[f. SPAWN v. or sb.]
1. A female fish, esp. at spawning time.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 264. The spawner, when the time serueth for generation, followeth after the male.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 90. The Romanes … used none but in-land Fish-ponds, storing them with Spawners of the larger size.
1771. Phil. Trans., LXI. 317. As the milter, by a natural instinct, follows the spawner.
1787. Best, Angling (ed. 2), 5. With a few Milters and Spawners,… a whole country may be stocked in a short time.
1819. Sporting Mag., IV. 266. In stocking ponds, put from three to five spawners to one milter.
1888. Goode, Amer. Fishes, 59. Many late spawners are occupied with family cares until the last of July.
† b. Applied to a woman. Obs.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Philaster, IV. ii. Yet you may do well to spare your Ladies Bed-fellow, and her you may keep for a Spawner.
1675. Cotton, Burlesque upon B., 38–9. By no means meddle with that Spawner: For if thou dost,… A graceless Child will be begot.
2. One who, or that which, spawns, produces, etc., in various senses.
16[?]. in Hartlib’s Legacy (1655), 117. The least Spawners from the root will grow. Any twigs cut from the body will grow.
1668. R. L’Estrange, Vis. Quev., I. 11. Your corrupt Judges are the great Spawners that supply our Lake.
1839. Lady Lytton, Cheveley (ed. 2), II. ii. 58. Every one knew Lord de Clifford…, a spawner of Whig pamphlets, and a crack political writer.
3. A spawn-collector (Cent. Dict., 1891).
