subs. (old).—1.  A square wooden platter: in general use before plates, and till lately at Winchester. Whence, TRENCHERING = eating; TRENCHER-BUFFON = a droll or butt whose place has been taken by the ‘professional diner-out’; TRENCHER-CHAPLAIN = a domestic chaplain; TRENCHER-FLY (FRIEND, MAN, or MATE) = a hanger-on, smell-feast, parasite, or sponger: whence TO LICK THE TRENCHER = to sponge, to lickspittle; TRENCHER KNIGHT (or KNIGHT OF THE TRENCHER) = a serving man, or waiter at table: hence TRENCHER-CLOAK = a cloak worn by servants and apprentices; TRENCHER-MAN = (1) a hearty feeder (GROSE), one who ‘plays a good knife and fork,’ (2) = a cook, and (3) see supra; TRENCHER-LAW = the regulation of diet; TRENCHER-CRITIC = an epicurean law-monger; TRIM AS A TRENCHER = as trim or exact as may be, as clean as a TRENCHER when licked.

1

  1542.  UDALL, The Apophthegmes of Erasmus, 276. Filling vp as TRIMME AS A TRENCHER the space that stood voide.

2

  1547.  HEYWOOD, Dialogues, 4 [PEARSON, Works (1874), vi. 171]. His TRENCHER-FLIES about his table jearing.

3

  d. 1586.  SIDNEY, Arcadia [Encyclopædic Dictionary]. Palladius assuring him that he had already been more fed to his liking than he could be by the skilfullest TRENCHER-MEN of Medea.

4

  1594.  SHAKESPEARE, Love’s Labour’s Lost, v. 2. 464.

        Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany,
Some mumble-news, some TRENCHER-KNIGHT, some Dick.
    Ibid. (1600), Much Ado about Nothing, i. 1.
  He is a very valiant TRENCHER-MAN; he hath an excellent stomach.
    Ibid. (1609), Timon of Athens, iii. 6.
Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
You fools of fortune, TRENCHER-FRIENDS, time’s flies.

5

  1594.  HOOKER, Ecclesiastical Polity, v. These TRENCHERMATES … frame to themselves a way more pleasant.

6

  1599.  JOSEPH HALL, Satires, IV. iv. 221.

        When spleenish morsels cram the gaping maw,
Withouten diet’s care or TRENCHER-LAW;
Tho’ never have I Salerne rhymes profest,
To be some lady’s TRENCHER-CRITIC guest.
    Ibid., II. vi. 2.
A gentle squire would gladly entertaine
Into his house some TRENCHER-CHAPLAINE.

7

  1600.  ROWLANDS, The Letting of Humours Blood in the Head Vaine, &c., Satyre 5.

        Spotted in diuers places with pure fat,
Knowne for a right tall TRENCHER-MAN by that.

8

  1608.  WITHALS, Dictionary, 263. A fellow that can licke his lordes or his ladies TRENCHER in one smooth tale or merrie lye, and picke their purses in another.

9

  1612.  DAVIES, Muse’s Sacrifice, Dedication. [Davies speaks of] TRENCHER-BUFFONS.

10

  1678.  COTTON, Scarronides, or, Virgil Travestie (1770), 134.

        Make the good TRENCHERMAN, his nasty
Sire, eat his brat for mutton-pasty!

11

  1692.  SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, Fables, 337. [He tried] which of ’em were Friends, and which only TRENCHER-FLIES and Spungers.

12

  1847–8.  THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, li. Mr. Wagg, the celebrated wit, and a led captain and TRENCHER-MAN of my Lord Steyne.

13

  2.  (university and schools).—A college cap, a MORTAR-BOARD (q.v.). [In shape thought to resemble an inverted trencher with a basin upon it.] Also TRENCHER-CAP.

14

  1862.  E. WOOD, The Channings, xii. The college boys raised their TRENCHERS.

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