Forms: 5–6 Sc. supplear, 7 -yer, 7– supplier. [f. SUPPLY v.1 + -ER1.]

1

  † 1.  One who takes the place of or acts as substitute for another. Obs.

2

1491.  Cartular. S. Nicholai Aberdon. (New Spalding Club), 1. 255. Ilkane chaplane writin to ye haly blude mess … falȝeande in þe doinge of þame sal pay iiii d to ye supplear.

3

  † 2.  A helper, supporter; an assistant. Obs.

4

1515.  in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials (1833), I. 232*. Makand him and his assignais Keparis ouersearis, correkaris, and suplearis of the Isle of Litill Comeray … becaus Robert Huntare … Forrestar of heretage of þe said Ile, is nocht of power to resist þe personis þat waistis þe samyn, without suplé and help.

5

1525.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 418. Togither with yair part takaris, assistaris, supplearis.

6

1586.  Reg. Privy Council Scot., IV. 7. Ressavaris, supplearis and intercommonaris with the Kingis rebellis.

7

1654.  trans. Scudery’s Curia Pol., 69. His neighbour Princes will censure his ambition, and rather be spectators of his successes, then be supplyers.

8

  3.  One who makes up a deficiency.

9

1607.  Chapman, Bussy d’Ambois, II. i. 103. All vaunt themselves Law-menders and suppliers.

10

1737.  Stackhouse, Hist. Bible, V. v. (1752), I. 745/2. Saul might set up for … a Supplier of the Default of Joshua.

11

  4.  One who (or that which) furnishes something needed; a provider, purveyor.

12

c. 1630.  Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 202 (1810), 211. Dartmore, our daily supplier.

13

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 440. Brundusium … was the great supplier of oysters for the Roman tables.

14

1827.  Examiner, 99/1. The suppliers of intellectual gratification.

15

1858.  Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt., lxxvi. II. 28. To reduce Asia to be the supplier of the European slave-market.

16

1897.  Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 665. Van Huytemers and Peters are the two great suppliers of the gin that goes to West Africa.

17

1907.  O’Gorman, Motor Pocket Bk. (ed. 2), 463. You cannot have too many spares, though the supplier will tell you the contrary.

18

  b.  An apparatus for supplying something; a feeder.

19

1823.  J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 147. A kind of funnel-shaped supplier.

20