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▪ I. avant-courier, n.|əˈvɑːnt-, -ˈvænt-, əˈvæn-, ˈɑːvən-, -ˈævən-, ˈavɑ̃ˌkʊrɪə(r)|
Forms: 7 avauntcourrier, avant-currier, -curror, -coureur, 9 avant courier.
[Fr. avant-coureur, with the latter word modified as in courier n. Aphetized in 16th c. as vaunt-, vant-currer; from 17th c., van-courier, q.v. (The two first-given pronunciations are historical in Eng.; but many have affected to treat the word both in spelling and pronunciation as modern French, whence the avant-coureur of 1670, and the mongrel third pronunciation now prevalent.)]
One who runs or rides before; a herald; esp. (in 17th c.) in pl. the scouts, skirmishers, or advance-guard of an army.
1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 217 Having suffered 2000 of the enemies horse (the avaunt-courriers of the Turks armie) to passe by him. 1658Cleveland Rustic Ramp. Wks. (1687) 494 Ten Lances of the Avant Currors rout them. 1670Cotton Espernon i. iii. 110 The Avant Coureurs of the Duke of Mayenne's Army. 1810Coleridge Friend i. v. (1867) 18 The avant-courier rode at full speed into the court.
b. transf. or fig.
1611Florio, Etesij, windes blowing very stiffly..called of mariners the Auant curriers. 1649Bramhall Fair Warning vi. Wks. III. 262 These are prognostics of ensuing storms, the avant-couriers of seditious tumults. 1860Froude Hist. Eng. V. xxv. 97 A set of noisy declaimers, avant couriers, as they called themselves, of the crown.
▪ II. avant-ˈcourier, v.
[f. prec. n.]
To herald.
1870Lowell Among my Bks. Ser. i. (1873) 167 In a triumphal car, avant-couriered by a band of music. |