Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Potter
Pot′ter
,Noun.
[Cf. F.
potier
.] 1.
One whose occupation is to make earthen vessels.
Ps. ii. 9.
The
potter
heard, and stopped his wheel. Longfellow.
2.
One who hawks crockery or earthenware.
[Prov. Eng.]
De Quincey.
3.
One who pots meats or other eatables.
4.
(Zool.)
The red-bellied terrapin. See
Terrapin
. Potter’s asthma
(Med.)
, emphysema of the lungs; – so called because very prevalent among potters.
Parkers.
– Potter's clay
. See under
– Clay
. Potter's field
, a public burial place, especially in a city, for paupers, unknown persons, and criminals; – so named from the field south of Jerusalem, mentioned in
– Matt. xxvii. 7.
Potter's ore
. See
– Alquifou
. Potter's wheel
, a horizontal revolving disk on which the clay is molded into form with the hands or tools.
“My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel.” Shak.
– Potter wasp
(Zool.)
, a small solitary wasp (
Eumenes fraternal
) which constructs a globular nest of mud and sand in which it deposits insect larvæ, such as cankerworms, as food for its young.Pot′ter
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pottered
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pottering
.] [Cf. W.
pwtio
to poke, or OD. poteren
to search one thoroughly, Sw. påta
, peta
, to pick, E. pother
, put
.] 1.
To busy one's self with trifles; to labor with little purpose, energy, of effect; to trifle; to putter; to pother.
Syn. – putter; pother.
Pottering
about the Mile End cottages. Mrs. Humphry Ward.
2.
To walk lazily or idly; to saunter.
Pot′ter
,Verb.
T.
To poke; to push; also, to disturb; to confuse; to bother.
[Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
Webster 1828 Edition
Potter
POT'TER
,Noun.
Definition 2024
Potter
Potter
See also: potter
English
Noun
Potter (plural Potters)
- (soccer) someone connected with Stoke City Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.
Proper noun
Potter
- An English occupational surname for a potter.
Translations
surname
potter
potter
See also: Potter
English
Noun
potter (plural potters)
- One who makes pots and other ceramic wares.
- 1961, J. A. Philip, "Mimesis in the Sophistês of Plato," Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, vol. 92, p. 453,
- shoemakers, weavers, potters, bronzeworkers who produced and purveyed the articles necessary for daily life.
- 1961, J. A. Philip, "Mimesis in the Sophistês of Plato," Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, vol. 92, p. 453,
- (idiomatic, biblical) God, the creator.
- 1611. Old Testament, King James Version, Isaiah 64:8,
- But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; and we are the work of thy hand.
- 2011. Old Testament, New International Version, Isaiah 64:8,
- Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
- 1611. Old Testament, King James Version, Isaiah 64:8,
- One who places flowers or other plants inside their pots.
- One who pots meats or other eatables.
- One who hawks crockery or earthenware.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of De Quincey to this entry?)
- The red-bellied terrapin, Pseudemys rubriventris (species of turtle).
- The chicken turtle, Deirochelys reticularia.
Synonyms
- (Pseudemys rubriventris): northern red-bellied cooter
Derived terms
Translations
one who makes pots and ceramic wares
|
|
one who places flowers or other plants inside their pots
|
one who pots food
|
one who hawks earthenware
Pseudemys rubriventris
Deirochelys serrata
References
Etymology 2
Frequentative of pote, equivalent to pote + -er. Cognate with Dutch poteren, peuteren (“to poke, pry, search”).
Alternative forms
Verb
potter (third-person singular simple present potters, present participle pottering, simple past and past participle pottered)
- (obsolete) To poke repeatedly.
- (Britain) To act in a vague or unmotivated way.
- (Britain) To move slowly or aimlessly. (Often potter about, potter around.)