DCHP-1

Nor'Wester Fur Trade

1a n. Obs. a man experienced in the fur country.
See also: winterer (def. 2)
- 1716 (1965) I would desire you to send as many old Norwesters over as you can and them men that you send that are not Norwesters let them be lusty strong stout fellows for that place requires none but such.
- 1854 The wolverine . . . is as fond of beaver tail as an old nor'wester. . . .
1b n. Hist. a wintering partner (def. 1) or employee of the North West Company.
See also: North West Company Northwester (def. 1a) wintering partner (def. 1)
- 1953 . . . Frenchman and Nor'Wester were paddling up through the lakes to the pays d'en haut.
1c n. Hist. (plural) the North West Company collectively.
See also: Northwester (def. 1b)
- 1885 The plan of the Nor'Westers was first to induce the settlers to leave Red River and settle in Canada, and after that, or along with that, to drive out those refusing to accept their offer.
- 1963 In September of 1799, the Nor'Westers went to the confluence of the Clearwater and the North Saskatchewan and built Rocky Mountain House.
1d n. Hist. a light musket carried as trading goods by the North West Company.
See also: Northwest gun
- 1922 This again [flint-lock] was superseded by the "Norwester", a single-barreled percussion muzzle-loader--with the stock running the full length of the barrel.
- 1941 Nor'Wester--In later years referred to the single barrel, full stocked percussion gun which replaced the flint-lock.
2 n. Obs. a native or resident of the Northwest Territories (def. 1 b).
See also: Northwester (def. 2) Northwest Territories (def. 1b)
- 1884 The Rev. gentleman is no tenderfoot, but an old nor'wester who has been over the rockier years ago, and his sketch of his travels was very interesting.
3 n. Lakehead See quote.
- 1963 I have never forgotten our first sight of them?halfway up the side of one of the "Nor'westers," our local outcropping of the Pre-Cambrian shield, extending along the southwest. . . .

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