Middle English Dictionary Entry
hēre n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | hēre n.(1) Also her, heir(e, herre, ere, har(e & (early) hære, heare, heore & hir(e, (?pl.) heren. |
| Etymology | OE here. Forms with i & eo are prob. due to the influence of OE hīred, hēored household. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A band or host of armed men, an army (either invading or defending); (b) a host of angels or devils; hevenes ~, helles ~; fig. devles ~, evil thoughts or desires; (c) a crowd of people, company, multitude; a swarm of frogs; a collection of treasures; (d) in (on) bak ~, at the rear of an army.
Associated quotations
a
- ?1130 Chron.Tbr.B.4 (Tbr B.4)214 : Her werþ Anagas of sleien fram Scotta eere.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3907 : Crist..Wass borenn her to manne, Alls iff he ȝæn þe laþe gast Wiþþ here wollde fihhtenn.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)115 : He scal..festliche winnan wið onsiȝend-ne here and haldan his eþel.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)549 : Brutus heom com æfter..mid sweord & mid spere, al he to-drof þes kinges here.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7872 : Julius..wes a Lundene mid his hære.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21516 : Cador..hæhte heom..mid heore waȝen & mid heore speren murðren Childriches heren.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1790 : Mid þisse worde forþ hi ferden, Al bute here and bute uerde.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)25018 : And iwite of þan caisere and of þan Romanisse heare wi hii ous mid þrete.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)346 : Of bodi he was þe beste knicth Þat euere micte leden uth here, Or stede onne ride, or handlen spere.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2679 : Moyses was louered of ðat here.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)897 : He cam out of al þe here & bar to roulond a gret spere.
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)115/614 : After þe douke souȝt gregorij Þurch his ost and þurch his here.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8089 : On þam be-heild þe kinges her [Trin-C: hoost], Moght noght an laghter for-ber.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23765 : Eth es for to win wit heer Þe ture þat nan es bute to were.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.277 : Shise [read: Thise] erles..þat in þe castelle were, Sauh þer folk not sped, bot slayn alle þer here.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)241 : Hyre [Win: Hyr]:..manipulus.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)139/1181 : The childe takes þe heghe waye To Cleremont, þare þe sowdane laye With alle his grete here [Cmb: heere].
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1179 : Many thurgh gane he bere, Fonde folke in the here.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)307 : Þey setten vp-on eche side Surrie with-yn..Token toun & tour..Holy þe heþen here hewyn to grounde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1163 : Jason full iustly and Joly knightes moo, With all the here þat þei hade highet belyue.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1256 : Sire Meliager [was] in gret mynd a man out to sende To ser Alexander..To come & help with his here [Dub: heir].
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)31/810* : And held on with a hale here.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3370 : A mikell here off enngleþeod Wass cumenn ut off heoffne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3946 : Þatt heoffness here mihhte swa Þurrh hallȝhe sawless waxenn.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)4/24 : Þis is babilones folc þe deofles here of helle þet is umbe forte leaden, in to þe worldes þeowdom, Syones dohter.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21840 : Þat hali cros..Þan be ur scheld and vr sper Bituix us and all helles her!
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2969 : Ðo cam ðor up swilc froskes here, ðe ðede [read: dede] al folc egipte dere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13507 : Tua fisches and fiue laues o bere, þat iesus wit fedd suilk a here.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)902 : Cayre tid of þis kythe er combred þou worþe, With alle þi here upon haste, tyl þou a hil fynde.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)59 : Þe most kyd knyȝtez. & þe louelokkest ladies..Hit werere [read: were] now gret nye to neuen So hardy a here on hille.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5126 : I drysse ȝow..o serelepy hewis A hundreth in a hale heere, hiȝtild with crestis, And twa hundret & ten..Of rekanthes of rede gold.
d
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)22810 : Þe duk..With his legion he sette..Opon to cum, qwen tide maste nede, Als in bak her fighting to bede.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)p.339 : Gret numbre of folk þar sette iquiles, þe cite with in for to halde, On bakher cum out þai ne sailde..Bihinde he come so on bak here And hard on faght wiȝ swerd and spere.
2.
(a) Warfare, invasion; devastation by war; mid fir and mid ~, with fire and sword; wis of ~, wise in warfare; (b) military service or a tax in lieu of such service.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)13 : Ne þet eou ne scal derien nouðer here ne hunger.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2159 : Humber king & al his fleote..comen on Albanacles londe & fuhten wið his leoden mid fure & mid here.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8245 : Þe king..mid muchelere ferde, mid here [Otho: fehte] and mid fure, þat lond for-ferde swiðe.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)80/86 : Þe cnith bi-ouit..forto weriin þe lon[d] of here.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2479 : He..bad him nimen him feres mide, Wel wopnede men and wis of here.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1100 : He æfre þas leode mid here & mid ungylde tyrwigende wæs.
- a1200 PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)45 : Þar ne þarf he habben care of here [Lamb: ȝefe] ne of ȝielde.
3.
In cpds. & combs.: (a) ~ gong, ~ ȝ(e)ong [cp. OE here-gang & ME yong n. (2)], a military expedition, an invasion; also, devastation; heriel [cp. OE here-gild], Danegeld; ~ path [OE here-pæþ], ~ strete [OE here-strǣt, -strēt], an army road, a highway; also in place names; ~ wedes [cp. OE here-wǣd, -wēd], armor; (b) ~ burne [cp. brinie], ~ shroud, a coat of mail; ~ dring, ~ thring [cp. dreng], ~ gume [cp. gome n. (1)], ~ kempe, ~ knight, a warrior; ~ fare, military service or a tax in lieu of such service; ~ feng, booty, plunder; ~ ishole [cp. OE hand-scolu], a band of warriors; ~ marke, a battle standard; (c) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.244-5]; hereford whit, a kind of cloth.
Associated quotations
a
- c1120(OE) Leges Hen.I in Liebermann Gesetze 1556 : Omnes herestrete omnino regis sunt.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18194 : Þa biðohte Vther whæt Merlin him sæide ær in þan hire-ȝeonge inne Walisc londe.
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(*Glb A.19-James)80/86 : Þe cniht bihoueð..uor to werie þe lond of hunȝer & of hereȝonȝ [Trin-C: heregong].
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1191 : Ich wot of hunger, of hergonge; Ich wot ȝef men schule libbe longe.
- a1300(OE) Deed Crediton (CotR 2.11)119 : Þanne est on þan herpape [read: herpaþe], eft on schokebrokes ford.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)848 : Ðre kinges haued he wið him brogt, wið here-gonge hise gouel sogt.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4084 : For here is comand to þis lond Gret hunger & here gong, Sex hundred Sarrazins Forto awreke þe douke Angis.
- (1330) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)87 : Harepath.
- (1333) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)87 : Herpathe.
- (1344) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)118 : Herstrate.
- (1444) Let.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12151 : Prior de Coldingham qui pro tempore fuerit habebit de utroque eorum suum heriell'.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)201 : Me were leuere one this launde lengen a while..Harde haspede in my helme and in my herewedys.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1010 : All þe ȝeris of oure ȝouthe es ȝare syne passid, And we for-trauailid & terid..Al to heuy to be hildid in any here wedis.
- (1472) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)179 : Herestrete.
- (1498) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)151 : Harestrete.
- a1500(c1050) Chart.Crediton in Anec.O.74 : Fyrst fram Crydian burgge to herpaþ, and ewn langys herpath to Sulford.
b
- (1199-1216) Chart.R.PRO29 : Soluta et libera et quieta de omnibus geldis..et forstal et hamsocne et herefare.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)243 : In þes deofles heriscole fihteð agen us his iferred ȝewerged gastes and unþeawes and unwraste lahtres.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5069 : Leie a-dun þin hære scrud..& þi swerd stronge.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11717 : Heo funden herre-feng inoh & lædden to heore ferde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16776 : Biuoren his hære-dringe he feol uppen uolde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18214 : He [the dragon] wes his hire-mærke.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18227 : Vther..to hermærke þene drake bar.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19164 : Islaȝen wes..Gorlois & alle..his here-gumen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20253 : Her is Balduf icumen mid swiðe hærde hære-gumen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20618 : Whar beo ȝe, mine cnihtes, mine hære-kemppen?
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21568 : Cheldriches cnihtes..isehȝen ouer wolden winden heore-mærken.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22080 : Þer suggen beornes..leoðes of Ardure..& of his here-þringen [Otho: here-dringes].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22145 : Þeos hereþringes þreo comen to þan kige [read: kinge].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23966 : Þe helm an his hæuede and his hereburne gon to falsie.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27356 : Heȝe hare-marken, hæleðes heom heolden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27469 : Ueldes falewe wurðen; feollen here-mærken [Otho: hire markes].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27544 : Heðene here-þrihng þer he hærm wrohte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)28284 : Þa weoren þere italde Sixti þusende here-kempen harde of heðene uolke.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30787 : Þe king him gon to þeinen, mid alle his here-cnihten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30999 : Þa falden heo adune heremarken uaȝe.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)27869 : Eorles and heredringges [Clg: beornes]..in þan fihte weren islaȝe.
c
- (1175) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)275 : Hereford.
- (1240) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)134 : Hervorditun.
- (1248) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)36 : Herelawe.
- (1248) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)339 : Herewic.
- (1289) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)510 : [William] atte hereweye.
- (1333) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)510 : [John] atte Hereweye.
- (1408) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)211 : Haryetfeld.
- (1444) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.59 : [One piece of white woollen cloth, containing 22 yds., called] herfordwhite, [40 s.].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)56 : Prelats, wiþ þer stafis & oþer ornaments, are statuit ymagis, ful of kaff, wiþ a bow to sley þe fowlis, & as a nap in þe rof, so a sole in þe heyre of honoris.
Note: ?Might 'sole' be 'fole' (fool). If 'heyre' = hēre n.(1) (army), this quot. is needed for date in any of the senses, but it probably belongs to sense 1.(a). May need to modify gloss (?in prov. expression) to accommodate it.
Note: '[H]eyre' may also be hẹ̄r(e n.(2) (a garment of haircloth). (?Also in prov. expression.)