usher

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman usser, from Old French ussier, uissier (“porter, doorman”) (compare French huissier), from Vulgar Latin *ustiārius (“doorkeeper”), from Latin ōstiārius, from ostium (“door”). Akin to ōs (“mouth”). Doublet of ostiary.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ŭshʹ-ər, IPA^(key): /ˈʌʃəɹ/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): [ˈaʃ.ə(ɹ)]
• (UK) IPA^(key): [ˈʌʃ.ə(ɹ)]
• (US) IPA^(key): [ˈʌʃ.ɚ]

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌʃə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: ush‧er

Noun

usher (plural ushers)

1. A person, in a church, cinema etc., who escorts people to their seats.
2. A male escort at a wedding.
3. A doorkeeper in a courtroom.
4. (dated) An underteacher, or assistant master, in a school.
5. (dated, derogatory) Any schoolteacher.

Verb

usher (third-person singular simple present ushers, present participle ushering, simple past and past participle ushered)

1. To guide people to their seats.
   • 1836, Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz, "The curate. The old lady. The half-pay captain."

     Her entrance into church on Sunday is always the signal for a little bustle in the side aisle, occasioned by a general rise among the poor people, who bow and curtsey until the pew-opener has ushered the old lady into her accustomed seat, dropped a respectful curtsey, and shut the door;

2. To accompany or escort (someone).
   • 1898, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic, page 509

     Margaret was astonished at the magnificence of the apartments into which she was ushered.

3. (figuratively) To precede; to act as a forerunner or herald.
   • 1912, Elizabeth Christine Cook, Literary Influences in Colonial Newspapers, 1704-1750, page 31

     Thus the Harvard poets and wits ushered The New England Courant out of existence.

4. (figuratively, transitive) to lead or guide somewhere
   • 2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, in Daily Record‎:

     McCoist unexpectedly ushered back a defender of his own with Kirk Broadfoot taking over from Steven Whittaker. There was, of course, another change, Kyle Bartley stepping in at centre-half to replace suspended Dorin Goian.

Anagrams

• Huser, Rhues, Uhers, erhus, huers, shure