Definition of "bearer"

And he [Solomon] set threescore and ten thousand of them [the foreigners living in Israel] to be bearers of burdens,

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 2 Chronicles 2:18

Forgive the Bearer of unhappy news:Your alter’d Father openly pursuesYour ruine;

1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, Act II, page 29

The slightest manifestation of sympathy or justice toward a person of color, was denounced as abolitionism; and the name of abolitionist, subjected its bearer to frightful liabilities.

1855, Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom. […], New York, Auburn, N.Y.: Miller, Orton & Mulligan […]

Nay, quoth he, on his swooning bed outstretch’d,If I may not carry, sure Ile ne’re be fetch’d,But vow though the cross Doctors all stood hearers,For one Carrier put down to make six bearers.

1645, John Milton, “Another on the same”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, both English and Latin‎, London: Humphrey Moseley, page 29

[…] the bare coffin having been screwed down, was hoisted on the shoulders of the bearers, and carried into the street.

1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy’s Progress. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […]

The deep shadows of the porch swallowed up priest, corpse and bearers […]

1934, Dorothy L. Sayers, “A Full Peal of Grandsire Triples”, in The Nine Tailors‎, London: Victor Gollancz, published 1975, Part 3

Within an hour of our finally deciding to start five litters were brought up to the door of the cave, each accompanied by four regular bearers and two spare hands, also a band of about fifty armed Amahagger, who were to form the escort and carry the baggage.

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887

The bar of the watch-guard worked through the buttonhole, and the watch—Platte's watch—slid quietly on to the carpet; where the bearer found it next morning and kept it.

1888, Rudyard Kipling, “Watches of the Night”, in Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio, published 2005, page 60

In the common mode of pruning, this species of vine is no great bearer; but managed as it is here, it produces wonderfully.

1791, William Gilpin, Remarks on Forest Scenery: and Other Woodland Views‎, London: R. Blamire, Volume 1, Book 1, Section 6, p. 149

[…] Wilt thou knowTh’ effect of what I wrote? […] An earnest conjuration from the King,As England was his faithful tributary, […] That, on the view and knowing of these contents,Without debatement further, more or less,He should the bearers put to sudden death,

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene ii]

Sir, The bearer is my godson, whom I take the liberty of recommending to your kindness […]

1784, Samuel Johnson, letter cited in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, London: Charles Dilly, Volume 2, p. 487

P. S.—If you’d send your pipes by the bearer […] I would put them in order, and play some melancholy tunes,

1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], Rob Roy. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown

The message was brought, and Winterborne sent the bearer back to say that he begged the lady’s pardon, but that he could not do as she requested;

1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, The Woodlanders […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London, New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887

[…] he gave him a note to Mr. Harmon, one of the head managers of Durham’s—“The bearer, Jurgis Rudkus, is a particular friend of mine, and I would like you to find him a good place […]

1905, Upton Sinclair, chapter XXV, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906