Now rare. [f. WISH v. + -ER1.] One who wishes.
† Wishers and woulders: see WOULDER.
15[?]. Parl. Byrdes, 91, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 171. Wysshers want wyll.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1922), 15. Many times he wished himself the back of an Asse,… (an unfortunate wisher, for if he had as well wished the head, it had bene graunted him).
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., IV. xv. 37. Wishers were euer Fooles.
1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, To Rdr. I am … only an honest and hearty wisher, that the best of our clergy might forever continue as they are.
1760. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, III. i. The safest way … to take off the force of the wish, is … to … wish the wisher something in return.
1846. Denham, Prov. (Percy Soc.), 31. A March wisher is never a good fisher.
1905. Flor. Maybrick, My Fifteen Lost Yrs., 132–3. If a prisoner has any complaint to make or wishes to seek advice, she asks to have her name put down to see the governor. She is then termed a ‘wisher,’ and is ‘seen’ by him in his office in the presence of the chief matron.
b. qualified by evil, ill, well (see ILL-WISHER, WELL-WISHER).
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., II. lxxxviii. (1674), 241. To take an evil wishers life away.
1746. H. Walpole, Lett. to Mann, 1 Aug. When the Peers were going to vote Lord Foley withdrew as too well a wisher.
