chafer

• Audio (US)

  (file)

From Middle English chaufour, chafour, from Anglo-Norman chaufour, from Latin calefactōrium; equivalent to chafe +‎ -er.

chafer (plural chafers)

1. One who chafes.
2. A vessel for heating water; hence, a dish or pan.
   • 1643, Richard Baker, Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Romans' Government unto the Death of King James:

     A chafer of water to cool the ends of the irons.

3. A vessel for holding burning coals or hot water used as a warmer.
   • 1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Mar[lowe], The Tragicall Historie of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. […], London: […] Iohn Wright, […], published 1616 (1631 reprint), →OCLC, page [21]:

     Enter Mephoſtophilis with the Chafer of fire. / Meph. See Fauſtus here is fire, ſet it on.

From Middle English chafur, chavere, from Old English ċeafor, from Proto-West Germanic *kefrō (“beetle”). Cognate with German Käfer and Dutch kever.

chafer (plural chafers)

1. Any of several scarab beetles, including the cockchafer, leaf chafer, and rose chafer.
   • c. 1803, William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence” in the Pickering Manuscript:

     He who torments the Chafers sprite
     Weaves a Bower in endleſs Night

• Fráech

chafer

1. Alternative form of chaufour