I. ˈpōr]d.ər, ˈpȯr]d.ər, ˈpōə]d.ə(r, ˈpȯ(ə)]d.ə(r, ]tə- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French portier, from Late Latin portarius, from Latin porta gate + -arius -ary — more at ford
1. chiefly Britain : a person stationed at a door or gate to admit or assist those entering
at the entrance to the office block was a porter in a blue uniform — F.W.Crofts
2. : doorkeeper 2
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English portour, from Middle French porteour, from Late Latin portator, from Latin portatus (past participle of portare to carry) + -or — more at fare
1. : one who carries burdens: as
a. : one who is employed to carry baggage for patrons at a hotel or transportation terminal
b. : a handler of cargo
c. archaic : one that conveys or carries something (as news or disease)
2. : a parlor-car or sleeping-car attendant who waits on passengers and makes up berths
3.
[short for porter's beer; from its originally having been made for porters\]
: a weak stout that is rich in saccharine matter and contains about four percent of alcohol
4.
a. archaic : any of various mechanical devices (as a lever or a wheeled carriage) for lifting, supporting, or moving
b. : a bar of iron or steel at the end of which a forging is made
5. Scotland : beer II
6. : one who does routine cleaning of the premises, furniture, and equipment of a store, bank, school, or office building or cleans the working areas in a mill or factory
7. : bull cook
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: to transport or carry as or by a porter
intransitive verb
: to act as a porter