Also tyer. [f. TIE v. + -ER1.]
1. One who ties; spec. a person employed to tie something. Also tier up.
1633. P. Fletcher, Poet. Misc., 57. Hymen, the tier of hearts already tied.
1648. Hexham, II. Ein Hechter, a Fixer, a Fastner, or a Tyer to.
1848. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., IX. II. 554. The tiers can take the best to tie to the poles.
1876. Plummer trans. Döllinger’s Hippol. & Callistus, iii. 153. The Church … is the tyer of the marriage bond.
1895. Daily Tel., 18 Sept., 4/2. He begins life at the sandpaper works, as a tier up of bundles, at three and sixpence a week.
2. One who ties with another in a match or competition.
1810. Sporting Mag., XXXV. 97. The tyers to play with one another in the order they become tyers.
3. Something that ties or is used for tying; a band; spec. pl. = TIE-UP 4.
1844. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., V. I. 36. The beans are cut … and tied with strong tyers or straw bands.
1882. Nares, Seamanship (ed. 6), 130. The sail is secured to the yard with tyers.
1895. Sotheby’s Catal., 25 April, 52. (Kelmscott Press) Morris,… ‘The Defence of Guenevere,’ ornamental title and initial letters, vellum, silk tyers, uncut.
4. U.S. A pinafore or apron covering the whole front of the dress. (Also spelt tire, tyre, and referred by some to TIRE sb.1 q.v.)
1846. Worcester, Tier, one that ties; a child’s apron, tidy. See TIRE.
1864. Webster, Tier, a child’s apron without sleeves, and covering the upper part of the body, [1890] and tied with tape or cord.
1865. Mrs. Whitney, Gayworthys, I. 106. She took care of Say; put on her long-sleeved tyers when she sent her out to play.
1889. L. Larcom, A New Engld. Girlhood, 22. We sometimes smirched our clean aprons (high-necked and long-sleeved ones, known as tiers).
1902. Dialect Notes (U.S.), II. 254 (Lett. to G. Hempl). Even among the older people [in New Engl.], ‘cricket’ has mostly given place to ‘footstool,’ and ‘tier’ to ‘apron.’
