[f. FIRE sb. + WORKER, after FIREWORK.]
† 1. One who has to do with fireworks or explosives in war; spec. an artillery officer, under the fire-master. Obs.
1626. Purchas, Pilgrimage (ed. 4), 527. They tooke some of these Fire-workers, & one of which being examined, confessed after M. Prings Relation thus.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2124/2. They will be 8000 fighting Men, besides … Gunners and Fire-workers. Ibid. (1703), No. 3913/2. A Lieutenant, with 5 Fireworkers, killed.
1800. Dundas, in Owen, Wellesley’s Desp., 564. Each company to have an additional Lieut.-Fireworker, and ten additional matrosses.
2. One who makes fireworks; a pyrotechnist.
1772. in J. T. Smith, Bk. Rainy Day (1861), 52. Torre the fireworker divided the receipts at the door with the proprietor.
1835. Burnes, Trav. Bokhara (ed. 2), I. 176. All the fire-workers of Lahore seemed to be exerting their talents in pyrotechny; and some of their exhibitions were really beautiful.
So † Fire-working vbl. sb., the management of fireworks or explosives (obs.); Fire-working ppl. a., working with fire.
1710. Whitworth, An Account of Russia (1758), 60. He [Peter the Great] loves his Soldiers, understands Navagation, Ship-building, Fortification, and Fire-working.
1850. W. Maginn, Homeric Ball., 169.
| This costly gift thy mother brought; | |
| And she said it was bestowed | |
| By the god of Wine—a vessel wrought | |
| By the Fire-working god. |
