/ˈʌʃəɹ/, [ˈʌʃ.ə(ɹ)], [ˈʌʃ.ɚ]
OriginFrom Middle English ussher, uscher, usscher, from Anglo-Norman usser and Old French ussier, uissier (“porter, doorman”) (compare French huissier), from Vulgar Latin *ustiārius (“doorkeeper”), from Latin ōstiārius, from ōstium (“door”). Akin to ōs (“mouth”). Probably a doublet of ostiary and huissier.
- A person, in a church, cinema etc., who escorts people to their seats.
- A male escort at a wedding.
- A doorkeeper in a courtroom.
- obsoleteAn assistant to a head teacher or schoolteacher; an assistant teacher.
“[H]e defrayed the expence of his entrance, and left him in the particular care and inspection of the usher, who […] though obliged by the scandalous administration of fortune to act in the character o”
“He began to learn Latin with Mr. Hawkins, usher, or under-master of Lichfield school, ‘a man (said he) very skilful in his little way.’”
- transitiveTo guide people to their seats.
“Her entrance into church on Sunday is always the signal for a little bustle in the side aisle, occasioned by a general rise among the poor people, who bow and curtsey until the pew-opener has ushered ”
“Needless to say, one's seat must be booked in advance and a platoon of urbane officials, one to each door of the train, awaits passengers to usher them to their seats and relieve them of their bulkier”
- transitiveTo accompany or escort (someone).
“[N]ay he can ſing / A meane moſt meanely, and in huſhering, / Mende him who can[.]”
“Hee brought-in likewiſe the ancient cuſtome againe, that in what moneth hee had not the Knitches of rods with Axes borne before him, a publique Officer called Accensvs ſhould huiſher him before, and t”
“Margaret was astonished at the magnificence of the apartments into which she was ushered.”
- figuratively, transitiveTo precede; to act as a forerunner or herald.
“Thus the Harvard poets and wits ushered The New England Courant out of existence.”
- figuratively, transitiveTo lead or guide somewhere.
“McCoist unexpectedly ushered back a defender of his own with Kirk Broadfoot taking over from Steven Whittaker. There was, of course, another change, Kyle Bartley stepping in at centre-half to replace ”
- countable, uncountableA surname originating as an occupation for an usher.
- countable, uncountableA suburb of Bunbury, Western Australia.
Formsushers(plural) · huisher(alternative) · ushers(present, singular, third-person) · ushering(participle, present) · ushered(participle, past) · ushered(past) · husher(alternative) · Ushers(plural)