claspern.
/ˈklɑːspə/, /ˈklaspə/, U.S. /ˈklæspər/ 1.
a. One who or that which clasps; a means for holding fast: often used more or less technically.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > workers with specific tools or equipment > [noun] > with other fastenings
corderc1430
clasper1551
screwerc1580
1551 W. Turner New Herball sig. L ij The clasperes of the fyshe called polypus.
1712 W. Derham in Philos. Trans. 1710–12 (Royal Soc.) 27 523 The two Claspers of the Micrometer.
1844 W. B. Carpenter Animal Physiol. xii. 500 The differences between the hand of Man and the claspers of the Quadrumana.
1869 Clifford in Eng. Mech. 24 Dec. 345/2 The ‘false legs’ [of caterpillars]—more generally denominated ‘claspers’, by naturalists of our day.
b. Botany. A tendril of a climbing plant.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > shoot, sprout, or branch > [noun] > tendril or twining shoot
tenaclec1500
tendril1538
clasp1577
clasper1577
winder1577
capreol1578
taglet1578
twine1579
string1585
trail1597
tress1605
nervelet1648
cirrus1708
clavicle1725
twister1799
bine1808
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 38 The wylde [Cytisus] dooth with his claspers feede very well.
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball iii. xlvi. 380 White Brionie is something like unto the common Vine in his leaves and Claspers.
1672 N. Grew Anat. Veg. iii. App. 100 Claspers,..not a mean betwixt that of the Root and that of the Trunk, but a compound of both.
1691 J. Ray Wisdom of God 84 Other Species..furnished with Claspers and Tendrels.
a1722 E. Lisle Observ. Husbandry (1752) 198 The claspers of the peas had taken hold of it.
1823 J. Badcock Domest. Amusem. 55 The claspers of briony shoot spirally.
c. Zoology in plural. Appendages of the male of certain fishes and insects, serving to hold the female.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > parts of fish > [noun] > appendages for holding female
clasper1839
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > parts of insects > [noun] > sexual organs or reproduction > appendage with which male holds female
clasper1839
1839–47 Todd's Cycl. Anat. & Physiol. III. 910/1 In some insects..the penis..is associated with special organs, termed claspers, which assist in the impregnating act.
1855 R. Owen Lect. Compar. Anat. Invertebr. Animals (ed. 2) xii The claspers are present in the chimæroid fishes as well as in the plagiostomes.
1880 A. Günther Introd. Study of Fishes 348 The males are provided with ‘claspers’ in connection with the ventral fins.
2. One who makes clasps; one who fits books with clasps.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > book > manufacture or production of books > book-binding > bookbinder > [noun] > worker performing specific process
clasp-man1619
clasp-maker1664
gatherer1683
stitcher1805
book-edge gilder1823
tooler1834
marbler1835
book marbler1843
paper marbler1863
forwarder1870
cropper?1881
flush-binder?1881
inlayer1881
boarder1882
filleter1884
clasper1885
placer1902
1885 Bookseller 5 Mar. 307 Publishers' bookbinders, book mounters and claspers.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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