the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > harvesting > [noun] > cutting, reaping, or mowing > reaper or mower
OE (Northumbrian) xiii. 30 In tempore messis dicam messoribus colligite primum zizania : in tid hripes ic willo cuoeða ðæm hrippemonnum geadriges uel somniges ærist ða unwæstma uel wilde ata.
OE (Northumbrian) xiii. 39 Messores autem angeli sunt : ða hripemenn soðlice engles sindon.
c1200 ( (Hatton) ix. 37 Witodlice mycel rip ys, & feawe ripmen.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 15 (MED) I schal entre in to þe feeldes of oure forme fadres, and folwe þe rype men [?a1475 anon. tr. scherers; L. metentes], ȝif ich may any wyse leese and gadre me som eres þat rype men schedeþ and skapeþ of here hondes.
c1400 (?c1280) Old Test. Hist. in F. J. Furnivall (1878) 246 (MED) Repmen forto bere mete sone he hym þider sent.
c1449 R. Pecock (1860) 383 (MED) Money is paied to a repe man for his dai labour in the haruest feeld.
a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville (Vitell.) 10420 Thow semyst..A repman, for thyn vnkouth guyse.
1553 J. Withals f. 19/1 A rep man or he that repeth the corne.
1581 J. Derricke ii. sig. I.iiv It is at hande, for feelds declare the same, The date is out, and tyme appointed spent, And reapman now, the vanter to reclame.