Middle English Dictionary Entry
herre n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | herre n.(1) Also her, har(re, horre & (early) heorre. Pl. herris & herren. |
| Etymology | OE heorr, heorra. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The hinge of a door or lock; also, part of a hinge; ~ tre, the back beam of a door with a spindle at the bottom turning in a socket in the threshold; dore ~, q.v.; (b) ?a bar for a door; ?metal door-band forming part of the hinge; (c) a door or portal; (d) out of ~, out of kilter, out of order, in a foolish or disorderly fashion, helter-skelter; heven of ~, to throw out of true.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)549/13 : Cardo: heorre.
- (1321) Doc.in Bateson Rec.B.Leic.1338 : Item in vno ligno empto pro emendacione de le Herretr'.
- a1333 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Add 46919)985 : Doreherren [glossing AF (Cmb): gymeaus].
- a1333 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Add 46919)987 : Herre [glossing AF (Cmb): gouns; Cmb: hokes; Corp-C: nayl].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Amos 9.1 : Smyte thou the herre [L cardinem], and be the ouer thrisfoldis moued to gydre.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.550 : Ther was no dore that he nolde heue of harre.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)107b/b : As þe scharpe corner of a dore meueþ in þe herre.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Amos 8.3 : The herris [L cardines], ether twistis, of the temple schulen greetli sowne in that dai.
- ?a1425 WBible(2) (Cld E.2)Prov.26.14 : Herre ether heengis [Roy: As a dore is turned in his hengis, so a slow man in his bed].
- (1433) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.3554 : In meremio empto pro reparacione magnorum ostiorum grangiae ibidem, et in harretres et ligaturis pro eisdem.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)434/1202 : Oon with a leuour to leffte the doore on harre.
- (c1434) Drury Wks.(CmbAdd 2830)78/131 : Cardo, child, is an harre of a dore or ellis þe soket þat þe neder ende of þe harre tre is meuyd in.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)237 : Herre of a locke: Cardo.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)61a : A harre of a doere: Cardo.
- a1500(c1380) Wycl.Papa (Ryl Eng 86)472 : As þe pope is wundirful, so cardenals ben an herre to þe fendis hous.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)733/10 : Hic cardo: a har of a dore.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)113 : Ure helende brac þo þe irene herre [L vectes ferreos] and alto shiurede þe giaten.
c
- ?c1335 Lollai lollai (Hrl 913)27 : Deth ssal com wiþ a blast vte of a wel dim horre.
d
- c1380 Vncomly in (Arun 292)p.292 : I horle at the notes, and heve hem al of herre; Alle that me heres, wenes that i erre.
- a1325(c1300) Songs Langtoft (Cmb Gg.1.1)p.318 : Wer never dogges there Hurled out of herre fro coylthe ne cotte.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.962 : Therwhile himself stant out of herre, The remenant wol noght acorde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2964 : Pride..With such tempeste made him erre, That charite goth out of herre.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.72 : So that myn happ and al myn hele Me thenkth is ay the leng the ferre, That bringth my gladschip out of herre.
- (c1400) Gower PP (Eg 2862)185 : Whi schulde thanne oure pes stonde out of herre?
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)549 : Al maner þing that is oute of herre He bryngith to pees and to stedfastnesse.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)286/378 : Harke how þis harlott he heldis oute of harre.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.891 : He maddeth more..and is more oute of herre, Than is a fool that can not see be-fore.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1751 : Synne is cloosselie couered and consciens is out of harre.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)234/210 : All is out of har and that shall he yrk.
2.
(a) One of the four cardinal points of the heavens or the earth; (b) one of the celestial poles; (c) a matter of cardinal importance.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)5/6 : Þis ȝescead ys hæfter þam feower heorren heofenes.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Prov.8.26 : Ȝit he hadde not maad erthe; and floodis, and the herris [WB(1): utmost poyntys] of the world.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Job 22.14 : A cloude is his hidyng place, and he biholdith not oure thingis, and he goith aboute the herris [WB(1): vttermostis] of heuene.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)p.502 : The lordis ere the herrys [L cardines] of the erth, and he sett on thaim the warld.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3568 : Þo men miȝt yhere þe queintise of þe spere..When þe welken turned of herre.
c
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)297/143 : I hope we gete some harre hastely at hande.