Middle English Dictionary Entry
ancre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ancre n. Also auncre, anker, -ir, -or, -ur, anger, hanker, anchor, -ar. Pl. ancren, -es. |
| Etymology | OE ancra, ancer, ān-cora. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A Christian (man or woman) who, secluding himself from the world, devotes himself entirely to the service of God and to the exemplification of Christian ideals (humility, kindness, chastity, etc.); (b) specif., a hermit (living alone), or (c) a recluse (living in a religious house), a monk or nun; ancres and heremites; ~ incluse.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)73/30 : Ðese twa lif, hermite and ansæte lif, ðe we nu clepeð anker.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)3b : Pawel, þe earste ancre, antonie & arsenie.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)335 : To þe yle of Ankres þe þreotteoþe schal i-wende, Þe fourteoþe al quic to helle.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.173 : Þerof prophecied an holy anker [Higd.(2): heremite; L anachorita] to kyng Egilred.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.149 : Cuthberd..lyvede anker [Higd.(2): as an ankre; L anachoritice] his lyf in þe ilond Farn.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)12 : Ankyr, recluse: Anachorita.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)356/7 : A chirche, whereinne was biggyd a litil celle, and þere-in dwellid an olde man solitarye, ledynge anchares life.
b
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)13/7 : Þet oðor mynecene cyn is ancræne, þat is westensetlena..hi onstondende mit Godes fultume..onȝean þane deofol & heoræs fleascæs leahtres.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.377 : Oon Alwyne, þat lyvede as an anker [L anachoritice] at Malvern hylles.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)10.132 : Maydens and Martires, Monkes an Ancres.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)158/633 : Shepheardes crafte here I forsake, and to an Anker hereby I will, in my prayers to wach and wake.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10903 : Maximien..martrede seint Alban..&tweien ancrist [Otho: ancreos] of Kærlion.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)143/14 : Her(e)mites and ancres.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)1b : Nu easki ȝe hwet riwle ȝe ancren schulen halden..Alle ancren mahen wel halden an riwle.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)2a : Nan ancre..ne schall..bihaten ase heast bute þreo þinges..obedience, chastete, & stude steaðeluestnesse.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)3b : Hwer se wummon liueð oðer mon bi him ane, hearmite oðer ancre.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)39a : For þi is ancre ancre icleopet & under chirche iancret as ancre under schipes bord.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7808 : An auncre [vr. ancre] godes spouse, Þat nolde vor no þing fle out of hire house.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)47/33 : Þan riȝth as ȝee see þat an Ancre is bischett in an hous..riȝth so is vche mannes soule bischett in his body as an Ancre.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)135/10 : An Ancre was almest dampned for þat sche nolde nouȝth lenen a quayer fram fer to loken on.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)199/16,17 : Summe ancres maken her boord wiþ her gestes, & þat is mest aȝeins ancres order & vncomelich.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.208 : He ne is nouȝte in lolleres, ne in lande-leperes hermytes, Ne at ancres.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)1.30 : As ancres [vrr. ankryes, hankers] & Eremites, þat holden hem in hure cellys.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.141 : In þe castel of corf ich shal do þe close Ther as an ancre [vr. anker].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6348 : Lyk an anker in an hous.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)9 : Preyeth for þe saul of frere Ion lacy, Anchor, and Reclused in þe new castel upon tynde.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)43/36 : Þe ankyr of þe Frer Prechowrys in Lenn, whech was principal gostly fadyr to þis creatur.
- c1440(a1396) Hilton SP (Thrn)44/14 : Þou sall be safe as ane ankir incluse.
- (1443) Will York in Sur.Soc.30131 : I bequethe to the Ancores of Notingham vj s.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)266 : To be anger or eremete, A-gains þe fend thurgh faith to feght With dedes of penance day & night.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1000 : For to lyue slike gastely lyfe Amang ankirs.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)2017 : Þis chapiter..Telles treuly..how, on ankeryse thynkand, he [Cuthbert] lyued in haly eland.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)2166 : He gate leue To anchor lyfe him to geue.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)169 : Celestinus the Fifte, Pope, take fro his hous, for he was a ankir.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxxv : Chanouns & freris, ankers & hermytes.
2.
Cpds.&phrases (containing the gen.): (a) on ankersetle, at a hermits' retreat; (b) ancre hus, a monastery or nunnery; ~ ordre, the order of nuns; ancrene wisse, the rule for nuns; (c) ancre curteisie, ~ largesse, ~ luve, a nun's courtesy, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Muneces þa wolden drohtien here lif on anker setle.
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)1a : Her biginneð ancrene wisse.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)37a : Job cleopeð nest þe ancre hus & seið..'ich chulle deien i mi nest.'
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)47a : & teo þe hudeð ham ariht in hare ancre hus, ha schulen beon in heouene ouer oþres cunnes folc wurðliche ihehet.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)111b : To muche freondschipe..is..meast aȝein ancre ordre, þe is al dead to þe world.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)114b : Ancre ne schal nawt forwurðe scolmeistre, ne turnen ancre hus to childrene scole.
c
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)112b : Of ancre curteisie, of ancre largesce, is icumen ofte sunne ant scheome on ende.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)101/24 : Ne drede ȝe nout þeo hwule ðet ȝe beoð so treouliche & so ueste ilimid mid lim of ancre [Corp-C: anred] luue euerichon of on to oðer.