Younker

Forms: 6 yonckher, yongker, yonkar, yooncker, yoonker, yunker, Sc. ȝungker, ȝoungker, ȝounker, ȝonkier, 6–7 yoncker, Sc. ȝonker, 7 youngker, 6, 9 yunker, 8 younkier, 6– yonker, younker. [ad. MDu. jonckher, jonghheer, jonchere (mod. Du. jonker, jonkheer) = jonc YOUNG + hêre lord, master (HER, HERE sb.). Cf. OFris. ionker, MHG. junchêrre (G. junker: see JUNKER).]

  † 1.  A young nobleman or gentleman, a youth of high rank (orig. Dutch or German, hence generally). Cf. JUNKER. Obs.

1505.  in Lett. Rich. III. & Hen. VII. (Rolls), I. 253. Also go to yenker [sic] Flovrens, and sae I recommand me to hem. Ibid., II. 383. The king made knightes of the Toyson at Myddelburgh … amonges whiche were my Lord Nassou, Don John Emanuel,… Yonker Florens and Monsieur de la Layn.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, I. viii. 8. The quene Dido … To temple cummis with ane fair menȝie Of lustie ȝonkeris walking hir about.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, III. xii. (S.T.S.), I. 296. With þe patricians & nobil ȝounkeris of þe ciete.

1547.  Boorde, Introd. Knowl., xiv. (1870), 160. The people of Hygh Almayne … yf some of them can get a fox tale or two … standyng vp ryght vpon theyr cappe,… or that he maye haue … any long feder on his cap, than he is called a ‘yonker.’

1560[?].  Coverdale, Treat. Death, III. iii. Some say (and speciallye great yonkers) mi mourning … is, because my kinred … perysheth.

1617.  J. Taylor (Water P.), Three Wks. Observ., F 2. A man is in almost as high promotion to bee a knaue in England, as a Knight in Germany, for there a Gentleman is called a Youngcurr, and a Knight is but a Youngcurs man.

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1890), 301. There was a Parliament then at Rhensburgh, where all the Younkers met.

  2.  A young man generally, in early use esp. a gay or fashionable young man: = YOUNGSTER 1.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, I. vi. 29. How, say me, ȝonkeris, saw ȝe walkand heir, By aventure ony of my sisteres deir?

1560[?].  Coverdale, Treat. Death, I. xii. Then were we forced to receiue & loue the gospel, which els here to fore might not come to such stout and ioly yonkers.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, VI. i. 656. Venus loued the younker Adonis better then the warrier Mars.

1596.  H. Clapham, Briefe Bible, II. 152. The yonker Saul, consented to the death of Steuen.

1611.  Chapman, May Day, IV. 60. How now? whom doe I see? my daughter and a yonker together?

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa, III. 59. When put to the university, the same course of initial studies will qualify the yonker for the one line or for the other.

1880.  Disraeli, Endym., xlvii. He always encouraged one. A younker likes that.

1885.  C. F. Holder, Marvels Anim. Life, 227. He was as wild a yonker as they make ’em.

  † b.  spec. A boy or junior seaman on board ship: cf. YOUNGSTER 2. Obs.

c. 1595.  Capt. Wyatt, R. Dudley’s Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.), 36. Two proper younkers sailers, and two painfull and able Dutchmen.

1622.  R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea (1847), 44. To have younkers in the top continually, is most convenient.

1626.  Capt. J. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 6. The Younkers are the yong men called Fore-mast men, to take in the Topsayles, or Top and yeard; Furle, and Sling the maine Saile; Bousing or Trysing; and take their turne at Helme.

1786.  Nelson, in Nicolas, Disp. (1845), I. 160. To Lord Ducie say compliments; why has he never sent the younker?

a. 1818.  Miss Rose, in G. Rose’s Diaries (1860), I. 9. He … seryed … as a younker and midshipman.

  3.  A child: = YOUNGSTER 3.

1601.  Dent, Pathw. Heaven, 131. Two beares came out of the forrest, and tare in peeces two and fortie yonkers, which mocked Elisha.

1648.  Herrick, Hesper., Upon Pagget. Pagget, a School-boy, got a Sword…. Who wo’d not think this Yonker fierce to fight?

1742.  Blair, Grave, 461. Yet ne’er Yonker on the Green laughs louder.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., xxxiv. Do you think the younker knows much of his own origin now?

1838.  Dickens, O. Twist, xxii. Sit down by the fire, younker, and rest yourself.

1842.  Tennyson, Walking to the Mail, 25. And there he caught the younker tickling trout.

1866.  R. Chambers, Ess., Ser. I. 157. A merry group of human younkers.

  b.  of animals.

1868.  Gorrie, Summ. & Wint. in Orkneys, vii. 260 [276]. Some old fellows thumping the yunkers with their finny paws while they tumbled headlong out of harm’s way.

  Hence (only with spelling yonk-) † Younkerkin [-KIN], a little younker; † Younkerly a. [-LY¹], befitting or characteristic of a younker, juvenile; † Younkery (-erie) [-Y³], younkers collectively.

a. 1529.  Skelton, Replyc., Wks. 1843, I. 209. These demy diuines, and Stoicall studiantes, and friscaioly *yonkerkyns.

1579.  G. Harvey, Lett. to Spenser, Wks. (Grosart), I. 24. Youre Latine Farewell is a goodly braue *yonkerly peece of work. Ibid. (1593), Pierce’s Super., 121. That yonkerly & presumptuous enterprise.

1594.  O. B., Quest. Profit. Concern., 13. We haue spent our selues thus vpon our *yonkerie, euen to that which would haue proued honest portions for them to haue liued all their life thorough.