, come or happen immediately before, in order of time; to lead up to. (Cf. 7 c.)
1607. Merry Devil Edmonton, I. ii. 55. In and feed, And let that vsher a more serious deed.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, V. 864. Pitchy tempests threat, Usher’d with horrid gusts of wind.
1616. B. Jonson, Epigrams, ci. Some better sallade Vshring the mutton.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VI. § 282. Such an application to Court as usually ushered those promotions.
1821. Shelley, Adonais, xxi. Evening must usher night, night urge the morrow.
1821. Byron, Sardanap., V. i. The day at last has broken. What a night Hath usher’d it!
† 3. To wait at (a banquet) as an usher. Obs.–1
1602. Dekker, Satirom., K 3 b. Euen thus the Mercury of Heauen Vshers th’ ambrosiate banquet of the Gods.
4. To introduce (something uttered); to preface. (Cf. 7 e.)
1635. A. Stafford, Fem. Glory, 55. She made two pawses usher her answer.
1637. C. Dow, Answ. to H. Burton, 159. Divine offices … must not bee curtall’d … by … any new-devised formes of praier, either ushering, or following them.
1717. Pope, Eloisa to Abelard, 32. Oh name for ever sad!… Still breath’d in sighs, still ushered with a tear.
† 5. To lead, conduct, or direct (a thing) to some point. Obs. rare.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, trans. Barthol. Anatomy, II. x. 120. The External [membrane] … sticks close to the intermediate Ligaments…, and ushers along the recurrent Nerves.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, II. 649. Skill In ushering to its mark the rapid lance.
6. To introduce or bring into the world.
1679. C. Nesse, Antichrist, 6. Harbingers … to usher him into the world.
1713. Steele, Englishm., No 1. 5. The Jest … is ushered into the World by the loudest Laughter.
1756. H. Johnson, in J. Duncombe, Lett. (1773), III. 38. You have done a great favour to the world in ushering so noble … a work into it.
1835. Marryat, J. Faithful, i. It was about a year after the loss…, that I was ushered into the world.
1855. Brewster, Newton, II. xviii. 172. The theory he ushered into the world.
transf. 1835. Marryat, J. Faithful, v. I am very nearly ushered into the next World.
7. To usher in: (see also 1). a. To bring in (a banquet, meat, etc.) with ceremony.
1613. Heywood, Silver Age, II. i. Vsher me in a costly banquet straight To entertaine my Lord.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 94. The Captain’s Bell calls him to usher in the Apple-dumplins.
1829. S. H. Cassan, Lives Bps. Bath & Wells, 262. The meat was ushered in.
b. To inaugurate or bring in (a period of time).
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., cxxxii. That full Starre that vshers in the Eauen.
1656. S. Winter, Serm., 147. That so he might usher in the eternitie of the world.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 276. The Morning being ushered in with … Music.
1781. Cowper, Hope, 717. If chance … A tempest usher in the dreaded morn.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 306. The year 1762 was ushered in with stormy weather.
1827. Longf., Life (1891), I. viii. 121. The day was ‘ushered in,’ as the newspapers say, by the firing of cannon.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., lxxii. Dim dawn,… Who usherest in the dolorous hour With thy quick tears.
1872. Yeats, Techn. Hist. Comm., 298. The French Revolution ushered in a new era of taste.
c. = sense 2 d.
1641. Maisterton, Serm., 18. An anteambulo to usher in a thousand pains.
1663. South, Serm. (1717), V. 89. Every Fast portended some Villany, as still a Famine ushers in a Plague.
1695. J. Edwards, Perfect. Script., 414. The Lord, who was to be usher’d in by Elijah the prophet.
1707. Curios. in Husb. & Gard., 44. Flowers … appear only to usher in the Fruit, or the Seed; afterwards they fade.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 363, ¶ 18. That vision of Lewdness and Luxury which usher in the Flood.
a. 1721. Prior, Many Daughters have done well, 10. How welcome did that light appear Which usher’d in a form all Heav’nly fair.
d. To mark the introduction, beginning, or occurrence of (an event, etc.); to introduce.
1646. J. Hall, Horæ Vac., 8. They generally usher in uproares in the State.
1650. R. Stapylton, Strada’s Low C. Wars, VII. 49. These punishments seemed only to usher in the Death of the two Counts.
1697. Dampier, Voy. (1729), I. 394. A convenient place to usher in a Commerce with the neighbouring country.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 23. But oh th’ important budget! usher’d in With … heart-shaking music.
1801. Med Jrnl., V. 231. Increased heats … already described as ushering in the hæmorrhage.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., x. 106. The symptoms … bear a very strong analogy to those which usher in typhus.
1870. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 2), I. 738. The event of 1018 … was ushered in by a comet.
e. = sense 4.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., II. vi. § 5. Their deliverance by Cyrus … he ushers … in with this preface that [etc.].
1673. True Worship of God, 8. These Sacrifices not only accompanying their Confessions…; but their Hymns and Doxologies also,… to usher them in with more acceptance.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 222. He would have usher’d the Word in with some kind of introduction.
1757. Gray, Lett., Poems (1775), 252. All that ushers in the incantation from ‘Try we yet…,’ I am delighted with.
a. 1763. W. King, Lit. & Polit. Anecd. (1819), 154. He was … so unfortunate as to usher in his criticisms with [etc.].
1814. Chalmers, Evid. Chr. Revel., II. ii. The quotation is … ushered in by the general words, ‘As it is written.’
Hence Ushering ppl. a.
1628. [A. Leighton], Appeal to Parliament, 145. Why breaketh out the fearfull wrath of God … among us, but because of Baal-peor his ushering Ceremonies…?
1634. Milton, Comus, 279. Could that [sc. darkness] divide you from neer-ushering guides?
1820. Clare, Rural Life (ed. 3), 32. That rural call … All noises now to silence lulls, In soft and ushering sounds.
