1. An instrument for snuffing candles.
1552. Huloet, Candle snuffer, or instrumente to snuffe candelles.
1766. Smollett, Trav., xxiii. I. 353 (Jod.). Hard-ware … such as knives, scissars, and candle-snuffers.
† 2. An attendant whose duty it is to snuff and attend to candles; spec. in Theaters, the man in charge of the lights, when these were candles.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 42, ¶ 3. Two or three shifters of Scenes, with the two Candle-snuffers.
1821. Carlyle, in Macm. Mag., XLV. 236. Then shall I no longer play a candlesnuffer’s part in the great drama.
1881. FitzGerald, World behind Sc., 17. ‘Not fit to be a candle-snuffer.’ When oil lamps took the place of candles, the wicks required constant trimming, and the services of this official continued in requisition.
