usher
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Old French (h)uissier, from Vulgar Latin *ustiārius (“doorkeeper”), from Latin ōstiārius, from ostium (“door”). Akin to ōs (“mouth”).
Pronunciation [edit]
- enPR: ŭshʹ-ər, IPA: /ˈʌʃər/, X-SAMPA: /"VS@r/
- (Australia) IPA: [ˈaʃ.ə(ɹ)]
- (UK) IPA: [ˈʌʃ.ə(ɹ)]
- (US) IPA: [ˈʌʃ.ɚ]
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ʌʃə(r)
- Hyphenation: ush‧er
Noun [edit]
usher (plural ushers)
- A person, in a church, cinema etc., who escorts people to their seats.
- A male escort at a wedding.
- A doorkeeper in a courtroom.
- (dated) An underteacher, or assistant master, in a school.
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
person who escorts people to their seats
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male escort at a wedding
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doorkeeper in a courtroom
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Verb [edit]
usher (third-person singular simple present ushers, present participle ushering, simple past and past participle ushered)
- To guide people to their seats.
- 1836, Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz, "The curate. The old lady. The half-pay captain."
- 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 the old lady into her accustomed seat, dropped a respectful curtsey, and shut the door;
- 1836, Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz, "The curate. The old lady. The half-pay captain."
- To accompany or escort (someone).
- 1898, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic, page 509
- Margaret was astonished at the magnificence of the apartments into which she was ushered.
- 1898, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic, page 509
- (figuratively) To precede; to act as a forerunner or herald.
- 1912, Elizabeth Christine Cook, Literary Influences in Colonial Newspapers, 1704-1750, page 31
- Thus the Harvard poets and wits ushered The New England Courant out of existence.
- 1912, Elizabeth Christine Cook, Literary Influences in Colonial Newspapers, 1704-1750, page 31
- (figuratively, transitive) to lead or guide somewhere
- 2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, Daily Record:
- 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 suspended Dorin Goian.
- 2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, Daily Record:
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
to guide people to their seats
to accompany or escort
to precede; to act as a forerunner or herald
