Middle English Dictionary Entry

hē̆r(e pron. (possessive plural)
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Entry Info

Forms hē̆r(e pron. (possessive plural) Also heare, heir, er(e, herre, hero & hir(e, ire & (chiefly early or WM) hō̆r(e, or(e, hora, heor(e, heora, heoræ, hoere & (chiefly WM or K) hā̆r(e, ar(e, ȝare & (chiefly S or sWM) hur(e, hura, huere, hurre.
Etymology OE heora, hiora, heara, hiara, hira, hyra. ME forms in ē̆ are from OE eo or ea; forms in i from io, ia, or i; forms in ō̆ from ea or eo; forms in ā̆ from ea or ia; forms in u from y. In the North, their(e generally replaces hē̆r(e in the 14th cent.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

Note: Cp. he pron.(3).
1a.
With reference to persons: (a) denoting possession in the broadest sense: their; (b) ~ ouen, their own; ~ two, their two, both of their; (c) with sg. antecedent.
Show 55 Quotations
1b.
With reference to animals: their; ~ ouen.
Show 14 Quotations
1c.
With reference to things, souls, abstractions, etc.: their.
Show 14 Quotations
2.
Used absolutely, denoting possession: theirs.
Show 13 Quotations
3.
In partitive constructions: of them: (a) ~ aller(es, ~ alder(es, ~ alther, of all of them, of them all; ~ ani, any of them; ~ beire, ~ bothe, ~ bother(es, ~ be(i)ther, of both of them, of them both; fele ~, many of them; feue ~, of few of them; ~ on, the one of them; ~ other, the other of them; ~ outher, either of them; ~ som, some of them; ~ tweineres, ~ two, of the two of them; ~ which, which of them; (b) either ~, ~ everi, each of them; ~ ech, ~ either, each of them, of each of them; ~ eches, ~ eitheres, of each of them; (c) ~ neither, ~ nother, ~ nouther, neither of them, neither of those two; ~ non, none of them; also, neither of them; ~ never on, never a one of them.
Show 56 Quotations
4.
(a) As subjective genitive: of them, their; don ~ pouer, to do their best, do what they can; ~ dedes, their actions; ~ song, their singing; etc.; (b) as objective genitive: of them, their; ~ creatour, the Creator of them; ~ foryevenesse, the act of forgiving them; ~ servise, how they were served.
Show 37 Quotations
5.
In adverbial genitives; ~ thankes, willingly; ~ unthankes, unwillingly; ?with a play on stink or stench [last quot.].
Show 4 Quotations
6.
Them; to ~, to them; nouther of ~, neither of them [cp. 3. (c) and idioms like 'a friend of his'].
Show 2 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)130/56 : Monye riche men..fasteþ þanne day and oþer mid wel lite god, Ac for ȝare soule riȝt noȝt, ac fore hore heui blod.
    • Note: = their(e 1d.(b)
  • c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1101 : Androge & tennant..to ȝonge were beie þo ȝare [B vrr. here, hare, her] fader deide to holde þe kinedom.
    • Note: = their(e 2.(a)
  • a1325 SLeg.Becket (Corp-C 145)688/2400 : By hym men mowe nyme ensaumple vor beo to hastyue Vorto ȝeue ȝhare sones vp ȝhare lond þe whyle hii beoþ alyue.
    • Note: New spelling
    Note: = their(e 2.(a) and 1a.(a), respectively
  • c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)24/394 : Moni þing schal ham..make to carien, & for hare oþres uuel sorhin & siken, moni þing ham schal twinnin ant tweamen.
    • Note: Additional quote(s) for 3.(a)
  • c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8174 : Ȝare [vrr. her, hore; B: hare] hors beþ suiftore þan ȝoure be.
    • Note: = their(e 1a.(a)
  • a1325 SLeg.Brendan (Corp-C 145)193/378 : And þis monkes hadde isonge ȝar massen also Aboute vnderne of þe daye.
    • Note: New spelling
    Note: = their(e 1f.(b)
  • a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)150 : Þey wole a lord..Of pore puple pyke here pray.
    • Note: If sq. antecedent, postdates 1a.(c).

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