Middle English Dictionary Entry
ǧettǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ǧettǒur n. Also getour, iettour, jectour & getter, ietter. |
| Etymology | From ǧetten v. Also cp. OF getëor. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A swaggerer, boaster, bully; a vain or ostentatious person; (b) as the name of an occupation: ?a caster of metal, founder.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)761 : Þys gentyl men, þys gettours [vr. gettourys] Þey ben but Goddys turmentours; Þey turment hym alle þat þey may with fals oþys.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)281 : Ȝif he waste pore mennes liflode..in glotonye and drounkennesse and grete festis of riche men, as officeris of þe bischop and getteris of countre.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)23 : Þei..hanten tauernys..aboute strumpetis and grete festes, riche cloþing and gay squyeris, and oþere getteris.
- ?c1430(a1400) Wycl.Wedded Men (Corp-C 296)195 : Manye, whanne þei ben drounken, comen hom to here wifis, and sumtyme fro here cursed strumpatis and jectouris of contre, and chiden.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Serv.& L.(Corp-C 296)242 : Many ietteris of contre..wolen make hem self gentel men & han litel or nouȝt to lyue onne.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Serv.& L.(Corp-C 296)243 : Ȝif he reproue hem of here wickid lif..& so be..so hatid amonge hem, þat he schal be fayn to sette his chirche to ferme to suche a gettere nerehonde for nouȝt.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)192 : Gettare: Gestulator, gestuosus [vr. gesticulator].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4415 : Venus was a-vowtrere..And Iupitir a Iettoure þat Iapid many ladis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4504 : Dame Iuno was a iettir..Forþi scho hedis to þe hert & has it to ȝeme.
- c1460 Alas my childe (Dub 432)73 : To rounde and talke in churche vsed I, And euer in seruise tyme to shewe my shap; þerfore, ye getters, be war here by, ffor I am dampned.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.187/23 : Ther cam a proud getter rydynge from Londone and mette with to frerys walkyng on a dychis brynke in þe footpath to flen þe foule waye.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)693 : Fyghters, brawlers..Getters, chyders..came thedyr that day, Redy bowne in batayll Vertew to abyde.
b
- (1386-87) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.96108 : Johannes getour; Ricardus de Stowe, milner; Ricardus de Cleseby, goldsmyth.
- (1404-05) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.96108 : Thomas Bisshop, getour.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The examples in sense (b) appear to represent an occupational name. Among the various possibilities, 'founder' seems the likeliest occupation on general grounds. Cp. AND s.v. geteur (1), "knife-thrower; shot-putter; metal-caster." But cp. also DMLBS s.v. jactator, sense 2., "dauber, pargeter." The general sense "thrower" is clear; the specific application uncertain.