The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Scrivener \Scrive"ner\ (? or ?), n. [From older scrivein, OF.
escrivain, F. ['e]crivain, LL. scribanus, from L. scribere to
write. See Scribe.]
1. A professional writer; one whose occupation is to draw
contracts or prepare writings. --Shak.
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The writer better scrivener than clerk. --Fuller.
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2. One whose business is to place money at interest; a
broker. [Obs.] --Dryden.
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3. A writing master. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
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Scrivener's palsy. See Writer's cramp, under Writer.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Palsy \Pal"sy\, n.; pl. Palsies. [OE. palesie, parlesy, OF.
paralesie, F. paralysie, L. paralysis. See Paralysis.]
(Med.)
Paralysis, complete or partial. See Paralysis. "One sick of
the palsy." --Mark ii. 3.
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Bell's palsy, paralysis of the facial nerve, producing
distortion of one side of the face; -- so called from Sir
Charles Bell, an English surgeon who described it.
Scrivener's palsy. See Writer's cramp, under Writer.
Shaking palsy, (Med.) paralysis agitans, a disease usually
occurring in old people, characterized by muscular tremors
and a peculiar shaking and tottering gait; now called
parkinsonism, or Parkinson's disease.
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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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