Middle English Dictionary Entry
eldre n. (usually plural)
Entry Info
| Forms | eldre n. (usually plural) Also ildre, uldre, aldre, elther. Forms: pl. eldre, elder(e; eldren, elder(e)n; eldres, elder(e)s. |
| Etymology | OE eldra, -an, yldra, ældra, comp. of adj. eald used as noun. eldre overlaps alder, OE ealdor 'chief, prince', in meaning. In WM the two words coalesce phonetically in alder, resulting in further confusion. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. eldre-man and alder chief.
1a.
A parent (in quot. a1333 extended to include godparents); an ancestor or forefather; a predecessor.
Associated quotations
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)123 : Helle þe we weren in bifolen þurh ure eldra gult.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)145 : Hwat for ure eldere werkes, hwat for ure aȝene gultes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)285 : His ealdren [Otho: hire tweire] deð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7354-6 : For ure ældere [Otho: eldre] ut of Troye fluȝen, and of anne kunne we beoð icumen; þine aldren [Otho: eldre] and ure at Troye wuren ifeire.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)81 : Ha heold hire aldrene hird wisliche & warliche i þe heritage.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)883 : Ure eareste aldren, Adam & Eve.
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Mdst A.13)252/142 : For ahte nis non eldere [Jes-O: ildre] stren ac is godes lone.
- ?c1250 PMor.(Eg 613(1))194 : Þat vre eldrene [vrr. ældrene, eldre, elderne, eldren] mis-duden we habbet vuele an honde.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)13 : Þus ferden oure aldren bi Noees dawe.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)907 : Muche þing þat is eldore [B: huldere] lore þoru feintise, Mid strengþe he wan suþþe aȝen.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4389 : Þencheþ on ȝoure elderne [B: vlderne] þat were so noble on miȝte.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)93/234-5 : Nauȝt nys þys heste y-hote of god For suche eldren al-lone, Ac hys of mannes eldren eke As he teȝt atte font-stone.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.248 : Agag and Amalec..Schulden dye for a dede þat don hedde his eldren.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)109 : Underlout till thaim was he, Als god child au til elderes be.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19091 : Mighti godd..Of abrahem and of ysaac, And of vr eldres þat has ben aa.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19343 : Vr eldrin godd did iesu rise.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)18016 : Mine eldrin folk of iuen lede Haue i [Satan] done rise againes him.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)233/14 : That with oure elthers euer has bene.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2483 : Riȝt as Sexis was slayn sum time with ȝour eldirs [Dub: aldours].
- a1452 Þy lord (Sal 126)214 : Worschippe þyn hyldron in þy lay.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)295 : Adam, oure alder, þat ete of þat appulle.
1b.
In phrase bi eldren daues, in the days of our forefathers, long ago.
Associated quotations
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)421 : By eldryn dawes.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)1.65 : As it is said by elderne dawis.
2a.
A person older than oneself; one's elder.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10701 : Þatt tu beo meoc & herrsumm till þin elldre.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13215 : He þatt iss þin elldre.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)109 : Vnwurðe bið þe on elde þet him oðer men þenien þe on his ȝuheðe nule his eldian [read: eldran] hersumian.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)12092 : For to lerne & stonde in awe And to his eldre worship drawe.
- a1425 Ordin.Nuns(1) (Lnsd 378)142/7 : Be obediant principally to þi priores & to þi elders in þe ordir.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.125 : That yonge folk obey vnto their eldron In gouernaunce as good and boxum childron.
2b.
An old man or woman; an elderly person.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31831 : Quelan þa ældren, quelen þa ȝeongeren.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.10.9 : Moyses seith, With oure children and aldren [WB(2): eldre] we shulen goon; and with sones, and douȝtres.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Judg.2.7 : Alle the days of Josue, and of the eldren that loong tyme after hym lyueden.
3.
In the Bible (transl. seniores): one having authority in the community, orig. on account of age; hence in various specific applications, as one of the elders of the Jewish nation or of the apostolic church.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))1 Esd.6.7 : Of the duke of Jewis, and of the elders [WB(2): eldre men] of hem.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))1 Esd.6.14 : The eldere [WB(2): eldre men] forsothe of Jewis bilden vp, and hadden prosperite.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.16.12 : It byhouith hym to..suffre many thingus of the eldris [WB(2): eldere men] and scribis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.4.4 : Vpon the troones foure and twenty eldre [vrr. eelder men, elderes; WB(2): eldre men] sittynge.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.5.6 : I siȝe and lo!..in the mydle of eldre [vrr. the eldrys, eldris; WB(2): the eldre men] a lomb stondinge as sleyn.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)2 John 1 : Þe eldere to a chosen lady & to here chyldren.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 15.4 : Þei wore receyued of þo congregacyone ande of þe apostuls ande þe eldars.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 21.18 : Alle þe eldars wore gadired togider.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 23.14 : Þise men ȝode to þo princes of prestes ande þo eldars.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 24.1 : Þo prince of prestes Anany with summe of þo elders.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.19.12 : The aldren [vr. elderes; WB(2): eldere men] of that citee.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 15.30 : Nowe honour me before the eldren [WB(2): eldere men] of my puple.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 16.4 : He cam into Bethleem, and the eldrys [WB(2): eldere men] of the cytee..wondriden.
4.
Substituted by the scribe for alder, a leader.
Associated quotations
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3122 : In France was a king..folke he was eldere [Clg: ældere].
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)19105 : Þe eorl Aldolf sal beon oure eldre [Clg: aldre].