| 释义 |
weeder|ˈwiːdə(r)|
[f. weed v. + -er1.]
1. An implement used to eradicate weeds.
c1440Promp. Parv. 519/2 Wedare, runco. 1688Holme Armoury iii. xx. (Roxb.) 246/1 The Fift is a long staffe, with a Broad Hooke of three teeth turning vp made fast on the end of it... This is termed a weeder. 1862Ansted Channel Isl. iv. xx. 478 Weeding is commonly done by hand with a small weeder. 1875J. Grant One of ‘Six Hundred’ ii, Occupied with a weeder, which he always carried, and with which the ends of all his walking-sticks were furnished.
2. A person employed to remove weeds from a crop, land, etc.
1534MS. Acc. St. John's Hosp., Canterb., For mett & drynk for ij weders ij days, ij d. 1538Elyot Dict., Sarritor, & sartor, a weder of corne. Ibid., Stirpices, wieders in gardeynes. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. 52 b, The beddes and the borders must be so cast, as the weeders hands may reach to the middest of them. 1645Wither Vox Pacif. 74 Some Weeds, and Corne, are in the blade so like, That many Weeders have deceived bin. 1691Sir J. Foulis Acc. Bk. (S.H.S.) 136 To y⊇ weiders in y⊇ yard to drink, 0 4 0. a1722Lisle Husb. (1757) 385 My wheat was putting out into ear when I sent weeders to weed it. 1760Sterne Tr. Shandy iii. xxxiv, Whilst I am worth one [sc. shilling] to pay a weeder—thy path from thy door to thy bowling-green shall never be grown up. 1794J. Boys Agric. Kent 25 Women weeders, per day..0s. 8d. 1827Clare Sheph. Cal. 47 Each morning now, the weeders meet To cut the thistle from the wheat. 1835App. Munic. Corpor. Rep. iii. 1699 [Among Officers of Richmond, Yorks., corporation] Weeder of Foot⁓paths. 1870Inquiry, Yorksh. Deaf & Dumb 20 He is employed as weeder in the garden at Wighill Park.
fig.1607[see waterer 1]. 1801W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. XI. 648 Novels, Poems, Plays, and Periodical Trash, without end, press upon us for notice—it must be left to the weeders.
3. a. An extirpator (of weeds). Chiefly fig. Also with out.
1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 123, I was a packe-horse in his great affaires: A weeder out of his proud Aduersaries. 1598Yong Diana 228 Thou art a weeder out Of vices, from the place of vertues graine. 1611Cotgr., Eschardonneur, a weeder of thistles.
b. spec. A person employed by a government department to weed documents, letters, etc. (weed v. 4 e).
In quots. 1976 and 1984 the process is one of selecting papers in order to withhold or suppress them rather than to discard them.
1976Summers & Mangold File on Tsar v. xx. 254 Before papers get anywhere near the Public Record Office the weeders, for that is what they are called in government circles, have first bite; beavering away in Whitehall basements, they plough through the documents accumulated by all government ministries, deciding what should be suppressed. 1983W. Garner Think Big, Think Dirty vii. 101 The weeders worked in Central Registry, thinning down documentation as it grew bulky, repetitive or outdated. 1984Times 23 May 10/3 Highly secret work, so secret that the weeders will see that it is not disclosed, even after 30 years.
4. attrib., as weeder woman; weeder-clips Sc. = weeding shears (see weeding vbl. n. 3).
1748Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to C'tess of Bute 10 July, I generally rise at six, and as soon as I have breakfasted, put myself at the head of my weeder women and work with them till nine. 1787Weeder-clips [see weeding-hook]. |