Forms: 3–4 executur(e, esecutor, (4 exceketour), 4–5 excecuto(u)r, 4–6 exequitour, -quutor, 4–7 executour, 6 exectour, 4– executor. See also SECUTOR. [a. AF. executour, a. L. ex(s)ecūtōr-em, agent-n. from exsequī to EXECUTE.]
1. One who executes or carries out (a purpose, design, command, work, etc.); one who carries into action, or puts into practice (some quality); a conductor or manager (of affairs); an administrator or enforcer of (a law, vengeance, etc.); an agent, doer, performer, executer; in Scots Law, one who serves a writ or executes a warrant. Now rare exc. in legal uses: see EXECUTER.
1388. Wyclif, 1 Esdras v. 58. Executours [1382 foleweris out], or folewers, of the lawe.
1483. Cath. Angl., 119. An Executor, executor.
1563. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 113/2. Ioseph an excellent doctor and executor of chastitie … and other vertues.
1567. Throgmorton, in Robertson, Hist. Scot. (1759), II. App. 45. The said Earl [Bothwell] was one of the principal executors of the murder [of Darnley].
1610. Shaks., Temp., III. i. 13. Such basenes Had neuer like Executor.
1662. Petty, Taxes, 63. When the executors of them [penal laws] keep them hid until a fault be done.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xiv. (1840), 242. The executor of his own vengeance.
1726. Leoni, trans. Alberti’s Archit., Life, 5. His Assistant and the faithful Executor of his designs.
1752. J. Louthian, Form of Process, 83. So soon as the Letters are execute against the Criminal … the Executor is to apprehend and imprison him.
1864. Realm, 11 May, 1. Ordinary exhibitions result only in the advantage of the shopkeeper; the designer and executor being studiously ignored.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., § 811 (ed. 2), III. 588. His [the mayor’s] functions as receiver and executor of writs devolved on the sheriffs of the newly constituted shire.
b. One who performs the duties, etc. (of an office, service, ceremony, etc.).
c. 1450. Pol., Rel., & L. Poems 7. Executor of this office, dirge for to synge, Shall begynne ye bisshope of seynt as [Asaph].
1548. Gest, Pr. Masse, 106. Bee not also the ful executours of the same iustly named sacryfycers?
1558. Forrest, Grysilde the Second (1875), 96. Also he was, emonges other thynges all, The Executor of her Funerall.
1560. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xvii. 208. The Ministers receiving the Communion at the Hands of the Executor.
1841. Myers, Cath. Th., IV. § 26. 218. The Priests were simply sacrificers and executors of ceremonial.
† 2. = EXECUTIONER. Obs.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VI. clxxxvi. 186. After whiche sentence … Hebert was by the executours … moste shamefully hanged.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 203. The sad-ey’d Iustice with his surly humme Deliuering ore to Executors pale The lazie yawning Drone.
1614. Bp. Hall, Contempl. O. T., IV. iv. (1615), 883. How much rather had they [the Egyptians] to send them [the Israelites] away wealthy, than to haue them stay to be their executors?
† b. One who or that which gives effect to (a passion). Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 302. Ire engendrith homiside; Ire is in soth executour of pride.
3. A person appointed by a testator to execute or carry into effect his will after his decease. Literary executor: one who is entrusted with the care of the papers and unpublished works of a literary man.
c. 1280. E. E. P., 19. Þe deuil is his executur, of is gold an is tresure.
1340. Ayenb., 38. Kueade exequitours of bekuydes.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., II. liii. 372 (Add. MS.). Lordes, or othere rauenours that ben Eyres ande excecutores.
1558. in Vicary’s Anat., App. v. (1888), 185. The said Thomas Dunkyn, his heyrs, executors, admynystrators or assignes.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. (1843), I. 22/2. His grandfather had been … left by king Harry the Eighth one of the executors of his last will.
1771. Brown, in Gray’s Corr. (1843), 162–3. No discharge … against any claims which his executors might make.
1858. Ld. St. Leonards, Handy Bk. Prop. Law, xviii. 141. Creditors or executors may prove a will to which they are attesting witnesses.
1868. G. Duff, Pol. Surv., 105. Mr. Senior’s conversations … which, we trust, his literary executor will soon publish.
b. in various legal phrases (see quots.).
1670. Blount, Law Dict., Executor de son tort, Or of his own wrong, is he that takes upon him the Office of an Executor by intrusion, not being so constituted by the Testator.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 507. If a stranger takes upon him to act as executor, without any just authority … he is called in law an executor of his own wrong, de son tort, and is liable to all the trouble of an executorship, without any of the profits or advantages.
1861. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 214/2. Confirmation of Executor; is the form in which a title is conferred on the executor of a person deceased, to … administer the defunct’s moveable effects [etc.]. Ibid., 358/1. The office of executor is conferred either by the written nomination of the defunct, or, failing that, by decree of the Commissary; the executor, in the former case, being called an executor-nominate, and, in the latter, an executor-dative. Ibid., 362/2. Any creditor of the deceased holding a liquid ground of debt may obtain himself confirmed executor-creditor.
c. transf. and fig.
1580. Sidney, Sidera, xiii. in Arcadia (1622), 501. His death-bed peacocks folly,… His sole exectour blame.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., iv. Thy vnus’d beauty must be tomb’d with thee, Which vsed liues th’executor to be.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 177. He … destroyeth them … and so maketh himself executor to their heaps of hony.
1645. Bp. Hall, Remed. Discontents, 23. His greatnesse … is dead … before him, and leaves him the surviving executour of his own shame.
