Also 6 controvar, -or. [f. CONTRIVE v.1 + -ER1: cf. OF. controveor, mod.F. controuveur.] One who contrives.
1. One who ingeniously or artfully devises the effecting of anything; one who effects by plotting or scheming; a schemer, plotter.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. viii. 70. Controvar [1553 contruwar] of mony wickit slycht.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., II. i. 158.
| Marke Antony, so well belou’d of Cæsar, | |
| Should out-liue Cæsar, we shall finde of him | |
| A shrew’d Contriuer. | |
| Ibid. (1605), Macb., III. v. 6. | |
| And I, the mistress of your charms, | |
| The close contriver of all harms, | |
| Was never call’d to bear my part, | |
| Or show the glory of our art? |
1607. T. Rogers, 39 Art., Pref. 6. A principal contriver of this uniformity in religion.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. II. 82. To return the mischiefs … upon the heads of the first contrivers.
1738. Warburton, Div. Legat., I. 456. A mere cold-headed Contriver.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea, I. 210. By the sheer exigencies of his inheritance … Prince Louis was driven to be a contriver.
† b. An inventor of falsehoods. Obs.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 23. Bakbyters, Contryuers or Reporters of tales.
1670. Blount, Law Dict., Controvor, he that of his own head, devises or invents false bruits, or feigned news.
2. The deviser or inventor of an institution, system, machine, etc.
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., vi. 237. The contriver and orderer of the prophetical stage.
1678. Aubrey, in Ray’s Corr. (1848), 129. The learned contriver of those [analytic] tables, Mr. Ray.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 121, ¶ 8. It would … not a little redound to the Glory of the All-wise Contriver.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., I. vi. 238. Man is the contriver of musical instruments.
1841–71. T. R. Jones, Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4), 604. Machines … more or less adapted to accomplish the object of the contriver.
3. A (good or bad) manager.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., i. She was an excellent contriver in housekeeping.
1860–1. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, 49. Accidents which will happen among the best contrivers.
1864. N. & Q., Ser. III. VI. 6/1 (Cornish Proverb). My wife Joan is a good contriver, and a good contriver is better than a little eater.
