See Also: PORTER(law)
porter(dictionary)
porter(2)(dictionary)
porter(1)(dictionary)
Porter(medicine)
Porter, William(medicine)
pret-a-porter(dictionary)
Porter's fascia(medicine)
Porter, Curt(medicine)
Porter (as used in expressions)(encyclopedia)

porter(1) (iou)



porter noun1. ME.
[Anglo-Norman, Old & mod. French portier from late Latin portarius from porta: see PORT noun3, -ER2.]
A person in charge of a door or gate, esp. at the entrance of a large building, a public institution, a castle, or a fortified town; a gatekeeper, a doorkeeper. Also, such a person who additionally deals with enquiries etc.; a caretaker. ME.
hall porter, night porter, etc. porter's chair a high-backed winged leather chair, orig. placed in a hallway for a porter or doorkeeper to sit in. porter's lodge a lodge for a porter at the gate of a castle, park, college, etc., formerly used as a place of punishment for servants and dependants.
Donne Like a porter in a great house, ever nearest the door. fig.: E. Hopkins God hath set that grim porter, Death.
Anatomy. The pyloric opening of the stomach. L16-E17.
portership noun (a) the office or occupation of a porter; (b) (with possess. adjective, as
your portership etc.) a mock title of respect given to a porter: LME.