theoristn.

1588 J. Harvey Discoursiue Probl. conc. Prophesies i. 6 Peeuish, and wayward men: meere Theoristes, and phantastes, onely delighted in themselues..: vnfit for any ciuill company: and vnmeete for any practicable action.

1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iii. v. 115 That a Brock or Badger hath his legs of one side shorter then of the other,..is received not only by theorists and unexperienced beleevers, but assented unto by most who have the opportunity to behold and hunt them.

1693 R. Bentley Boyle Lect. vii. 8 It [sc. gravitation] is lately demonstrated..by that very excellent and divine Theorist Mr. Isaac Newton.

1735 S. Johnson tr. J. Lobo Voy. Abyssinia 106 Some of these Theorists have been pleas'd to declare it as their favourite Notion.

1780 Earl of Abingdon Thoughts Let. E. Burke (ed. 7) p. xxxiii Sir William..set him [sc. John Locke] down, in one Place, as a mere Theorist, in another as visionary Republican.

1859 J. Hamilton Mem. J. Wilson i. 12 The discussion..between Wernerian and Huttonian theorists.

1884 Spectator 4 Oct. 1309/1 As a theorist on law, he has a distinctive place of his own.

1906 F. Treves Highways & Byways Dorset xviii. 291 He was guided by personal..experience, and not by the twaddle of theorists.

1923 Times Lit. Suppl. 12 Apr. 247/1 English metre, according to many theorists, is neither syllabic nor quantitative, but simply accentual.

2013 D. W. Graham Sci. before Socrates ii. 54 This recently published fragment seems to vindicate Thales as a groundbreaking theorist.

1592 G. Harvey Foure Lett. iv. 56 The Methodist, & Discouser might be more materiall: the Theorist, and Practitioner more formall: all fower more effectuall.

1594 R. Carew tr. J. Huarte Exam. Mens Wits xii. 177 It is a miracle to find out a Phisition, who is both a great Theorist [It. Theorico], and withall a great practitioner.

1614 T. Ravenscroft Briefe Disc. 20 He and diuers other auncient theorists affirm..that they are nothing but fancies of the ignorant vulgar practitioners.

1698 E. Bellamy tr. J. Huarte Examen de Ingenios xiv. 284 Rarely is found a Physician that is an able Theorist, and a great Practitioner, at once; nor on the contrary, one that is an able Practiser, and expert in the Theory.

1772 C. Rawlinson Directory Patent-slating p. vi The whole process is so clearly set forth, that no theorist or practitioner, of moderate skill in the art of building, will find any difficulty in making himselfe master of it.

1784 J. King Cook's Voy. Pacific III. v. vii. 144 (note) Burney..perhaps the greatest musical theorist of this or any other age.

1818 T. Moore Mem. (1853) II. 245 He..was a most learned and troublesome practician, as well as theorist, in dialectics.

1841 Farmers' Reg. Oct. 583/1 Thousands of dollars have been thrown away by inexperienced theorists..for the purchase of fixtures that have ultimately been thrown away.

1965 Econ. Jrnl. 75 838 Anyone except the committed and zealous theorist..is likely to find this treatment somewhat desiccated.

2000 Farmington (New Mexico) Daily Times 22 Nov. a4 The doctrinaire theorists are not deterred by such irksome realities or by proof.