Dictionary Definition
ostler n : someone employed in a stable to take
care of the horses [syn: stableman, stableboy, groom, hostler]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Alternative spellings
Synonyms
Extensive Definition
Ostler is a surname, and may refer to:
- Blake Ostler, American attorney
- Gordon Ostlere, English surgeon and anaesthetist
- Nicholas Ostler, British linguist
- William Ostler, English actor
It may also refer to:
- Hostler, a stableman
1. a. A person who receives and lodges guests,
esp. at a religious house; = HOSTELER n. 1. Obs. a1325 St. Cuthbert
(Corpus Cambr.) 61 in C. D'Evelyn & A. J. Mill S. Eng.
Legendary (1956) 120 e abbot ne sende him out to on of hore celle;
Ostiler [c1300 Laud hostiler] he was ymad gistes forto auonge. 1440
Promp. Parv. (Harl. 221) 372 Ostelere: Hospiciarius, hospiciaria.
c1450 Pilgrimage Lyfe Manhode (Cambr.) 37, I [sc. Charity] am
norishe of orphanynes, osteleer to pilgrimes.
b. An innkeeper; = HOSTELER n. 2. Obs. a1425
(c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) Luke x. 35 He broute forth
twey pans, and af to the ostiler. a1450 York Plays 491 (heading)
The Osteleres. Alias Inholders. 1530 in J. Imrie et al. Burgh Court
Bk. Selkirk (1960) 108 Ostularis to brew generaly thair aill for
xii d. the gallon. 1594 Acts Parl. Scotl. IV. 70/1 Oistellaris.
a1400 Prose Life Christ (Pepys) 35 He took tweie pens to e ostler.
c1520 M. NISBET tr. New Test. in Scots: Luke x. 35 He broucht furth
twa pennyis, and gave them to the ostlare. a1635 R. CORBET Iter
Boreale in Certain Elegant Poems (1647) 6 The inne-keeper was old,
fourescore allmost..God and Time decree To honour thrifty ostlers,
such as hee. c1650 J. SPALDING Mem. Trubles Scotl. & Eng.
(1850) I. 29 [They] Crost the water and brakfast in Williame
Steuartis hous, ostler. 1698 in Sc. Hist. Rev. 10 120 She being ane
ostlere.
2. A stableman or groom at an inn. Also fig.
c1449 R. PECOCK Repressor 521 Stabiling..beddis, seruicis of the
ostiler. 1467 in T. H. Turner Manners & Househ. Expenses Eng.
(1841) 417 My mastyr paid to the osteler of the Tabard. 1538 in
York Wills (1902) VI. 76 To the osteler iiijd..to tow maydes
servaundes viijd. 1599 J. HALL Virgidemiarum II. vii. 40 What
office then doth the stargazer beare? Or let him be the heavens
ostelere; Or tapsters some; or some be chamberlaines. a1659 F.
OSBORN Characters (1673) 664 And his Half-peck [is] the Measure of
his Conscience; of which his Osteler is Chancellor, and keeps the
Key. a1500 Eger & Grine in Bishop Percy's Folio Ms. (1867) I.
IV. 382 The Ostler soone can him arraye, He armed the Knight &
brought him his steede. ?1567 Merie Tales Master Skelton sig. Bvii,
Skelton commaunded the Ostler to sadle his Mare, & the hosteler
did gyrde the mare hard. 1598 SHAKESPEARE Henry IV, Pt. 1 II. i. 96
Bid the Ostler bring my gelding out of the stable. 1630 J.
WADSWORTH Eng. Spanish Pilgrime vi. 57 [He] supplyed the place of
an Oastler in pulling of my bootes. 1679 R. DUKE Panegyrick upon
Oates 113 Yet this Grain has (as all must own) To Grooms and
Ostlers well bin known. 1759 J. NEWTON Diary 3 July in Deserted
Village (1992) 41 The oystler over-charg'd for the Horses. 1791 J.
BOSWELL Life Johnson anno 1784 II. 491 Johnson: If Burke should go
into a stable..the ostler would say, We have had an extraordinary
man here. 1816 J. AUSTEN Emma III. viii. 147 What Mr. Elton had
learnt from the ostler on the subject..was..that Mr. Churchill had
sent his nephew a few lines, containing..a tolerable account of
Mrs. Churchill. 1861 ‘G. ELIOT’ Silas Marner ix. 144 Let him turn
ostler, and keep himself. 1891 T. HARDY Tess I. ii. 19 [A]
factotum, turned groom and ostler at times. 1913 J. MASEFIELD in
Eng. Rev. Feb. 382 Jim the ostler put his gelding in. 1976 K. AMIS
Alteration v. 171 The ostler advises that the mare Joan is
returned. 1992 Economist 12 Sept. 98/3 If camera-toting
reporters..become the norm, well-paid shooters [sc. cameramen] will
go the way of ostlers.
COMPOUNDS
C1. General attrib.
ostler boy n. 1864 Times 22 Nov. 5/5 The
cabin-boy might become the leader of armies, and the *ostler-boy
sit in the Senate Chamber. 1895 H. G. WELLS Stolen Bacillus 8 ‘He's
a-using his whip, he is, to rights,’ said the ostler boy.
ostler lad n. 1878 All Year Round 15 June 491/2
We might send the *ostler lad, I think. 1923 Blackwood's Mag. July
46/2 The mozo, the ostler lad,..was a son of the house.
C2. ostler ale n. Sc. Obs. rare = hostel ale s.v.
HOSTEL n.1 6. 1861 C. INNES Sketches Early Sc. Hist. iii. 376 The
chief drink of the castle, where ale was distinguished as *ostler
ale, household ale, and best ale.
ostler-house n. Sc. Obs. = hosteler-house n. at
HOSTELER n. Compounds 6. 1559 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 159 Within the
*oistlair house. 1688 W. SCOT True Hist. I. 61 Then from the
fleshers they brought Lamb and Sheep, Ale from the Ostler-house,
and besoms for to sweep.
ostler-wife n. Sc. Obs. the mistress of an inn.
1612 Kirkcudbright Town Council Rec. (1948) II. 114 The poindis
tane fra *ostlar wyffis. 1718 A. RAMSAY Christ's-kirk on Green II.
18 The Ostler Wife brought ben good Ale. 1820 SCOTT Abbot II. iii.
95 The ostlere-wives,..are like to be the only losers by their
miscarriage.
DERIVATIVES
ostlering n. Obs. the occupation or activity of
an ostler. 1857 G. BORROW Romany Rye (1858) I. 344 At the end of
perhaps forty years *ostlering. 1870 DICKENS Edwin Drood 252 Most
commodious and extensive stables for the convenience of such of the
nobility and gentry as had a taste for ostlering.
ostler-wise adv. Obs. after the manner of an
ostler. 1841 C. G. F. GORE in Bentley's Mag. Dec. 90 While rubbing
down *ostler-wise his master's counter.