Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒursẹ̄r n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒursẹ̄r n. Also coursier, courcer, curser, corser & couser, coucer & coursour, etc. |
| Etymology | OF coursier, cursier, corsier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A swift spirited horse serving as a mount in warfare, tournament, or parade; charger, steed.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)720 : So richeliche dobbed was he..Wiþ riche stedes wele erninde, Palfreys, coursours wele bereinde.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1502 : He on a courser, startlynge as the fir, Is riden into the feeldes hym to pleye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.856 : Ther ben ordeined forto drawe Foure hors, his [the sun's] Char and him withal..Lampes the thridde coursier hihte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.310 : The kyng axeth this knyght The vertu of this courser [of brass] and the myght.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1583 : Þe knyȝt..lyȝtes..adoun, leuez his corsour.
- (1413) Will York in Sur.Soc.4361 : Unum gray cursour.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1011 : Worth thow [Troilus] upon a courser..right in this beste gere.
- (c1429) Will Durham in Sur.Soc.269 fn. : For as mich as yhe haue oon gude corser..I will gif you as mich for hym as he is worth.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1114 : There nas courser wel ybrydeled non, Ne stede, for the justing wel to gon, Ne large palfrey.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1204 : Upon a courser stertlynge as the fyr..Sit Eneas, lik Phebus to devyse.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.245 : Seleuchus..Fill from his courseer & brak his nek assonder.
- (1446) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)11.125 : Coursers, Palfredos, Somerhorses, Hakeneys, & alios Equos.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.PPeace (Hrl 2255)111 : An oxe, an asse, no courseers costious.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)81/31 : The kyng of Irlond..gave to Surdite iiij stedes couresoures.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)121/4 : She..mounted vpon a good cursere and rode into the felde.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57167 : The costes of ij cowsers that wayted uppon my lord at the corenacyon.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57180 : A fole soreld cowsere.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)147/28 : A palfrey..woll becom you bettir to ryde on than uppon a courser.
- (1485) Device Coron.Hen.VII4 : Theruppon the King .. his horse trapped in a rich trapper, with vij coursours folowing hym, all trapped in rich and diuerse trappers, and with a spare coursar, lad in hand, trapped with a trappur of the kinges armes.
2.
(a) A stallion; (b) an ambler; an ordinary horse.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Jer.5.8 : Horses, loueres in to wymmen, and courseres [L emissarii; WB(2): stalouns] thei ben mad; eche to the wif of his neȝhebore neyȝede.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)2a/b : Admissarius: a courser.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)29a : A cowrsure: Admissarius.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)99 : Cowcer [vr. cowsere], horse: Succursarius, gradarius.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)110 : Curser or cowser: Equus caballus.