English

Noun

acatour ‎(plural acatours)

1. (historical or obsolete) The member of a large household responsible for buying provisions; provisioner.
   • 1985 November 14, A. R. Myers, “Lansdowne Ms. 1 Document No. 37 Prouisions made for the kynges houshold (1458)”, in Crown, Household and Parliament in Fifteenth Century England, ISBN 082644685X:

     And that such purueou'rs be not chaunged withoute grete and notable cause, and that in the presence abouesaid, and that euery such purueoure and acatour afore his admyttinge to such oflice make his othe in manere and fourme folowinge: -- That he shall truly, justely, and egally, withoute oppression of the poore or fauor of the riche, obserue and vse his commission and occupie his said office, to the most profite and behoue of the kyng and eschuyng of the hurt of his people, and yn especiall that he shall obserue and keepe thynges that folwene.

   • 1879, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Landowne Ms of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, page 17:

     And Þere wiÞ ałł he browht vs owte of towne A gentiłł Maunciple was Þere of a temple Of whiche acatours miht take goode ensample ffor to be wise in byynge of vitaile ffor weÞ Þat he paiede or toke be taile Algate he waited so in his achate Þat he was al be-forne and in goode astate Now es nouht Þat of god a ful faire grace.

   • 1812, George Ensor, Defects of the English Laws and Tribunals, page 90:

     The 86th of Edward the Third, in order fully to remedy the distress occasioned by purveyance, changes the title of the oflicer, “that the hateful name, of purveyor be changed to that of acatour,” &c.

   • 1905, John Edward Francis, Calendar of Letter-books Preserved Among the Archives of the Corporation of the City of London at the Guildhall, Volume 7:

     Raulyn Pletour, chief purveyor of corn ; Richard Catour, Thomas de Kent, and Simon Catour, clerk, purveyors under him. John Prest, buyer (acatour) of flesh ; Roger Totesworth, Nicholas Stirtupp, and Richard atte Broke, purveyors under him.

   • 2014, Anthony Goodman, John of Gaunt, ISBN 1317894804, page 320:

     In 1383 Gaunt appointed his valet Adam de Welle as acatour, to purchase 'both cartloads and fish and carriage [for them] and other things needful and duly appurtenant to the office of our acatour'.