Middle English Dictionary Entry
gēre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | gēre n. Also gẹ̄re, ger, gære, guere, geire, gaire, gare & (error) kere. Pl. gēres, etc., (errors) gareres, ȝæres & gerren, gæren. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI görvi, gervi. Also, for some forms, cp. OE gearwe. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Wearing apparel, clothes, dress; also, a garment; (b) pl. bedclothes.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 In a fryht (Hrl 2253)4 : Y founde a wel feyr fenge to fere; heo glystnede ase gold when hit glemede; nes ner gome so gladly on gere.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2597 : Þei were greiþed gayli in þat gere.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3826 : Tak þe dromodarye..& grayþe þe on þy ger.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1016 : By hir cote armures and by hir gere, The heraudes knew hem.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2984 : This queene..Hire Sone..Let clothen in the same gere Which longeth unto wommanhiede.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1811 : Þat we gon gay in oure gere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3488 : Ryally he had hym in his gere.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1012 : Worth thow upon a courser right anon, Ye, hardily, right in thi beste gere, And ryd forth by the place.
- a1425 Al es bot (Glb E.9)4 : Vs behoues ilka day heþen make us ȝare, Forto wend fra þis werld naked & bare, Bot our wyndyng-clathe with outen any gare.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4599 : Ȝe say ȝour women has na wedis..Garlands ne no gay gere.
- (1458-60) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31249 : For wassyng of the Churche gere & sirpulis, v d.
- (1465) Paston (Gairdner)4.186 : I beseche yow that this ger be not forget, for I have not an hole hose for to doon.
- (1473) Paston (Gairdner)5.185 : I wysse I wende that I myght have etyn my parte on Good Frydaye all my garees and pryde had ben goon, but all was saffe.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)199/1530i : She all to-drewe here ryche gere.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.101 : Looke suche clothyng as þou shalt weere..And all the Remenaunt of thy geere, ffor clothyng ofte maketh man.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2905 : The persyens..gessyn hym all to be god, for glory of hys gere [Ashm: wedis].
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11238 : Bituix tua cribbes sco him laid; Was þar na riche geres graithed, Was þar na pride o couerled.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1471 : Whyle oure luflych lede lys in his bedde..in gerez ful ryche of hewe.
2.
(a) Fighting equipment; armor, weapons; --also pl.; sheting ~, bows, arbalests, etc.; (b) ~ hous, ?an armory.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13679 : On ich wulle mid mine gæren, & forð riht ich wulle uaren.
- a1275 Doomsday (Trin-C B.14.39)18 : Ne schulen heo nowðer fiȝte mid schelde ne mid spere, Mid helme ne mid brunie ne mid non oþer gere [vr. gerren].
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)orig.draft 425 : If þou ert to fiȝte bold, arys & do on þy gere.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2180 : An hundred lordes hadde he..Al armed saue hir heddes in al hir gere.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1996 : This knyht..Whan he was proudest in his gere..Ful armed with his schield and spere, [etc.].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7533 : Dos awai..þis gere; Certes can i nan armes bere.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)584 : With gode cowters & gay, & glouez of plate, & alle þe godlych gere þat hym gayn schulde þat tyde.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.635 : And ek to seen hym in his gere hym dresse..It was an heven upon hym for to see.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2539 : Bot if thowe graythe thy gere, the will grefe happen..for all thy grete wordes!
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)764 : A grete fyre made he þan, The Rede Knyghte in to bren, For he couthe nott ken His gere off to take.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1986 : Gere þee with geris fro toppe to þe too, kyth þis day þou art a kynge frely fedde!
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)100a : Her gynnes & here schetyng gere wiþ long bysegyng of þe capitoil was forwered & wasted.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6565 : Wherto bounet ye to batell in your bright geire, Whethur worship to wyn, or willfully shame?
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13360 : Euery lede to the lond laghtyn þere gayre.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)42 : On him spild i my spere And mycull of my nothir gere; Þer mone no dintus him dere.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)2499 : To seke auntrys when knyȝttes youde, Hym selff was wonte his geyre to lede, Were he neuer so stowte.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4563 : Generides anon hym dressid in his gere, And Natanell was redy with his spere.
b
- (1321) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.93 : [A chamber called] Gerhous.
3.
The harness of a draught animal; the equipment of a riding horse; the harness or equipment for pulling a cart, chariot, or plow. [See also plough ~.]
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6221 : His folk all armed did he call, And cuppel did his cartes all, Sex hundreth cartes wit al þeir geres.
- (1424) EEWills56/30 : My cartes and my plowes, and all my hors þat longen to hem, whith all her gere.
- a1450 PPl.B (Bod 814)4.20 : Gere [Ld: Sette my sadel..And lete warrok it wel with..gerthes].
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.40 : Ylke mon his owne schall haue That he syttes apon, Sadyll, brydyll, and oder geyre.
- (1466) Will York in Sur.Soc.30285 : vj oxen with the ploght and..all odyr gere thar to belonging.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)27/790* : Þis lede..a bridyll fyndez, Grathez on þis gay gere, & þen a gilt sadyll.
4.
(a) Equipment of any kind; tools, utensils, instruments, dishes, musical instruments; the rigging or other equipment of a ship; ir(en ~, an apparatus of iron for ringing a bell; [also messe ~, q.v.]; (b) goods, possessions, movable property; (c) vaguely: things (including animals), materials, stuff; ~ of the ground, the upturned soil of a field.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.352 : Wo was his cook but if his sauce were Poynaunt, and sharp and redy al his geere.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.607 : It blew and made such tempeste, Non ancher mai the schip areste, Which hath tobroken al his gere.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1276 : Ther lakked noght, Neither his collect ne his expans yeris Ne hise rootes ne hise othere geris, As been his centris and hise argumentz.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)242a/a : Of thise russhes beeþ y made dyuers needful gere and þinges þat nedeth in houshold.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)6145 : Þai asked siluer vessel & gere & claþis of pris þat ware dere.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1505 : Nou is alle þis guere geten, glotounes to serve.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)148 : When þe breth & þe brok & þe bote metten, Hit watz a ioyles gyn..Þe bur ben to hit baft, þat braste alle her gere.
- (1436) Will York in Sur.Soc.3075 : A Missall, a chales..a feriall vestimentt, and a kyste for to kepe all this gere in.
- (1449) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 876 : To tomas smyzt for worke of ye yr kere of ye bellys.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6051 : Bise was the buerne..To ordan for his Enmyes..ffolke opon fer..ffor to wacche..With qwistlis & qwes & other qwaint gere.
- (1457) Indent.Prior in Palaeog.Soc.3 (Hrl Charter 44.B.47)260 : The seid Alisandre to fynde alle manere goyinge gere, that is to sey cogges and staves and seyleclothes..of the seid melle.
- (1458-60) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31250 : For scovring of the candelstykks and other gere, xvj d.
- (1469-72) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31528 : Payed to Thomas Crowchier for amendyng of a Claper and a spryng and other gere for the Clok, viij d.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : For settynge on of the Ire gere of the sakeryng bell at seint laurences auter, iiij d.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)30/245 : My gere will I fang and thederward draw.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)31/274 : The top and the sayll both will I make..The helme and the castell..This gere may neuer fayll.
- -?-(1377) Tenants in Som.Dor.NQ 13273 : They..shal come at lammasse with such gere as longith to her labor and do her duteis to her lordis.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.800 : But in the same ship as he hir fond, Hire and hir yonge sone and al hir geere He sholde putte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3663 : He seide, 'A dieu, mi swete mai.' And forth with him he nam his gere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3300 : Men scath did me on my geyre.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4938 : And sargantz send i son..þat in þair gare [Göt: ger] mi god þai fand.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11653 : A wain þai had þair gere witin, þat draun was wit oxen tuin.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1523 : For I have kyn and frendes elleswhere That..Us sholde neyther lakken gold ne gere.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.200 : Freris and preestis þat..maken riche churchis and housis wiþ oþer gere.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)662 : Bryng agayne þe Kynges gere.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)60/149 : Kepe wele our Asse and all oure gere.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)589 : Alle þe briȝt ger, Chair & chaundelers & charbokel stones, Þe rolles þat þey redden, & alle þe riche bokes, Þey broȝte myd þe bischup.
- (1461) Paston (Gairdner)3.316 : Item, to sende worde howe we schall doo with the geere that wee toke out at the Wyght Freris.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)32/326 : Do get in oure gere, oure catall and fe.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)139/3010 : We myght no armour bere, We had with vs to moche gere.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.177 : Whyls they at Rome so were, The Saxons..Toke all theyr lande, liuelod, and other gere.
c
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)2250 : Tho made he there New haliwater with all þe circumstaunce That longeth þerto, salt and the othir gere.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)214 : He wolde schote with his spere Bestes and other gere, As many als he myghte bere..Smalle birdes wolde he slo, Hertys, hyndez also.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)905 : The ȝepe knight..Pight hom into ploghe, pilde vp the vrthe..And all the gayre of the ground þere þe gome leuyt.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.711 : Aȝens the parlement the Cite is arayde With plente of vitaill and alle other gere.
- (c1465) Invent.Cirencester in BGAS 18 (Bod 6530)327 : v olde chesiplis and other olde gere.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57436 : Item, owenge to the chaundelere into the said day for wode, candelles, and odre gere for howsold, iij s. xj d.
5.
(a) Behavior, conduct, ways, doings, affairs; child ~, youthful behavior [cp. child-gered]; (b) a way of acting or behaving; esp. a trivial or deceitful act, a trick, a wile; childes (childer) geres, childish activities; wilde geres, wild or irregular conduct; in no ~, in no light or changeable fashion; (c) in strong ~, strongly, stoutly; with ~, ?hastily; (d) ?appearance.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1372 : So feble eek were his spiritz..And in his gere [vr. cher] for al the world he ferde Nat oonly lyk the loueris maladye Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye Engendred of humour malencolyk.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)16 : Þen ar þay synful hemself..Loþe God and his gere.
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)159 : Oure fadres olde..axid nat..Why spake god thus, and seith thus elles where?..Our fadres medled no thyng of swich gere.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)31/824* : He prekys forth on hys play..Chaterand with hys chiftanes in hys child gere.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)233/182 : A, sir, be not yll payde..he is inwardly flayde, not right in his gere.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)276 : Non may on the trust, ne in thy fals gere: Off A smal man thou makest a kyng, lo! And of tho ful rych right pour men also.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8050 : Latin boc uss seȝȝþ..þatt tatt mann iss forrwarrȝedd Þatt iss an hunndredd winnterr ald & follȝheþþ childess gæress.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10885 : Himm birrþ beon fullwaxenn mann & shadd fra childess ȝæress.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)35 : Þe deuel..teð forð geres hwile after fox, hwile after wulue.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)210-11 : Hie..habbed geres after wilde deore, and for is ech man efned to þe deore þe he nimeð after geres.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1531 : Into a studie he fil sodeynly, As doon thise loueres in hir queynte geres: Now in the croppe, now doun in the breres.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1353 : He wold there no lengere duelle, Bot lepe fro the dese: Siche wilde gerys hade he mo.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1257 : I hadde no ned..to seche sorwe; I fond hyt redy every morwe, For-why I loved hyr in no gere.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1773 : For ai a child mot him chese to childire geris [Dub: gammez].
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.23 : Sprenkle me, Lord! with watyr of terys, That myn herte be pourgyd clene. Wysse me fro my wylde gerys.
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4052 : Wið ðgere [read: Wið gere] sal ic sondes sad, ðe ðu ten vt gen ðis men.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)29/632 : Þe greihond com ȝerne flingging And hente þe adder in strong ger, and flapped here al aboute his er.
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18936 : Ich con swulcne leche-craft..þat al scullen þine gareres [?read: gaeres; Otho: cheres] iwurðen swulc þas eorles.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.57/14 : Also, I will Al my Aras be solde & my bede of silke with Curtyns be solde & lede boght yer with to hill the qwere of Someretby & ye body of stayn kyrke And the surples of any lede to by vestementes & gar make to pore kyrkes aboute in ye cuntre.
Note: New spelling
Note: Sense 4.(a)
- a1400 Preste ne monke (Cleo B.2)67 : Þer is no pedler þat pak can bere Þat half so dere can sell his gere þen a frer can do.
Note: New sense
Note: For 4.(a) or (c)
Note: Sense 'wares' not covered by definition. This would be 40 yrs. earlier than earliest quot. for (c)