1. One who carries water; spec. one whose employment is to carry water from a spring, well or river for domestic use. Obs. exc. in descriptions of Eastern countries.
1382. Wyclif, Neh. iii. 26. Gabonites, water bereris forsothe dwelten in Ofel aȝen the ȝate of watris at the est.
1466. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 437. Item, owynge to the waterberere for berynge of water, vj.d.
1524–5. Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1904), 328. Receued at the Maryage of chappell, the waturberer, vj d.
1549. Latimer, Serm. Ploughers (Arb.), 28. Yf there be neuer a wyse man, make a water bearer, a tinker,… a page, comptroller of the mynte.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. iii. Mat. Lie in a water-bearers house, a gentleman of his note? well ile tell him my mind.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 9. Their Head-geer a Clout rowled up like our Water-Bearers.
1877. F. Burnaby, Through Asia Minor, I. xx. 229. The gusts [of wind] were a source of … inconvenience to the water-bearers; their hands being occupied with the pitchers.
2. Astr. = AQUARIUS.
1594. Blundevil, Exerc., Cosmogr., I. xxiv. (1597), 158. The eleaueneth Signe called Aquarius, that is to saye, the water bearer contayning two and fourtie starres.
1868. Lockyer, Guillemin’s Heavens (ed. 3), 328. Near the horizon towards the east are perceived the constellations of the Waterbearer and the Goat.
So Water-bearing vbl. sb., the action of carrying water as a water-bearer (sense 1).
1481–90. Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.), 355. Item, the same day, for Waterberynge xij. d.
