Middle English Dictionary Entry
gērī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | gērī adj. Also gērẹ̄, guer(r)i, gire, quiri. |
| Etymology | From gēre n., sense 5. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of persons, gods, goddesses: fickle, capricious; (b) of actions, events, moods, behavior, a day, a season: changeable, variable; sudden, unexpected, unpredictable; (c) of ornaments on clothing: changing with the fashions, faddish.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1536 : Right as the Friday..Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste, Right so kan gery [vrr. geery, gverry, gire, guyry] Venus ouercaste The hertes of hir folk.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.754 : For sche was cause..Þis gery Fortune, þis lady reccheles, Þe blynde goddesse of transmutacioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2005 : For gery Mars, by his influence, Can ȝeue a man whilom excellence..And sodeynly..can his honour maken for to fade.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.2066 : The geri Romayns, stormy and onstable, Which neuer in oon stille koude abide [etc.].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1242 : Hir metal coper, that wil ternyssh grene..Lik gery Venus..Was set aside.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)65/22 : Dame Fortune..with hir gery and vnware violence sparith noþer Emperour nor kynge.
- c1475(?a1449) ?Lydg.Pag.Knowl.(Trin-C R.3.21)137 : Gere Venus, full of new fangylnes, Makyn men vnstable here in her lyuyng.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2257 : Fortune..With þe whirlyng of hir whele aboute..caused wrecches ful lowe doun to loute..Be hir gery reuolucioun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6676 : Fortune can transmewe Hir gery cours.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2899 : The wooful wrath..Of felle Mars..by mene of his gery mood, Ther shal be shadde al the worthy blood Of the Grekes.
- c1430 Chaucer TC (Cmb Gg.4.27)4.286 : But eueremore, lo, þis is þyn [Fortune's] manere, To reue which þat most is to hym dere, To preue in þat þyn gery violence.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.3475 : Who nat knoweth hir vnseur geri chaunce, Thynk on Lysymacus.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.696 : Thouh of berthe he was but a vileyn..My geri fauour made hym to be seyn Roial of port.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.MRose (Hrl 2255)62 : By..turnyng of the yeere..gery March his stoundys doth discloose.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)1519 : She [Venus] kan maken ageynwarde The hardy for to be cowarde, Throgh hir gery influence.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)122/3638 : Daunger wacchith al nyght..To spye me in a gery currisshenes.
- c1490 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Trin-C R.3.15)A.1538 : Guery [Heng: Right as his day Is gerful, right so chaungeth she array].
c
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.131 : How þe while turneth With gyuleris [?read: guyleris], joyffull for here gery jaces.