Forms: 4–5 censere, 4–6 senser, sencer, 5 censour, censare, senscer, sensure, 5–6 censure, 6 censar, senssour, 6–7 sensor, 7–8 censor, 4– censer. [In sense 1, a. OF. censier (senser), shortened from encensier ENCENSER:—L. type incensārium, f. incens-um INCENSE. (Mod. F. has encensoir:—L. type incensōrium.) In Eng. the word would coincide with an agent-noun from CENSE v. = F. encenseur.]
1. A vessel in which incense is burnt; a thurible.
a. 1225. Meid Maregrete, lxxv. Cherubim ant serafin … Mid tapres ant mid sensers.
1382. Wyclif, Rev. viii. 3. Another aungel … hauynge a golden censer.
c. 1386. [see CENSE v.1 1].
1449. Churchw. Acc. St. George, Stamford (Nichols, 1797), 132. To the said chirch I bequethe a peyre of censours of sylver … for frankincense.
1483. Cath. Angl., 330. A Sensure, batillus, thuribulum.
1552–3. Inv. Ch. Goods Staffs., in Ann. Lichfield, IV. 5. A sensor of brasse.
1553. Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 17. The Prieste taketh his senser with burning coles.
1584. Fenner, Def. Ministers (1587), 97. Though he haue no censure, no odours to take avvay ths stincke of our prayers.
a. 1619. Fotherby, Atheom., I. xi. § 4 (1662), 116. Who maketh … his Caldron, his Sensor.
1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 24. Prayers … in this Golden Censer, mixt With Incense.
1716–8. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. xxxvii. 146. Four fair slaves … with Silver Censers in their hands.
1842. Tennyson, Sir Galahad, iii. The shrill bell rings, the censer swings, And solemn chaunts resound between.
1888. Church Times, 8 June, 507. Then let the priest receive the Censer from the Gospeller.
fig. 1871. Macduff, Mem. Patmos, xviii. 242. Call you the flower ‘blessed,’ that yesterday was swinging its tiny censers with their fragrant perfumes.
b. app. = CASSOLETTE. (The commentators are not agreed as to what exactly is referred to.)
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. iii. 91. Heers snip, and nip, and cut, and slish and slash, Like to a Censor in a barbers shoppe. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., V. iv. 20. Thou thin man in a Censor.
2. One who perfumes with incense.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, III. XII. 617. The Censor was soon aware of the accident.
3. Comb., as censer-box, -pot; censerless adj.
1611. Coryat, Crudities, 229. The Priest’s Clarke … perfumeth the people with his Censor-boxe.
1827. W. G. S., Excurs. Village Curate, 142. No incense now breathed over its censerless altar.
1870. Disraeli, Lothair, xlvi. 245. If Popery were only just the sign of the cross, and music, and censer-pots,… I’d be free to leave them alone if they would leave me.
