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Cater
Definitions
- 1 Diagonally. UK, US, dialectal, not-comparable
"Cater and Cater-cornered, diagonal; diagonally. To ‘cut cater’ in the case of velvet, cloth, etc., is... ‘cut on the cross’. Cater-snozzle, to make an angle; to ‘mitre’."
- 1 A surname originating as an occupation.
- 1 Synonym of acater: an officer who purchased cates (food supplies) for the steward of a large household or estate. obsolete
"I am oure Catour and bere oure Alther purse."
- 2 Four. obsolete, rare
"The auditour... cometh in with sise sould, and cater denere, for vi.s. and iiii.d."
- 3 Synonym of caterer: any provider of food. obsolete
"Of his diete catour was scarsite..."
- 4 The four of cards or dice. obsolete
"Cater is a very good caste."
- 5 Synonym of purveyor: any provider of anything. figuratively, obsolete
"The eye is loues Cator."
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- 6 A method of ringing nine bells in four pairs with a ninth tenor bell.
"The very terms of the art are enough to frighten an amateur. Hunting, dodging... caters, cinques, etc."
- 1 To provide, particularly
"Noe widdowes curse caters a dish of mine."
- 2 To place, set, move, or cut diagonally or rhomboidally. UK, dialectal
"The trees are set checkerwise, and so catred [Latin: partim in quincuncem directis], as looke which way ye wyl, they lye leuel."
- 3 supply food ready to eat; for parties and banquets wordnet
- 4 To provide; To provide with food, especially for a special occasion as a professional service. ambitransitive
"I catered for her bat mitzvah."
- 5 give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance wordnet
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- 6 To provide; To provide anything required or desired, often (derogatory) to pander. figuratively, intransitive
"I always wanted someone to cater to my every whim."
- 7 To provide; To tailor something to an intended audience. figuratively, intransitive
"The business caters for young professionals."
Etymology
From Middle English catour (“acater, provisioner”), aphetic form of acatour (“acater”), from Old French acater (“to buy, to purchase”). Equivalent to cate + -er.
From Middle English catour (“acater, provisioner”), aphetic form of acatour (“acater”), from Old French acater (“to buy, to purchase”). Equivalent to cate + -er.
Probably ultimately from French quatre (“four”), possibly via cater (“change-ringing”), although Liberman argues for a derivation from a North Germanic prefix meaning "crooked, angled, clumsy" from which he also derives cater-cousin and, via Norse, Old Irish cittach (“left-handed, awkward”). He finds this more likely than extension of the dice and change-ringing term cater as an adverb, given the likely cognates in other Germanic languages. Caterpillar and caterwaul are unrelated, being derived from cognates to cat, but may have influenced the pronunciation of Liberman's proposed earlier *cate- or undergone similar sound changes.
Probably ultimately from French quatre (“four”), possibly via cater (“change-ringing”), although Liberman argues for a derivation from a North Germanic prefix meaning "crooked, angled, clumsy" from which he also derives cater-cousin and, via Norse, Old Irish cittach (“left-handed, awkward”). He finds this more likely than extension of the dice and change-ringing term cater as an adverb, given the likely cognates in other Germanic languages. Caterpillar and caterwaul are unrelated, being derived from cognates to cat, but may have influenced the pronunciation of Liberman's proposed earlier *cate- or undergone similar sound changes.
From French quatre (“four”). Doublet of cuatro.
Occupational surname, from cater, obsolete form of caterer.
See also for "cater"
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