whiffler

¹ American  

[hwif-ler, wif-] / ˈʰwɪf lər, ˈwɪf- /

noun

1. a person who frequently shifts opinions, attitudes, interests, etc.

2. a person who is vacillating or evasive in an argument.

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whiffler ² American  

[hwif-ler, wif-] / ˈʰwɪf lər, ˈwɪf- /

noun

History/Historical.

1. an attendant who clears the way for a procession.

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whiffler ¹ British  

/ ˈwɪflə /

noun

1. a person who whiffles

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whiffler ² British  

/ ˈwɪflə /

noun

1. archaic an attendant who cleared the way for a procession

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Etymology

Origin of whiffler¹

First recorded in 1600–10; whiffle + -er ¹

Origin of whiffler²

First recorded in 1530–40; earlier wiffler “armed attendant,” equivalent to wiffle (variant of Middle English wifle, Old English wifel “battle-ax”) + -er ¹. The spelling with wh probably arose by asociation with whiff ¹ ( def. ).

Example Sentences

Ay, ay; he's a whiffler, but a good man on a sea-elephant.

From The Sea Lions The Lost Sealers by Cooper, James Fenimore

In any show he will be one, though he be but a whiffler or a torch-bearer, and bears down strangers with the story of his actions.

From Character Writings of the 17th Century by Various

In his day he had been esteemed the most graceful whiffler in the world: now he used only the heavy sword, because he was himself grown heavy.

From The Fifth Queen And How She Came to Court by Ford, Ford Madox

And first as a whiffler before the show enter Stamford, one that trod the stage with the first, traversed the ground, made a leg and exit.

From Character Writings of the 17th Century by Various

My wife and I had a great quarrel on this occasion; she pretended that he came only to give her some ribbons, as he had been a whiffler in the procession.

From The Affecting Case of the Unfortunate Thomas Daniels by Daniels, Thomas