† mimistn.
Obsolete. rare.
A person who should be imitated.Only recorded in Puttenham, who applied the term to poets. The meaning is irregular, as ‘a person who imitates’ would be expected.
ΚΠ
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xi. 21 There were others [sc. poets] that..vsed in places of great assembly, to say by rote nombers of short and sententious meetres, very pithie and of good edification, and thereupon were called Poets Mimistes: as who would say, imitable and meet to be followed for their wise and graue lessons.
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xx. 34 All the aides that may be to lift vp his [sc. a king's] courage, and to make him stout and fearelesse (augent animos fortunae) saith the Mimist, and very truly.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.1589