[f. WARN v.1 + -ER1.]
1. One who warns or gives warning to others.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Monitor, a warner.
1572. Huloet (ed. Higins), Warner, or admonisher, monitor, admonitor.
1637. Rutherford, Lett. to Ld. Craighall, 8 July. If ye advise … with that warner within you that will not fail to speak against you in God’s time.
1805. Southey, Madoc, II. xxvi. Again the ominous warner cried, Woe! woe! the Cycle of the Years is full!
1820. T. Erskine, Remarks Interval Evid., iii. (1827), 66. Must the Almighty Warner demonstrate the evil of sin by undergoing its effects?
a. 1849. J. C. Mangan, Poems (1859), 148. The Wildgrave fiercely spurns his warner.
b. transf. esp. a mechanical device for giving warning.
1823. Mechanic’s Mag., No. 4. 59. The Warner is to give the mariner immediate intelligence when in shoal water.
1841. Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl., IV. 240/2. The other wheels of the train produce no further effect till the warning has been replied to from D, which at the same time restores the electric circuit of the ‘warner’ for another signal.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Warner,… Also, beacons, posts, buoys, lights, &c. warning vessels of danger by day as well as by night.
1906. Lockyer, Stonehenge, iii. 24. This star would act as a warner of sunrise at some time of the year.
c. As the second element in rent, storm warner.
1885. Manch. Exam., 5 May, 6/2. An article by Herr Emmerig … on German bees as storm warners.
1907. Times, 2 Oct., 12/5. The owner of the cattle is bailiff and rent warner on several properties near Ennis.
† 2. One who summons people to attend a gathering. Obs.
1572. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 341. 4 bedells or warners.
1813. Shipway, Campanalogia, I. title-p. By William Shipway, Late Warner to the Society of Cumberland Youths.
† 3. local. A man who gives notice of arrival of ships at a port. Obs.
1761. Ann. Reg., 169. The young man who gives the intelligence of the arrival of ships at that port [Bristol], commonly called the warner.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Warner, a sentinel formerly posted on the heights near sea-ports to give notice of the approach of vessels.
† 4. A mongrel used as a house-dog. Obs.
1576. Fleming, trans. Caius’ Engl. Dogges, v. (1880), 34. Curres of the mungrell and rascall sort and first of the Dogge called in Latine Admonitor and of vs in Englishe Wappe or Warner.
† 5. Anc. Cookery. A table decoration or device, probably similar to the SUBTLETY (sense 5) but preceding it. Obs.
1505. Inthronization Abp. Warham, in Leland, Collect. (1716), VI. App. II. 21. The first course at my Lordes Table in the great Hall. First, a Warner conveyed upon a rounde boorde, of viii. panes, with viii. Towres, enbatteled and made with flowres, standyng on every towre a Bedil in his habite, with his staffe. Ibid. A Warner with three Stages, with vanes and towres enbateled.
