doutern.
/ˈdaʊtə/, U.S. /ˈdaʊdər/ Now historical.
An implement used to extinguish a burning candle, either in the form of small hollow metal cone on the end of a handle, used to smother the flame, or (chiefly in plural) a device like a pair of tongs with a central pivot, whose broad, flat blades are made to pinch the wick. Cf. dout v.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > [noun] > extinguishing light > that which extinguishes (candles or torches)
snitelc1000
candle-quencher1382
sniters1382
sniting tongsa1425
snuffer1465
sniting instrumentc1475
candle-shears1483
sniting iron1483
out-quencher1535
candle-snuffer1552
snufter1558
extinguisher1562
dout1573
douter1622
topper1688
link-extinguisher1859
squencher1871
1622 in G. Ornsby Select. from Househ. Bks. Naworth Castle (1878) 200 For 2 tynder boxeis and 4 dooters, 8 July, xxijs.
1798 J. Jefferson Let. to J. Boucher 23 Feb. (MS.) Dout, do out the candle—hence a Pair of Douters.
1822 Ann. Philos. New Ser. 4 364 Putting sound wax on to it [sc. a wick], and then blowing the flame out..is much preferable to the use of an extinguisher, or douters.
1891 Truth 10 Dec. 1241/1 In a shop-window I saw a pair of ‘douters’.
1959 L. Gross Housewives' Guide to Antiques viii. 84 Similar in appearance are the ‘douters’ or out-quenchers, which were used to extinguish candle flames..these had two discs between which the burning wick was nipped.
2001 C. Dart-Thornton Ill-made Mute (2002) i. 8 The various ingenious implements of lighting that had accumulated in this place over the years—..wick-trimmers, douters, candle-boxes, and lamps.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1622