usher Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun Irish prelate who deduced from the Bible that Creation occurred in the year 4004 BC (1581-1656)
    Ussher; James Usher; James Ussher.
  2. noun an official stationed at the entrance of a courtroom or legislative chamber
    doorkeeper.
  3. noun someone employed to conduct others
    guide.
  4. verb take (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums
    show.
    • The usher showed us to our seats

WordNet


Ush"er noun
Etymology
OE. ussher, uschere, OF. ussier, uisser, oissier, hussier, huissier, fr. L. ostiarius a doorkeeper, fr. ostium a door, entrance, fr. os mouth. See Oral, and cf. Ostiary.
Definitions
  1. An officer or servant who has the care of the door of a court, hall, chamber, or the like; hence, an officer whose business it is to introduce strangers, or to walk before a person of rank. Also, one who escorts persons to seats in a church, theater, etc. "The ushers and the squires." Chaucer.
    These are the ushers of Marcius. Shak.
    ✍ There are various officers of this kind attached to the royal household in England, including the gentleman usher of the black rod, who attends in the House of Peers during the sessions of Parliament, and twelve or more gentlemen ushers. See Black rod.
  2. An under teacher, or assistant master, in a school.
Ush"er transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Ushered ; present participle & verbal noun Ushering
Definitions
  1. To introduce or escort, as an usher, forerunner, or harbinger; to forerun; -- sometimes followed by in or forth; as, to usher in a stranger; to usher forth the guests; to usher a visitor into the room.
    The stars that usher evening rose. Milton.
    The Examiner was ushered into the world by a letter, setting forth the great genius of the author. Addison.

Webster 1913