Middle English Dictionary Entry
garter n.
Entry Info
| Forms | garter n. Also gartere, gartier, gartour, gartre, gertier, garretter, garder(e, garthor, garthur. |
| Etymology | OF gart(i)er, var. of jartier(e. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A garter; also, any lace for fastening hose or shoes.
Associated quotations
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)141 : Au garres unt ore gareters [glossed:] garthors [vr. garterys].
- (1376) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.399 : [Girdlers are not allowed to make girdles or] garretters [with any metal except iron, steel, or] latone.
- a1400 Þo oure lord god (Mrg M 957)320 : Byneþe here hamme upon a hose gray, y-bounde is þat dame wyþ a garter grey, here legges faste to tyȝte here hose.
- (a1422) Doc.St.Alb.in RS 28.5 pt.2 (Cld E.4)329 : Item, unum par garteres.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.14.23 : Fro a threed of the weeft vnto a garter [L corigiam] of an hoos I shal not take of alle thingis that ben thin.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)655/1,38 : Hoc perplicar, Anglice gartere. Hoc subligar, idem..Hec ligula, Anglice garter.
- (1438) EEWills109/5 : I bequeth..a blak cloth of Damask sengill, & a gowne of Goldsmythes werk, for to make vestimentes, & a c gertiers.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)188 : Gartere, or gardere: Subligar, pelliper.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2293 : Abouȝt hurre legg fulle fast hit knytte; In monere of a garthur yknytte hit was Abouȝt herre leg, fulle preuely.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)598/25 : Obligar, anglice a gartur.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)604/6 : Popliliga, anglice a gartour.
- (1471) Will York in Sur.Soc.45194 : j par of garters gylted.
2.
(a) Badge of the Order of the Garter; (b) a representation of this emblematic garter; (c) the Order itself; ordre of the ~; knight (lord) of the ~, a knight of the garter; (d) the title of the principal of the chief heralds of the College of Arms; Maister ~, ~ King of Armes.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1345-9) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3140 : Ad faciendum xij garteria de blu broudata de auro & serico quolibet habente dictamen 'Hony soyt qui mal y pense'. ]
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)22 : Of þylke men of þe garteres, So com þe vsage of þe garteres.
- (1422-3) Acc.Met.Col.in Archaeol.J.665 : Pro lacys et frenge, et 11 garderys sancti Georgii.
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.309 : Be þer maad a livre to þe Warderober, commandyng him..to do make ij mantelles of velewet..with þe Garter of Seint George..For to bere & deliuere þe oon robe with a garter for þe leg to þe King of Aragon.
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)559/3 : Þe Kyng gave þe Emperoure þe Gartour.
b
- [ (1345-9) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3133 : j pala alba pouderata cum garteriis bluettis. ]
- (1415) Invent.Agincourt in Archaeol.7091 : ij peciis de Worsted albo cum armis lescrop infra j garter.
- (1449) Will Brugco in Nichols Illust.132 : I bequethe to the said chirch..1 chesible diacones, for decones, or frees of white clothe of gold powdred with garters.
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)62-3 : At the crest of a clyffe a caban was rerede, Alle raylede with rede the rofe and the sydes, With Ynglysse besantes full brighte, betyn of golde, And ichone gayly vmby-gone with garters of inde, And iche a gartare of golde gered full riche.
- (1466) Rec.St.Stephen in Archaeol.5038 : Item, j nothir chesebyll of yollowe sylke with garters.
- (1467) Death Hen.V in Archaeol.65179 : Fyrst auctercloth of whyte fustian embrodered with garterres.
c
- [ (1348) in Beltz Garter385 : De Societate Garter. ]
- [ c1400 Higd.Polychron.Ctn.Corp-C.(Corp-C 152)155 : Et ensement a cause qil fuist chevalier del gartour. ]
- (1417) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.435 : Ȝour Brother the Kyng of Rome werede the Gowne of the Garterez with ȝour Coler opynly ad the Hyȝe Messe.
- (a1422) Hoccl.Hen.V.& KG (Hnt HM 111)5 : To yow, lordes of the garter, 'flour Of Chiualrie' as men yow clepe & calle.
- c1435 Lydg.St.George (Bod 686)11 : Þe thridde Edwarde..ffounded þe ordre first of þe gartere Of worthi knyghtys.
- ?1457 Hardyng Chron.A (Lnsd 204:Hammond)236/123 : The Emperour..Was with the kynge and made..Of the Garter a knyght..And had his stall..In the Colage of seynt George.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)313 : Ther, on Seynt Georges day, was he mad brothir of knites of the gartere.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)380 : To the chapter of the order of the garter..come the Kinge.
d
- (1420) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)188 : Item, volo et ordino dicto filio meo modo gartere unum gilt goboler.
- (1427) Proc.Privy C.3.259 : Instruccion yeven by þe King..to Garter King of armes..Furst þe said Gartier after presentacion of his lettres [etc.].
- (1443) Proc.Privy C.5.309 : & delivere hem to Garter Kyng of Armes.
- a1525(1470) Rebell.Lin.(ArmsV 435)12 : The king sent garter king of armez with ij prive sealez of summons to theym.
- a1525(1470) Rebell.Lin.(ArmsV 435)14 : His highnes had sent his forsaide summons by the saide garter.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)384 : M[ayste]r Garter gave hym thankes in the name of all the office. M[ayste]r Norry cryed ye larges in iij places of the hall.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Add 6113)284 : And these herauldes before hym, Mayster Gartier, Principall Kinge of Armes, Clarencieux, Kinge of Armes, Norrey, Kinge of Armes, [etc.].
3.
?The material of which the badge of the Garter is made, i.e. blue velvet.
Associated quotations
- (1401) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.37 : [Another long gown of] Gartiers.
- (1416) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.37 : [A gown of] gartres [furred with] menyver.