Scrivener \Scrive"ner\ (? or ?), n. [From older scrivein, OF.
   escrivain, F. ['e]crivain, LL. scribanus, from L. scribere to
   write. See Scribe.]
   1. A professional writer; one whose occupation is to draw
      contracts or prepare writings. --Shak.
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            The writer better scrivener than clerk. --Fuller.
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   2. One whose business is to place money at interest; a
      broker. [Obs.] --Dryden.
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   3. A writing master. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
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   Scrivener's palsy. See Writer's cramp, under Writer.
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Palsy \Pal"sy\, n.; pl. Palsies. [OE. palesie, parlesy, OF.
   paralesie, F. paralysie, L. paralysis. See Paralysis.]
   (Med.)
   Paralysis, complete or partial. See Paralysis. "One sick of
   the palsy." --Mark ii. 3.
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   Bell's palsy, paralysis of the facial nerve, producing
      distortion of one side of the face; -- so called from Sir
      Charles Bell, an English surgeon who described it.

   Scrivener's palsy. See Writer's cramp, under Writer.

   Shaking palsy, (Med.) paralysis agitans, a disease usually
      occurring in old people, characterized by muscular tremors
      and a peculiar shaking and tottering gait; now called
      parkinsonism, or Parkinson's disease.
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Writer \Writ"er\, n. [AS. wr[imac]tere.]
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   1. One who writes, or has written; a scribe; a clerk.
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            They [came] that handle the pen of the writer.
                                                  --Judg. v. 14.
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            My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. --Ps. xlv.
                                                  1.
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   2. One who is engaged in literary composition as a
      profession; an author; as, a writer of novels.
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            This pitch, as ancient writers do report, doth
            defile.                               --Shak.
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   3. A clerk of a certain rank in the service of the late East
      India Company, who, after serving a certain number of
      years, became a factor.
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   Writer of the tallies (Eng. Law), an officer of the
      exchequer of England, who acted as clerk to the auditor of
      the receipt, and wrote the accounts upon the tallies from
      the tellers' bills. The use of tallies in the exchequer
      has been abolished. --Wharton (Law. Dict.)

   Writer's cramp, Writer's palsy or Writer's spasm
      (Med.), a painful spasmodic affection of the muscles of
      the fingers, brought on by excessive use, as in writing,
      violin playing, telegraphing, etc. Called also
      scrivener's palsy.

   Writer to the signet. See under Signet.
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