Middle English Dictionary Entry
heirǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | heirǒun n. Also heiron, -run, hairoun, -rin, -ron, -run, heroun, -rin, -ron, -run, haron & hern(e, (late) hearn. |
| Etymology | OF hairon, heiron, heron; from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The European heron (Ardea cinerea); bevei (sege) of heirounes, a flock of herons; (b) the heron used for food; (c) a piece of wood shaped like a heron; a heraldic representation of a heron; (d) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)28/310 : Of game þai founde wel gode haunt: Maulardes, hayroun, & cormeraunt.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)193/13 : Me ret of þe heyrone þet he draȝþ uorþ his uader and his moder huanne hi byeþ ealde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1197 : Thise fauconers..with hir haukes han the heron [vrr. heronn, herowne, heyroun] slayn.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)49b/b : And foules þat hauen longe biles..hauen longe neckes as it fareþ in cranes, hayrouns..and þat is for to gete hem mete in depnes.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)640/1 : Hec ardua: heyrune.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)141/5 : In þeise vyueres ben so many wylde gees & gandres..& heirouns.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)346 : The crane, the geaunt, with his trompes soun..The skornynge jay; the eles fo, heroun.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)237 : Heern [vrr. heryn, herne], byrde: Ardea.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : A Sege of hayrons.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)223 : With hoo and howghe to the heron þay hitten hym full ofte.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)95 : I fly a boue the skyes heyere than eyther heroun or egret.
- c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)231 : A beuy or a sege of heronez.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)143/18 : He schall se also..Duckes, Cootes, herons, & many oþer fowlys.
- c1475 in Hodgkin Proper Terms51 : A Sege of hayrynnys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)63b : A herone [Monson: an Heron]: Ardea & Ardiola.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)702/33 : Hec ardia: a haron.
- a1500 Terms Assoc.(3) (Lamb 306)233 : A heyron stalkethe..A Sege of heyrones.
- a1500 Terms Assoc.(4) (Dgb 196)232 : A bevy of herons.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)55/182 : Here are fowles..hearnes, cranes, and byttour.
b
- (1302) Doc.in RS 28.6 pt.2330 : [Pro] heyruns et botors..xxii s.
- 1381 Pegge Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)p.92 : Cranys and Herons schulle be euarmud wyth Lardons of swyne and rostyd and etyn wyth gyngynyr.
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)439 : Craunes and Herns shall be armed with larde, and rosted and eten with pouder of gynger.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)184 : Sythen herons in hedoyne, hyled full faire.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : A herone dysmembryde.
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)492 : The herons, þe hasteletez, þe henne wele serue.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)78 : Take a Heron, lete him blode as a crane.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.35 : On alle þese fowles þo legges schune bene..And gret as heroun rostyd schalle be, Þat a knyȝt is called for gentlore.
- a1475 The boris hede (Brog 2.1)p.93 : Then commys in the secund kowrs with mykyll pryid, The crannus and the heyrronns, the bytteris by ther syde.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)169 : The fyrste that come yn was a berys hedde..Capyn stewyde, Hayryn, Grete pyke.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)304 : He broȝt a heron with a poplere.
c
- (c1369) Doc.Manor in MP 3460 : Et de xxvi s. de heyrouns venditis.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)193 : Of eche cent. herouns, gees, dookys, and other such merchaundyse [F marchaundis tayllie de marym], iiij d.
- (c1460) Bk.Arms in Anc.4 (Hrl 2169)233 : Three heronys of sylvyr, beke and fet golde. Sir Emonde Heron of North humberlond.
d
- (1124-30) Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.1143 : Hugo Hayrun.
- (1212) Bk.of Fees94 : Willelmus Herun.
- (1231) Close R.Hen.III599 : Alanum Heyrun.
- (1312) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.11354 : Richard Heroun.
- (1320) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.14266 : John Hayroun.
2.
?A hedgehog [more probably an error in translation].
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)103.18 : Þe ston is refut to heyrouns [vr. yrchounes; L herinaciis].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Diseases Horse (Yale 163)27 : A heyron grey is nought..in no laboryng in no wyse and þerfore trust hym neuer.
Note: New combination: ~ grei, as a color term: 'heron-gray'. May well have arisen as a scribal misunderstanding of iren-grei, which is attested as a color term for a horse, but spelling suggests that this scribe at least intended 'heron' rather than 'iron.' Wynkyn de Worde prints "yren grey" (Laing p. 35).