\Ush"er\, n. [OE. ussher, uschere, OF. ussier, uisser,
oissier, hussier, huissier, fr. L. ostiarius a doorkeeper,
fr. ostium a door, entrance, fr. os mouth. See {Oral}, and
cf. {Ostiary}.]
1. An officer or servant who has the care of the door of a
   court, hall, chamber, or the like; hence, an officer whose
   business it is to introduce strangers, or to walk before a
   person of rank. Also, one who escorts persons to seats in
   a church, theater, etc. ``The ushers and the squires.''
   --Chaucer.
         These are the ushers of Marcius.      --Shak.
Note: There are various officers of this kind attached to the
      royal household in England, including the gentleman
      usher of the black rod, who attends in the House of
      Peers during the sessions of Parliament, and twelve or
      more gentlemen ushers. See {Black rod}.
2. An under teacher, or assistant master, in a school.

\Ush"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ushered}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Ushering}.]
To introduce or escort, as an usher, forerunner, or
harbinger; to forerun; -- sometimes followed by in or forth;
as, to usher in a stranger; to usher forth the guests; to
usher a visitor into the room.
      The stars that usher evening rose.       --Milton.
      The Examiner was ushered into the world by a letter,
      setting forth the great genius of the author.
                                               --Addison.