4 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

Usher

noun

1: Irish prelate who deduced from the Bible that Creation occurred in the year 4004 BC (1581-1656) [syn: {Ussher}, {James Ussher}, {James Usher}]

2: an official doorkeeper as in a courtroom or legislative chamber [syn: {doorkeeper}]

3: someone employed to conduct others [syn: {guide}]

verb: show (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums; "The usher showed us to our seats" [syn: {show}]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Usher \Ush"er\, noun [OE. ussher, uschere, OF. ussier, uisser, oissier, hussier, huissier, fr. L. ostiarius a doorkeeper, fr. ostium a door, entrance, fr. os mouth. See {Oral}, and cf. {Ostiary}.]

1. An officer or servant who has the care of the door of a court, hall, chamber, or the like; hence, an officer whose business it is to introduce strangers, or to walk before a person of rank. Also, one who escorts persons to seats in a church, theater, etc. ''The ushers and the squires.'' --Chaucer.

These are the ushers of Marcius. --Shak.

Note: There are various officers of this kind attached to the royal household in England, including the gentleman usher of the black rod, who attends in the House of Peers during the sessions of Parliament, and twelve or more gentlemen ushers. See {Black rod}.

2. An under teacher, or assistant master, in a school.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Usher \Ush"er\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Ushered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ushering}.] To introduce or escort, as an usher, forerunner, or harbinger; to forerun; -- sometimes followed by in or forth; as, to usher in a stranger; to usher forth the guests; to usher a visitor into the room.

The stars that usher evening rose. --Milton.

The Examiner was ushered into the world by a letter, setting forth the great genius of the author. --Addison.

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

103 Moby Thesaurus words for "usher": Ganymede, Hebe, MC, airline hostess, airline stewardess, attend, attendant, auteur, ballyhoo man, barker, batman, bellboy, bellhop, bellman, best man, bodyguard, bootblack, boots, bridemaiden, bridesmaid, bridesman, cabin boy, caddie, callboy, cavalier, cerberus, chaperon, chore boy, companion, concierge, conduct, conductor, convoy, copyboy, costume designer, costumer, costumier, cupbearer, director, doorkeeper, doorman, duenna, emcee, equestrian director, errand boy, errand girl, escort, esquire, exhibitor, fellow traveler, footboy, gatekeeper, gofer, groomsman, guard, guide, hostess, impresario, introduce, janitor, lead, makeup man, marshal, master of ceremonies, matron of honor, office boy, office girl, orderly, ostiary, page, paranymph, playreader, porter, preface, producer, prompter, receptionist, ringmaster, safe-conduct, scenewright, set designer, shepherd, showman, spieler, squire, stage director, stage manager, steward, stewardess, swain, take out, tender, theater man, theatrician, ticket collector, trainbearer, usherer, usherette, wait on, warden, wedding attendant, wedding party, yeoman

  Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. -KM