oliver

plural olivers

1. archaicrareA small tilt hammer, worked by the foot.

   I hear, with the song that she sings me in lullaby tones, / The noise of the nailshops, the ringing of hammers, the groans / Of deep-heaving bellows, the "oliver's" thud on the die, […]

   1903, John Cotton, Chimes and Rhymes, page 66

plural Olivers

1. countableuncountableA male given name from the Germanic languages.

   Froyſard, a Countreyman of ours, records, / England all Oliuers and Rowlands breed, / During the time Edward the third did raigne: […]

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 98, column 1

   2 more examples

   "My name is Oliver, sir," replied the little invalid with a look of great astonishment. "Oliver," said Mr. Brownlow; "Oliver what? Oliver White,—eh?" "No, sir, Twist,—Oliver Twist." "Queer name," said the old gentleman. What made you tell the magistrate your name was White?"

   1837 August, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “In Which Oliver Is Taken Better Care of than He Ever Was Before. With Some Particulars Concerning a Certain Picture.”, in Oliver Twist; […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], published 1838, →OCLC, page 187

   And Oliver suits me, don't you find? It rather goes with my dark, dark hair and kissable ivory teeth, my slim waist, my panache and my linen suit with the ineradicable stain of Pinot Noir.

   1991, Julian Barnes, Talking It Over, Jonathan Cape, →ISBN, page 13

2. countableuncountableA surname originating as a patronymic.

   “I appreciate your curiosity,” Oliver answers in hurried monotone without inflection or pauses for punctuation.

   2025 August 4, Dara Kerr, “Jim Acosta interviews ‘made-up’ AI avatar of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver”, in The Guardian

3. A placename
   1. countableuncountableA town in British Columbia.
   2. countableuncountableAn urban neighborhood of Edmonton, Alberta.
   3. countableuncountableA community in Colchester County, Nova Scotia.
   4. countableuncountableA community in Essex County, Ontario.
   5. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Scott County, Arkansas.
   6. countableuncountableA ghost town in Yuba County, California.
   7. countableuncountableA tiny city in Screven County, Georgia.
   8. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Edgar County, Illinois.
   9. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Whiteside County, Illinois.
   10. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Posey County, Indiana.
   11. countableuncountableA neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland.
   12. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Kimball County, Nebraska.
   13. countableuncountableA census-designated place in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
   14. countableuncountableA village in Douglas County, Wisconsin.
   15. countableuncountableA number of townships, including in Michigan (2), Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania (3), included under Oliver Township.
   16. countabledatedslanguncountableSynonym of the Moon (“the Earth's moon”).

       Now Oliver puts his blank nightcap on,¶ And every star its glim is hiding,¶ And forth to the heath is the scampsman gone,¶ His matchless cherry-black prancer riding;

       1834, William Harrison Ainsworth, Rookwood, The Game of High Toby

       Synonyms: the Moon

4. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of oliver.

   The last device, the Oliver, was an innovative alternative to the various forms of small tilt hammers recorded and illustrated by Agricola.

   2017, C. How, Building Histories: The Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Construction History Society Conference, page 81

comparative more Oliver · superlative most Oliver

1. CockneyslangDrunk, pissed.

   Synonyms: Oliver Twist