whiffler

[hwif-ler, wif-]

noun

a person who frequently shifts opinions, attitudes, interests, etc.
a person who is vacillating or evasive in an argument.

Origin of whiffler

First recorded in 1600–10; whiffle + -er¹

whiffler

[hwif-ler, wif-]

noun History/Historical.

an attendant who clears the way for a procession.

Origin of whiffler

1530–40; earlier wiffler armed attendant, equivalent to wiffle (variant of Middle English wifle, Old English wifel battle-ax) + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for whiffler

Historical Examples of whiffler

The ‘whiffler’ was the official sword-flourisher of the Corporation.
The Romany Rye
George Borrow
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.
Character Writings of the 17th Century
Various
Superintendent Whiffler came over, by-and-by, to see his successor.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 09, No. 51, January, 1862
Various
At length Mrs. Whiffler is heard to say, ‘Mr. Saunders, shall I give you some pudding?’
Sketches by Boz
Charles Dickens
Mr. Whiffler sighs, ‘these children, Saunders, make one quite an old man.’
Sketches by Boz
Charles Dickens

British Dictionary definitions for whiffler

whiffler

noun

a person who whiffles

whiffler

noun

archaic an attendant who cleared the way for a procession

Word Origin for whiffler

C16: from wifle battle-axe, from Old English wifel, of Germanic origin; the attendants originally carried weapons to clear the way

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012