Middle English Dictionary Entry
drẹ̄rī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | drẹ̄rī adj. Also drieri, driri, dreori, dreuri, dreueri, drori, druri & (early) dreriȝ, dreoriȝ, droriȝan. |
| Etymology | OE drēorig |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Sorrowful, sad, sorry; downcast dejected, melancholy; (b) as noun: sorrowful person; (c) expressing sorrow or sadness; sad, mournful, lamenting; ~ chere, ~ steven, etc.; also, drooping [quot.: Palladius]; (d) producing sadness, lamentable, sad; unfortunate.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4804 : He munnde ben full dreriȝ mann & serrhfull inn hiss herrte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4838 : Swa þatt tu dreoriȝ nohht ne beo Off nan eorþlike unnseollþe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14547 : Heo weoren særi & an heorte druri [Otho: dreri].
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)3/13 : Ðes awerȝede gast..makeð ðane religiuse man..sari and drieri and heui on godes workes.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)36/20 : Ich am dreori a-þet ha beon þurh me sumdel ideruet.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)75a : Prude & Onde..heorte-sar for worltlich þing, Dreori of-longunge..þeose beoð heorte wunden.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)100/279 : So his oliue þat iuele wiued, for he sal him often dreri [vr. dreori] maken.
- c1300 Iesu cristes milde moder (Arun 248)8 : Þo he starf..dreriere nas neuerre no wif þan þu were, leuedi.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1253 : Þe pope bi-gan to siche sore, and with ful dreori þouȝt þe teres fullen out of is eiȝene.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)815 : Þe disciples..Sori were ffor þat word and dreori in hare þouȝt.
- a1350 My deþ (Hrl 2253)5 : Sorewe ant syke ant drery mod byndeþ me so faste.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.37.7 : A wrecche I am maad..al dai al dreri [L contristatus] I wente in.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.161 : Lucrecia..goþ hir wey sorwful and drery [Tbr: dreory; L moesta].
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)109/92 : Þei weore druri euerichon.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)4025 : Florens..had grete sorowe and was drery.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17986 : He [vr. His] flessche was seke & dreurye [Ld: drury].
- a1400 Floris (Eg 2862)72/82 : Now ben þese Children swyþ woo..Drewryer þinges neuer noone were.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1209 : Oppressed hertes with gladnes to delyte, Þat drery wern aforn of nyȝtes tene.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1455 : Now es he blithe, now es he drery.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.2.127 : It nedeth nat to saie that blisfulnesse [ne] be angwyssous ne drery, ne subgit to grevaunces.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)56/28 : An olde Auncien lady, triste and drery..wympled hir face toforne in full dolerous wise.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)1043 : Þere myne avow made i..For dede neuyr to be drery.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)48 : His [Christ's] sowle was drery to þe deþ.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)76/14 : Þes þynges dryes and feblys þe body..to haue euyl and drery þoughtes [L cogitationes pessimas et tristissimas].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)220/527 : This bytter passyon if I may not put by..thou comforte me that am drery!
b
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)97 : He ifrefrað þa droriȝan.
c
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)418 : Mid reuþfule wepe & mid dreri drem.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)85/160 : And drery was þy mone.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.25.23 : A northerne wind scatereth reynes, and a dreri face [WB(2): sorewful; L tristis] the bacbitende tunge.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.514 : Al drery was his cheere and his lookyng.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Monk fr.Death (Phys-E)p.31 : Als I stod mi dom to her Bifor iesus, wit dreri cher, Of fendes herd ic mani vpbrayd.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5459 : Helpe now..Som drery ter..In-to my penne dolfully to reyne!
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5560 : Her drery pleyntis & lamentaciouns.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.40.7 : Whi dreryer [WB(2): soriere; L tristior] is ȝoure face to day than it was wonte?
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)383 : With carefulle mode and drery stevene..Made he thane his mone.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.250 : Yf Canyculer So make hem [plants] feynt..& of drury cheer.
- c1450 Kynge of grace (Trin-C B.11.24)192 : Two angelys schall com be-forne..with the crowne of thorn, With drewry cher and sory mode.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)191 : With a drery dreme he dryves owte wordes.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)808 : Wyth karefulle hert and drury mone, Sykynges made he.
d
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)16/224 : Ȝef ȝe þenne hondlið ow in ei stude untuliche..þet dreori dede on ende ȝeueð þet deaðes dunt.
- c1275 Þene latemeste dai (Clg A.9)4 : From þe dreorie deað ne mai no mon at-blenche.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)323 : Þurȝ drwry deth boz vch ma [?read: man] dreue, Er ouer þys dam hym Dryȝtyn deme.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.105 : The drery pitus fate Of hem of Troye.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4238 : Þou [Helen of Troy] art..grounde of al, Of many drery fest funeral Þat schal be holde amonge vs.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.1.6 : Drery vers of wretchidnesse weten my face with verray teres.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)485/158 : What drerye destonye me drew fro þat dede!
2.
(a) Frightened, apprehensive; (b) causing fear, terrible; (c) cruel, hateful, wicked.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)881 : Hom sche went wiþ dreri mod.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11622 : Maria and ioseph..For the child war ful dreri [Trin-C: dredi].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23740 : We mai be dreri for þe feind.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)810 : She rist hire up with a ful drery herte, And in a cave with dredful fot she sterte.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)131/249 : Þus praied þai all with drery steuyn.
b
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)6 : A blisse budel vs bad, þe dreri domesdai to drede.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)214 : Þe dreri [Frf: driry; Trin-C: dredeful] days fiueten þat sal cum for-wit domes day.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22211 : Þis dreri [Trin-C: drewery] time þat yee of here Sal lastand be half thrid yere.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)16792 : On þat dreri dai, quen þu þaim deme sall.
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)16/32 : Buh nu & bei to me, ear þen þu deie o dreroi [Roy: drori] deð.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)20/182 : Þah þu me..beate..& to derue pine don me ant to dreori deð.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)28a : Hwen he þolede þuldeliche..as ha buffeteden him..wið hare dreori fustes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1085 : Quen caym had don þat dreri [Trin-C: deolful] dide [etc.].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.237 : How Edippus..Wepte oute his eyne, and al his drery peyen.
3.
(a) ?Bloody [cp. OE]; (b) of blood: ?sluggish, coagulated.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22462 : Þar sal fall dun..A blodi rain, a dreri drift; þe erth sal be al rede of heu.
b
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4382 : Colde and drery [LinI: drury] was his blood. His swerd he bare in honde ydrawe, Wiþ whiche he had many yslawe.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)1745 : Al þe blod..In swot out of his body hit ran..His heorte blod was al dreory [Suth: drye].