Also 4–7 tutour, 5–6 -oure, (5 -owre, 5–7 -ur, 6 Sc. toutour); 6 tutar, Sc. tuttar, 6–8 tuter). [a. OF., AF. tutour (mod.F. tuteur = Sp., Pg. tutor, It. tutore), or a. L. tūtor watcher, protector, f. trērī to watch, guard.]
† 1. A guardian, custodian, keeper; a protector, defender. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. I. 56. Kynde witte be wardeyne ȝowre welthe to kepe, And tutour of ȝoure tresore and take it ȝow at nede.
1425. Ord. Whittington’s Alms-house, in Entick, London (1766), IV. 354. To be one principal, which shal pas al other in power … and be called tutor. Ibid. The seid tutour.
c. 1425. Found. St. Bartholomews (E.E.T.S.), 16. The kynge … behestid hym-self to be a tutur and defensur of hym and of hys.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 507/2. Tutowre, tutor.
1530. Palsgr., 284/1. Tutar, tuteur.
1562. Pilkington, Expos. Abdyas, 85. The poore oppressed people, whom God takes in to his custodie to be their tutor.
1570. Levins, Manip., 77/14. A Túter, tutor.
1603. Narcissus (1893), 276. O thou which hast thy staffe to bee thy tutor.
2. One who has the custody of a ward; a guardian. † a. in gen. sense. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Gal. iv. 2. How moche tyme the eyr is litil … he is vndir tutouris and actouris.
1413. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), IV. xxxviii. (1859), 64. They leden the kynge at theyr owne lust,., as tutours, and couratours.
1526. Tindale, Gal. iv. 2. The heyre as longe as he ys a chylde … is vnder tuters and governers.
a. 1550. Becon, Catech., VI. Wks. 1564, I. 533 b. The honor that the chyldren owe to their parents and tutors.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 175. The tutours … sent ambassadours to the Turke to commend the childe vnto hym.
1615. North Riding Rec. (1884), II. 109. [Taking away] a woman childe under eleven yeares of age from … her grandfather and lawfull tutor.
1616. Bullokar, Eng. Expos., Tutour, a defender, he that hath charge to bring vp a childe.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. xviii. 432. That interest which carefull tutours claim in those whose protection they tender.
1690. Locke, Govt., II. vi. § 59. If the Father … hath not provided a Tutor, to govern his Son, during his Minority … the Law takes care to do it.
b. spec. in Rom. and Sc. Law: The guardian and representative, and administrator of the estate, of a person legally incapable, failing the father.
Tutor dative, t. nominale, t. optive, t. testamentar: see these adjs. Tutor-at-law, of law, or -legitim, the nearest male relative on the father’s side, who becomes guardian in the absence or failure of the tutor nominate.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 197. Pompeus … hymself fleigh to þe … kyng of Egipt, and axede help of hym, for he was assigned hym by þe senatoures to be his tutor and his wardeyn.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), IV. 75. Ptholomeus begynnenge to reigne the ythe yere of his age, legates of Alexandrye preyede the Romanes thei wolde be tutores of þat childe, and defende the realme of Egipte.
1521. in Acts Parlt. Scotl. (1875), XII. 39/1. Þe Richt Illustre prince Duke of Albany Tutoure of Law to our said Soverane Lord [James V.].
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 34. He was left tutour-testamenter be thair fader.
1546. [see TESTAMENTAR].
1575. [see DATIVE a. 4].
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxiii. § 5. In ancient times all women which had not Husbands or Fathers to gouerne them, had their Tutors.
1681. [see NOMINATE B. 2].
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. xvii. 448. The guardian with us performs the office both of the tutor and curator of the Roman laws;… according to the language of the court of chancery, the tuter was the committee of the person, the curator the committee of the estate.
a. 1768. Erskine, Inst. Law Scot., I. vii. § 8 (1773), 117. In default of tutors-legitim, there is place for tutors-dative.
1826. G. J. Bell, Comm. Laws Scot. (ed. 5), I. 133. Tutors may effectually grant deeds of ordinary administration of their pupil’s estate.
1880. Muirhead, Ulpian, xi. § 3. Those are Tutors-at-law, legitimi, who derive their office from some lex.
c. Formerly in Scotland used as a designation with the name of the estate of which the ‘tutor’ had charge. Now Hist.
1529. Reg. Privy Seal Scot., II. 53/1. Ane lettre maid to William Makclellane, tutour of Bomby, his airis and assignais [etc.].
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 80. Ane callit Makclalene … quha was tutour of bombie for the tyme [in 1452].
a. 1670. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1850), I. 27. The Erll of Sutherland … with the tutour of Duffus and some seruandis follouit.
1808. Scott, Autobiog., in Lockhart, i. Beardie became … Tutor of Raeburn … that is, guardian to his infant nephew.
3. One employed in the supervision and instruction of a youth in a private household. Also, one engaged to travel abroad with one or more pupils, a travelling or foreign tutor.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. v. (Bodl. MS.), lf. 36/2. Þe child [that] knowith goode and yuel is … isette to lore vndur tutours.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., cxxvii. 107. Clothayre, consyderynge the frowardnesse of … his sone Dagobert, assigned to hym a tutoure or lerner of worldlye and knyghtlye maners.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. xvi. Diuers maners of exercises…. All these ought he that is a tutor to a noble man to haue in remembrance.
1622. Gataker, Spirituall Watch (ed. 2), 74. Two home-bred Tutors … that God hath set ouer each of vs, Shame and Feare, the shame of sinne, and the feare of wrath.
1699. Locke, Educ. (ed. 4), § 167. Passionate words or blows from the Tutor fill the Child’s Mind with Terror and Affrightment.
1701. trans. Le Clerc’s Prim. Fathers (1702), 22. Aristobulus, a Peripatetick, who is said to have been Tutor to Ptolemy Philometer.
a. 1743. Savage, Author to Let, Wks. 1777, II. 274. Few foreign tutors understand the dead languages.
1815. Elphinstone, Acc. Caubul (1842), I. 285. Some subsist by teaching and practising the law; others teach schools, or are tutors to the sons of rich men.
1822. Shelley, Triumph of Life, 261. The tutor and his pupil, whom Dominion Followed as tame as vulture in a chain.
4. In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin: A graduate (most often the fellow of a college), to whom the special supervision of an undergraduate (called his pupil) is assigned.
The word was first used of those who stood in this relation to undergraduate members of colleges or halls, not on the foundation, and were responsible to the hall or college for their pupils’ payments (= creancers: cf. CREANCER 2). By Wykeham’s Statutes for New Coll., Oxf., imitated at King’s Coll., Camb., and Magdalen Coll., Oxf., each junior foundationer was assigned to the special charge of a senior called his informator. Both these offices appear to have been merged later in the tutor. Naturally the tutor looked after his pupils’ studies also, and this came to be the main part of his duties, esp. at Oxford. Tutores are also found at Louvain in 1476 supervising the studies of the scholares (Rashdall, Universities of Eur. (1895), II. 766).
c. 1610. in Brasenose Coll. Quatercent. Monogr. (1909), II. II. xi. 14. Tradesmen … inveagle young Gentlemen into new and chargeable fashions contrary to the desires of their parents and the directions of their Tutors.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 42. As if they meant to proceed Masters of Art and Doctors in some Science, for which purpose their tutors commonly spend much time in teaching them the subtilities of Logic.
1653. Register of Visitors Univ. Oxford (1881), 359. That noe man be admitted to the office of a Tutor in any Colledge or Hall that is not first approved of by the respective Head of such Colledge or Hall and the Visitors of the University. Ibid., 360. That all persons of whatever quality soever, untill they be admitted to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts … doe live under the care, tuition, and instruction of approved Tutors.
1696. Phillips (ed. 5), s.v., A Tutour in the University, is one that takes care to teach and instruct the Youth that are sent thither from inferior Schools; and the Scholar so taught, is call’d the Tutour’s Pupil.
1864. J. H. Newman, Apol., i. (1904), 7/2. I gave up that office in 1826, when I became Tutor of my College.
1884. C. Dickens, Dict. Cambr., 124/2. The Tutor … generally acts as agent for the College in all business transactions with its members…. The Tutor himself does not necessarily lecture or teach. Private Tutors are called Coaches.
1884. J. B. Mullinger, Univ. Cambr. from 1535, 396. The Cambridge system by which the expenditure of the student is supervised to a certain extent by the tutor was in operation as early as the sixteenth century.
1886. Willis & Clark, Cambridge, I. Introd. 91. In the [Latin] statutes of … Clare Hall [1551],… we meet for the first time at Cambridge with the term tutor, in the modern sense, namely, a fellow of the college who is to be responsible for his pupil’s expenses, to explain to him what he has to do and to learn, and … is to be treated by him with filial obedience and respect.
1887. Q. Rev., Oct., 403. By the middle of the sixteenth century, the modern system of admitting students not on the foundation was fully established; and, as a natural result, the office of ‘tutor’ in the present meaning of the term then first appears.
1895. Rashdall, Universities of Eur., II. 515. It seems probable that before the middle of the fifteenth century the teaching of Undergraduates … was mainly in the hands of Tutors in the Colleges, or Principals and their assistant Regents or non-graduate Lectors in the Halls. Note, The word used both at New College [c. 1400] and Magdalen [1479] is Informator. At Brasenose College [founded 1509] the word Tutor occurs for the first time, but only in reference to the Fellow who is to be responsible for a Commoner.
b. In U.S. universities and colleges: ‘A teacher subordinate to a professor, usually appointed for a year or a term of years’ (Cent. Dict.).
1828. Webster, s.v., Tutors are graduates selected by the governors or trustees, for the instruction of undergraduates…. They are usually officers of the institution, who have a share, with the president and professors, in the government of the students.
c. Private tutor (at the English Universities): A person engaged by students to assist them in their studies and preparation for the examinations, but not appointed or recognized by the University or College. Also, a person who makes it his business to prepare students for professional examinations apart from the universities, as an army tutor, a law tutor.
1827. Lytton, Falkland, I. 15. I was sent to a private tutor.
1840. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 7), XXI. 498/1. Although recognised neither by the universities, nor by any particular college, a very numerous class has long existed both at Oxford and Cambridge, who, under the denomination of Private Tutors, superintend and assist the studies of individuals.
1884. C. Dickens [see 4].
5. In some English public schools: a. A senior boy appointed to help a junior in his studies. Now only at Winchester.
1689. A. Hill, Life Barrow, B.’s Wks. 1687, I. a 2. Removing [from the Charterhouse] to Felsted … he quickly made so great a progress in Learning … that his Master appointed him a little Tutour to the Lord Viscount Fairfax.
1898. Sargeaunt, Ann. Westminster, vii. 123. The very name of ‘little tutor’ familiar in the schools of the seventeenth century is now wholly forgotten…. The ‘little tutor’ was paid for his services and might thus gather a small purse against the time when he should go to the University.
1901. Winchester Coll. Notions, 130. The ten Senior Praefects in College are called Tutors.
b. A master charged with the special supervision of a particular boy.
1861. J. T. Coleridge, Publ. Sch. Educ., 37. [At Eton] Every Master therefore but the Head Master is also a Tutor and every boy must have his Tutor…. Every exercise the pupil does is first submitted to the Tutor for inspection and correction and then carried into school.
1901. Winchester Coll. Notions, 130. College Tutor formerly had to correct the composition of College men, but now he helps College Juniors with their work.
6. transf. As the name of an instruction book in any subject.
1665. Moxon (title), A Tutor to Astronomy and Geography.
1776. Pennsylvania Even. Post, 15 June, 299/2. Just published,… a complete Tutor for the Fife.
Mod. An Easy French Tutor. Hémy’s Pianoforte Tutor.
7. attrib. and Comb., as tutor-companion, -confessor, -farmer, -room; tutor-sick adj.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Clinker, 8 Aug. I was tutor-sick at Alma Mater.
1844. Stephens, Bk. Farm, I. 96. The tutor-farmer should be provided with such a plan to give to each of his pupils.
1899. C. K. Paul, Mem., 247. My tutor days are not satisfactory in the retrospect.
1901. Westm. Gaz., 8 May, 2/1. The tutor-confessor was instantly turned out.
1903. Daily Chron., 20 March, 6/1. Dr. Jüttner, the tutor-companion, who holds that youth should be allowed to revel in the sunshine.
1906. Mem. Abp. Temple, I. 155. The power of the tutor-rooms had over-asserted itself.
