broacher

plural broachers

1. A broach, a spit (for cooking).

   On five ſharp broachers rank'd, the roaſt they turn'd; [...]

   a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The First Book of Homer’s Ilias”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 440

   1 more example

   All hasty on the hissing coals he threw; And smoking, back the tasteful viands drew. Broachers and all then an the board display'd The ready meal, before Ulysses laid

   1725–1726, Homer, “(please specify the book or chapter of the Odyssey)”, in [William Broome, Elijah Fenton, Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC

2. Someone who broaches, opens, or utters first; a first promoter or publisher.

   broacher of a topic/argument etc.

   2 more examples

   Let not a Man therefore ſay, that the Scripture is not plain in thoſe things, in which we pretend it is, becauſe in thoſe very things, the Church of God hath Underſtood it one way, and Arius, Socinus, or ſome ſuch Broacher of Hereſy, another.

   1711, Francis Atterbury, “Second Sermon on the Same Subject. [The Difficult Passages of Scripture Vindicated from Such Objections as are Usually Made to Them; and Proper Directions Given, How We are to Use Them. In Three Sermons Preached at the Rolls, in the Year 1711.]”, in Thomas Moore, editor, Sermons on Several Occasions. […], volume I, London: […] George James […]; and sold by C. Davis, […], published 1734, →OCLC, page 270

   My father was hugely pleased with this theory of John de la Casse, archbishop of Benevento; and (had it not cramped him a little in his creed) I believe would have given ten of the best acres in the Shandy estate, to have been the broacher of it.

   1759–1767, [Laurence Sterne], The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume (please specify |volume=I to IX), London: […] T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, […]