noun
A literal or older-sounding noun for the person who does or performs something. In modern everyday Japanese, する人, 演者, or a more specific word is usually more natural.
古い文章では、仕手が単に「それをする人」を表すことがある。
In older writing, 仕手 can simply mean 'the person who does it.'
noun
shite; main role in Noh; protagonist
Technical Noh term for the principal actor or leading role, usually written シテ. It contrasts especially with ワキ, the supporting counterpart role.
この能では、シテが老人の姿で登場する。
In this Noh play, the shite appears in the form of an old man.
シテとワキのやり取りが物
noun
stock speculator; market operator
Stock-market term for a speculator, often one thought to be aggressively moving or manipulating a stock. Common in compounds such as 仕手株 and 仕手筋.
仕手が小型株を買い集め、株価が急騰した。
Speculators bought up the small-cap stock, and its price soared.
その銘柄には仕手の介入がうわさされ
The exchange between the shite and the waki becomes the center of the story.
There are rumors that speculators are involved in that stock.
Rare/search-oriented kanji spelling; it as an occasional spelling for the general 'doer' sense.
A general word for a performer; 仕手 as 'performer/doer' is much less common, while シテ is specifically a Noh role.
In Noh, ワキ is the counterpart or supporting role, contrasted with the main role シテ.
A general speculator in finance or markets; 仕手 is a stock-market term with a stronger nuance of actively making a move in a stock.
The spelling 仕手 is transparently associated with 仕, connected with doing or serving, plus 手, often used for a person involved in an action. The exact historical development is not specified; the Noh form シテ is the same reading written in katakana as a technical role name.