| 释义 |
seamster, sempster arch.|ˈsiːmstə(r), ˈsɛm(p)stə(r)|
Forms: α. 1 sǽmestre, séamystre, sémestre, 1–2 séamestre, 4 semstere, 4–7 semster, 5–7 semester, 6 seamester, (Sc. semestair, -are, semistar, 6–7 Sc. semister), 7– seamster; β. 6 shempster, 7 seampster, 6– sempster.
[OE. séamestre, fem. formation corresponding to séamere tailor: see seamer and -ster.]
One who sews; one whose occupation is sewing, esp. the making and mending of garments; a tailor, seamstress.
Originally a designation of a woman, but in OE. already applicable to a man. Now only applied to one of the male sex, seamstress being commonly used for a female sewer.
αc995in Kemble Cod. Diplom. VI. 131 Ane crencestræn, and ane semestran. c1000ælfric Gram. xxx. (Z.) 190/6 Sartum (of ðam is sartor seamystre, sartrix heo). a1100Ags. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 312 Sartrix, seamestre. 1379Poll-tax W. Riding in Yorks. Archæol. Jrnl. VI. 327 Margareta filia dicte Matilde, Semstere. c1400Destr. Troy 1585 Sadlers, souters, semsteris fyn. 1479Nottingham Rec. II. 300 Cecily..semster. 1527Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. V. 314 Item, to Jonet Dowglas, semestair of the Kingis lynnyng claithis, xxv li. 1573Tusser Husb. (1878) 176 Good semsters be sowing of fine pretie knackes. 1601F. Godwin Bps. of Eng. 372 This woman was commended to him for a very cunning seamster. 1630R. Brathwait Eng. Gentlem. (1641) 255 A gentleman is a man of himselfe, without the addition of either Taylor, Millener, seamster or haberdasher. 1857Kingsley Two Y. Ago I. x. 159 Tom was a good seamster, as all travellers should be. 1858Carlyle Fredk. Gt. x. iii. II. 611 He told me, ‘The Duke of Strelitz was an excellent seamster’; fit to be Tailor to Your Majesty in a manner. 1890S. J. Duncan Soc. Departure 213 He was squatting on the floor of a room..with two or three fellow seamsters.
β1550Bale Eng. Votaries ii. E iij, A yong wench ther, which was a very connyng shempster. 1599Breton Will of Wit, etc. (Grosart) 59/1 If hee bee a good taylor, shee is a good sempster. 1659Heylin Certamen Epist. 331 They might have put up all their gettings into a Sempsters Thimble, and not filled it neither. 1719D'Urfey Pills IV. 102 Sempsters, Tire-women. 1765Sterne Tr. Shandy ii. v, [Corporal Trim] attending my uncle Toby..as a valet, groom, barber, cook, sempster, and nurse. 1836N. H. Nicolas Walton's Angler Life 2 note, Izaak Walton followed the trade of a sempster or haberdasher.
†b. attrib.
1571Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1835) 362, vj clowtes of fyne semster nedles. 1599Return fr. Parnass. i. i. 372 He..bringes out signiour Barbarisme in a case of nightcapps,..like a blocke in a seamster-shopp.
Hence ˈsempstering vbl. n. rare, the occupation of a seamster. Also attrib.
1822Lamb Elia Ser. i. Compl. Decay of Beggars, Expiating their fallen condition upon the three-foot eminence of some sempstering shop-board. 1874Hardy Far from Madding Crowd xli, She's been picking up a living at seampstering. |