Forms: α. 3 gayholer, 4–6 gailer, 4–7 gayler, 5 gaylere, 6 gaylour, -or, 6–7 gailor, 7 goaler, 7– gaoler. β. 4 iaioler, iaoler(e, iailere, iaylar, 4–5 iaylere, 4–6 iayler, 4–7 iailor, (5 iaylarde, 6 ioyler), 6–7 iayl-, iailour, 7–8 jaylor, -our, 7– jailer, jailor. γ. 5 geil-, geyl-, geayl-, geyel-, 7 gealer. [Two types corresp. to gaol, jail: 1) gayholer, gayler, gailer, etc., a. ONF. gayolierre, gaiolere, accus. gaioleor, f. gaiole; 2) jaioler, jaoler(e, jailer(e, etc., a. OF. jaioleur, jeolier (F. geôlier), f. jaiole, jeole, geole: see JAIL sb. and -ER2 2.] One who has charge of a jail or of the prisoners in it; a jail-keeper.
α. c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 98/204. He let nime alle þe gayholers: and tormenti heom ful sore.
c. 1320. Sir Beues, 1652. A wente quik out of prisoun Be þe rop þe gailer com adoun.
1465. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 179. The gaylere that was att Colchester.
1530–1. Act 22 Hen. VIII., c. 12. The sayde Gaylour or Keper of pryson.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. iv. 204. Thou shalt be then freer than a Gaoler.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. ix. 346, margin. Goalers are also the servants of the sheriff.
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, II. ii. Two gaolers … went out, and the prisoner was brought in.
β. a. 1300. Cursor M., 4434 (Cott.). Son was ioseph halden dere wit þe maister iailere [Gött. iaolere]. Ibid., 17319 (Cott.). Þair Iailers [Gött. iaioleris] to þaim þai cald.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1183. Þe Amyral … clepede ys iayler þer a stod.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., st. 731. Bot þe Iaylardes folowedon þis theff full fast.
1526. Tindale, Acts xvi. 23. They cast them into preson, commaundynge the ioyler [1534 iayler; 1611 Iaylour] io kepe them surely.
a. 1625. Boys, Wks. (1630), 262. As a cunning Iailour … he will be sure to keepe the prison doore fast.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., III. 416. This was the Faith of St. Paul’s Jaylor and his Family.
1840. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, lxxi. Their jailers had been regular in bringing food and candles.
γ. c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Adrian, 159. With geileris þane cane he trete.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 89. Brutamont the geayler made Olyuer & his felawes to auale doun in to a pryson.
[1688. Gealer: see JAIL sb. 1 γ.]
b. transf. and fig.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 33. Jaylers of justyce.
1607. Shaks., Cor., V. i. 65. His Iniury The Gaoler to his pitty.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. xxi. 352. A slavish fear, the jaylour of the soul.
1821. Examiner, 1 April, 200/1. That we should act as the perpetual gaolers of Napoleon was most horrible and disgraceful.
1864. Conington, Æneid (1866), 7. The jailor-monarch of the wind.
