Also 7 Sc. trustie. [f. TRUST v. + -EE1.]
1. One who is trusted, or to whom something is entrusted; a person in whom confidence is put. rare. Obs., or merged in 3.
1647. R. Stapylton, Juvenal, xiii. 249. It was the custome, when any person trusting would put his trustee to his oath, to bring him into the temple, and to make him sweare.
1652. J. Wright, trans. Camus’ Nat. Paradox, I. 9. It was to change her child, in case shee were brought to bed of a girle, Cleorite (her Trustee) took the business upon her.
1671. [R. MacWard], True Nonconf., 132. Suppose … the exact fidelity of the one trustie, to be notourly known.
1824. Bentham, Bk. Fallacies, Wks. 1843, II. 413. In every public trust, the legislator should, for the purpose of prevention, suppose the trustee disposed to break the trust in every imaginable way in which it would be possible for him to reap … any personal advantage.
2. Law. spec. One to whom property is entrusted to be administered for the benefit of another; often loosely, one of a number of persons appointed to manage the affairs of an institution; also a member of the controlling body of a trust (TRUST sb. 7 b).
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, IV. xiv. 331. Scribes and Secretaries shall suffer detriment, and … Trustees [etc.].
1686. trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 386. The fourscore Pounds have bin since converted to other uses, through the Covetousness of the Trustees.
1695–6. Act 7 & 8 Will. III., c. 30 § 40. One Annuity … payable out of the Profittes … unto the most Noble Barbara Dutchesse of Cleveland or to her Trustees.
1782. Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., II. X. 243. A clergyman could not … be … trustee to a child.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 333. Sir R. Worsley being seised in fee of the premises in question, devised them to trustees, upon trust that they should stand seised thereof to the use of his grandson.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 53. By these Acts the administration of all matters relating to the roads is vested in trustees.
1891. E. Peacock, N. Brendon, I. 295. I am trustee for her property.
1902. Fabian News, XII. 38/2. Any attempt of a trustee of a corporation or trust to make a secret profit out of his position … should be punished.
b. In U.S. by extension, One in whose hands the property of a debtor is attached in a trustee process (see 4 and quots.).
[Cf. 1758. Stat. Massachusetts (1814), 614. Be it … enacted, that where no goods or effects of such absent or absconding person in the hands of his attorney, factor, agent or trustee,… can be come at so as to be attached [etc.].
1794. Stat. Massachusetts, c. 65. § 1. The goods, effects and credits of the principal, in the hands and possession of his trustee or trustees,… shall stand bound and be held to satisfy such judgment as the plaintiff shall recover against the principal.]
1811. W. C. White, Compend. Laws Massachusetts, 1268. In this state there is a process given by statute … whereby a creditor may attach any property or credits of his debtor in the hands of a third person. This third person is called in the English law, the garnishee: in our law he is called the trustee.
1864. in Webster.
3. transf. One who is held responsible for the preservation and administration of anything.
1655. Jer. Taylor, Unum Necess., ix. § 4. 620. The Trustees and Stewards of the mysteries of God.
1682. Dryden, Medal, Ep. Whigs ¶ 2. You are not the trustees of the public liberty.
1746–7. Hervey, Medit. (1767), I. 10. These dumb Monitors … had received a Charge to preserve their Names, and were the remaining Trustees of their Menory.
1897. T. F. Bayard in Daily News, 3 March, 10/4. The recognised trustees of the world’s advancement and civilization.
4. attrib. and Comb., as trustee investor, meeting; also trustee bank (in full trustee savings bank): see SAVINGS BANK; so trustee banker; trustee investment: see trustee stock; trustee process, in U.S., a judicial process by which the goods, effects and credits (but not the real estate) of a debtor may be attached while in the hands of a third person; in Eng. Law called foreign attachment; trustee security, trustee stock = trust-stock (TRUST sb. 8 b).
1898. Westm. Gaz., 9 Nov., 10/1. At that time [1861] there were 638 *trustee banks in existence. Ibid. (1903), 11 March, 5/1. As for the great *trustee bankers, they are not in the least affected.
1895. Daily News, 30 Dec., 2/2. ‘A gilt-edge security’ or ‘quite a *trustee investment.’
1906. Westm. Gaz., 17 Sept., 3/2. Neither of these advantages affects the private or *trustee investor.
1820. Scott, Monast., Introd. Ep. The laird … had to attend *trustee meetings, and lieutenancy meetings,… and what not.
1811. W. C. White, Compend. Laws Massachusetts, 1268. In what cases, and against whom, a *trustee process will lie.
1836. Rev. Stat. Massachusetts, 643. All personal actions … may be commenced by the process of foreign attachment, or trustee process.
1860. in Bartlett, Dict. Amer., s.v.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 18 Nov., 8/1. The new capital required will be raised jointly … and will be a *trustee security. Ibid. (1901), 29 Aug., 7/1. The failure of the issue … to be classed as a *Trustee stock.
Hence Trusteeism (nonce-wd.), the system of vesting (church) patronage in trustees.
1889. A. H. Drysdale, Hist. Presbyt. Eng., 511. The evils of both family patronage and trusteeism.
1889. Tablet, 30 Nov., 878. A system of lay trusteeism.
