from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Writer \Writ"er\, n. [AS. wr[imac]tere.]
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1. One who writes, or has written; a scribe; a clerk.
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They [came] that handle the pen of the writer.
--Judg. v. 14.
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My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. --Ps. xlv.
1.
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2. One who is engaged in literary composition as a
profession; an author; as, a writer of novels.
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This pitch, as ancient writers do report, doth
defile. --Shak.
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3. A clerk of a certain rank in the service of the late East
India Company, who, after serving a certain number of
years, became a factor.
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{Writer of the tallies} (Eng. Law), an officer of the
exchequer of England, who acted as clerk to the auditor of
the receipt, and wrote the accounts upon the tallies from
the tellers' bills. The use of tallies in the exchequer
has been abolished. --Wharton (Law. Dict.)
{Writer's cramp}, {Writer's palsy} or {Writer's spasm}
(Med.), a painful spasmodic affection of the muscles of
the fingers, brought on by excessive use, as in writing,
violin playing, telegraphing, etc. Called also
{scrivener's palsy}.
{Writer to the signet}. See under {Signet}.
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