DCHP-1 Online

winterer

• 1 n. Nfld, Obs. a fisherman who wintered at a fishing station ; a settler as opposed to a seasonal fisherman.

  See also: liveyere (def. 1)  

  • 1766  (1964)  The whole of winterers in the whole island are reckoned at 10,000.
  • 1766  I hereby forbid all Persons from Quebec . . . to winter on the Coast of Labradore, within my Government; and if any such Winterers are met with there, they are immediately on Sight hereof to quit it, as they will answer to the Contrary at their Peril. . . .

• 2a n. Fur Trade, Hist. a seasoned fur trader or voyageur who spent his winters in the fur country.

  See also: hivernant  homme du nord  Man of the North (def. 1)  Northman (def. 1)  old winterer  winterman  

  • 1801  The latter . . . are called North Men, or Winterers; and to the last class of people were attached upwards of seven hundred women and children, victualled at the expence of the company.
  • 1821  (1918)  Mr. K. recommends . . . the absolute necessity of forwarding 7or 8 Canoes of pork eaters [and] Winterers . . . with full ladings.
  • 1902  The elder Stuart was a rollicking winterer from The Labrador, with the hail-fellow-well-met air of an equal among the mercurial French-Canadians.
  • 1961  The Indians were so partial to the voyageurs that at least one Englishman, Alexander Henry the Elder, disguised himself as a French winterer in a successful effort to escape being killed

• 2b n. a stock-holding partner in the Montreal-based fur companies, especially the North West Company who represented the company the year round at the trading posts in the fur country.

  See also: North West Company  wintering partner (def. 1)  

  • 1804  (1890)  The debts due by Winterers of the said Old and New Companies shall be assumed by the said joint concern according to the mode of evaluing the same by the said Old Company.
  • 1855  (1956)  On the arrival once every year of the winterers at Fort William the voyageurs and common men in every grade were in the habit of receiving from their employers a regale gratis.
  • 1947  John Frobisher, who was essentially a "winterer" . . . asked to supervise the hiring of the canoemen. . . .

• 2c n. a comparable officer in the Hudson's Bay Company.

  See also: wintering partner (def. 2)  

  • 1833, 1963  The surplus funds . . . are subdivided into 85 shares . . . which are received by the "Winterers" viz 1 share to a Trader and 2 to a Factor. . . .
  • 1864  Let the "winterers" look out for themselves, as we must for ourselves.
  • 1952  Winterers [are] the partners working in the field as post factors, who shared the profits but had no voice in determining policy.

• 3 n. Hist. See quote.

  • 1914  There were two classes of [Indian] hunters, one that lived by the chase, called winterers, [who] usually arrived from their winter quarters and encamped west of the fort

• 4 n. See quotes.

  See also: winter hawk  

  • 1853  It is known by the name of "jerfalcon," or "gyrfalcon," but its zoological name is Falco Islandicus. "The Indians here," interposed Norman, "call it by a name that means `winter bird,' or `winterer'--I suppose, because it is one of the few that stay in these parts [Arctic] all year round, and is therefore often noticed by them in winter time. . . ."
  • 1959  Gyrfalcon [is also called] winterer. . . .