Usher
    n 1: Irish prelate who deduced from the Bible that Creation
         occurred in the year 4004 BC (1581-1656) [syn: Ussher,
         James Ussher, Usher, James Usher]
    2: an official stationed at the entrance of a courtroom or
       legislative chamber [syn: usher, doorkeeper]
    3: someone employed to conduct others [syn: usher, guide]
    v 1: take (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or
         auditoriums; "The usher showed us to our seats" [syn:
         usher, show]

Usher \Ush"er\, n. [OE. ussher, uschere, OF. ussier, uisser,
   oissier, hussier, huissier, fr. L. ostiarius a doorkeeper,
   fr. ostium a door, entrance, fr. os mouth. See Oral, and
   cf. Ostiary.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. An officer or servant who has the care of the door of a
      court, hall, chamber, or the like; hence, an officer whose
      business it is to introduce strangers, or to walk before a
      person of rank. Also, one who escorts persons to seats in
      a church, theater, etc. "The ushers and the squires."
      --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

            These are the ushers of Marcius.      --Shak.
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   Note: There are various officers of this kind attached to the
         royal household in England, including the gentleman
         usher of the black rod, who attends in the House of
         Peers during the sessions of Parliament, and twelve or
         more gentlemen ushers. See Black rod.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. An under teacher, or assistant master, in a school.
      [1913 Webster]

Usher \Ush"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ushered; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Ushering.]
   To introduce or escort, as an usher, forerunner, or
   harbinger; to forerun; -- sometimes followed by in or forth;
   as, to usher in a stranger; to usher forth the guests; to
   usher a visitor into the room.
   [1913 Webster]

         The stars that usher evening rose.       --Milton.
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         The Examiner was ushered into the world by a letter,
         setting forth the great genius of the author.
                                                  --Addison.
   [1913 Webster]

USHER. This word is said to be derived from a huissier, and is the name of 
an inferior officer in some English courts of law Archb. Pr. 25.