Walker

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔːkÉ™(ɹ)

Origin

Middle English walkere, from Old English wealcere.

Full definition of walker

Noun

1. The agent noun of to walk: a person who walks or a thing which walks, especially a pedestrian or a participant in a walking race.
• 1816, Jane Austen, Emma (novel), Volume 1 Chapter 8"I would ask for the pleasure of your company, Mr. Knightley, but I am a very slow walker, and my pace would be tedious to you; and, besides, you have another long walk before you, to Donwell Abbey."
• 2005, Carlo De Vito, 10 Secrets My Dog Taught Me: Life Lessons from a Man's Best Friend (page 88)We hired a walker for the dogs during the day.
2. A walking frame.
3. (often in the plural) A shoe designed for comfortable walking.
4. A person who walks (or waulks) cloth, that is, who fulls it.
5. A male escort who accompanies a woman to an event.
• 1980, December 29, He's really just a 'walker' for old ladies!" Walkers, now, are a special breed of pilot fish — entertaining male escorts
• 1981, Spare rib: Volumes 108-119Women at the top — Lady Di and Nancy Reagan in particular — apparently have 'walkers' — men to escort them on public and private occasions providing a respectable cover, while the male who is their sexual partner is off on more pressing business.
• 1984, Clemens David Heymann, Poor little rich girl: the life and legend of Barbara HuttonIn the vernacular of the trade, he was what is commonly known as "a walker" — an entertaining male escort who is usually sexually unthreatening ...
• 2007, The Walker (film about a male escort)

Synonyms

• (walking frame) walking frame, Zimmer frame

Derived terms

Anagrams

• rewalk