scrivener, skrivenere

[Mid. English scriven; -er.] 1. A writer; one whose busine was to draw up contracts or other documents. "My boy shall fetch the scrivener." Shakesp.: Taming of the Shrew , iv. 4. 2. One whose busine is to receive money to place out at interest, and to supply those who want to raise money on security; a money-broker; a financial agent. "And from the griping scrivener free!" Dryden: Horace , epode ii. scrivener's palsy, s . Pathology: A spasm or cramp affecting certain muscles e ential to the act of writing. It commences by a stiffne of the muscles of the arm or forearm, or of the fingers of the right limb in the evening, disappearing after a night's rest; then the movement of the hand becomes unsteady and the writing a scrawl. At the more advanced stage a spasm comes on whenever the pen is taken into the band. Though it does not seem to be caused by overwork, yet the hand should be allowed to rest, and when work is attempted some mechanical appliance should be used to enable the fingers which are not affected to hold the pen. Called also Writer's Paralysis and Writer's Cramp. IMG:content-1076.png:[blocks in formation] scrottyle 5. Law : A mark which supplies the place of a seal., 6. Naut .: A piece or pieces of timber bolted to the stem in lieu of a figure-head.