Middle English Dictionary Entry
họ̄r(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | họ̄r(e n.(2) Also hora, houre, hur(e, (error) hire. Pl. họ̄res & họ̄ren, hǒuren & (early) heore, heoranna. |
| Etymology | OE hōre |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A woman who prostitutes herself for money, whore; also fig.; (b) a woman who commits fornication or adultery; (c) as a term of abuse; (d) used as adj.: whorish, lascivious.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)103 : Þa oðer sunne..is ihaten fornicatio; He buleð [?read: befuleð] þene mon and maceð of cristes leoman heoranna leoman.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)29 : Gef þu werest elche dai faire cloðes, and best rumhanded to glewmen and to hores, þu shalt ben lef and wurð and liken alle men.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)165 : He wurðeð his hore more þan his spuse.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)204/16 : Ich halde her heatel sweord up o þin heaued todealen lif & sawle, & bisenchen ham ba in to þe fur of helle to beon deofles hore.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)26/21 : Mid sweorde of deadliche hondunge weorreð lecherie, þeo stinckinde hore, wið þe lefdi of chastete, þet is, godes spuse.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.42 : Wo se wile þerafter liþe, Þe wimman þat is hore.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)194/7 : An old quene þare was bi-side, strong hore and baudestrote.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)997 : Of bodi was he mayden clene, Neuere yete in game, ne in grene, Þit [read: Wit] hire [read: hore] ne wolde leyke ne lye.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4082 : He slug Zabri for godes luuen, Hise hore bi-neðe and him abuuen.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5661 : Wroþ was þe king & is hore þat he hor folie wiþsede.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)80 : He..leveth thare behinde a theef and an hore..Al so faire hii gon to bedde as housebonde and wif.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.23.2 : Þe boryn of an hore shal not goon into þe chirche of þe lord.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 15.30 : Thi sone..deuouride his substaunce with hooris [WB(2): horis].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.6.15 : Therefore takinge membris of Crist, schal I make membris of an hoore?
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.205 : In his tyme an hore [L meretrix] hadde seuene children at oon birþen.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.61 : He [walwede] in leccherie with strompettes and wiþ hores [vr. houres].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2928 : For almost hyt ys euery-whore A gentyl man haþ a wyfe and a hore.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)26/2 : Þe swerd of dedlich hondelynge smyteþ deþes dynt on goddes spouse so þat he makeþ of hire þe deuels Hoore.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)7.306 : For an hore of hure ers-wynnynge may hardiloker tythe Þan an erraunt vsurer.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)15.21 : As, loreles to be lordes, and lewede men techeres, And holy churche horen help, auerous and coueytous.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.16.33 : To alle hooris hijris ben ȝouen.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)29342 : Comun hores and comun scalde, Al þir er for cursed talde.
- ?a1450(?1350-75) Origo Mundi in Norris Anc.Corn.Drama (Bod 791)2728 : A glewsyugh why, cowethe, del vgy an vyl hore ov thenwel an pyth na vyth.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)34/25 : He required hem that the strengest hore of hem shulde smite furst the stroke.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)66a : A Hure: vbi Common woman.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)700 : Hoores and baudys, that many bale brewes.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12106 : He ȝæf heo..his hiredmonnen sone to makien to heore.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29133 : Þa riche wif he lette his hired-men makien to horen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)32/21 : Ha leas hire meidenhad & wes imaket hore.
- c1300 Horn (LdMisc 108)40/731 : Henne, þou foule wendling, Out of boure flore, Fram reymyld, þi hore.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)324/48 : Is þi wijf fram þe I-went? heo is strong hore, i-wis.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)14/308-10 : Allas, moder..Euel be-comeþ þe, houre to be, To holde bordel, And alle wif houren [vr. hores] for þe sake.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)60/1698 : He mot gret penaunce do..ȝef [he] haþ maked An hore of hys wyf.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)274 : Hore makith man cokewolde.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Abp.& N.(Ashm 42)p.82 : This nonne to the bisschope fore, And of hir self scho made a hore.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)205/147 : Com forth þou hore and stynkynge bych clowte.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)2 : I knowe well þat my wif is an hore.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Marg.(Hrl 2277)111 : 'Nymeþ,' he seide, 'þis hore anon, & hongeþ hire on a treo.'
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.355 : Perseus..smoot of þe heed of þat hoor Gorgon.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)4.166 : Mede mourned þo, and made heuy chere, For þe moste comune of þat courte called hire an hore.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)2580 : My doghtir, þat stronge hore, Hath me for-sake.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)561 : Quod Conscience [to wanhope], 'þou dotid hoore! God-is mercy þou woldist distroie.'
- (1471) Paston (Gairdner)5.113 : I holde the hoorys weddyd.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)176/340 : What, hoore, art thou woode?
d
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)106/26 : Hunti þrefter wið wohunge..wið gigge lahtre, hore eye.
- a1350 Prov.Hend.(Hrl 2253)279 : Betere were a riche mon Forte spouse a god womon, Þa[h] hue be somdel pore, Þen to brynge in to his hous A proud quene & daungerous, Þat is somdel hore.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)103/1 : Þe flesche prikeþ and hunteþ..wiþ hore eiȝe.
1b.
A corrupt or idolatrous community.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Nah.3.4 : Thei shuln falle to gydre in her bodies, for multitude of the fornycaciouns of the hoore fair and able.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.17.1 : I shal shewe to thee the dampnacioun of the greet hoore, that sittith on many watirs.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.19.2 : Trewe and iust ben the domes of him, the whiche demeden of the greet hoore [L meretrice], that corrumpide the erthe in hir leccherie.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.1.21 : Hou is the feithful citee ful of dom maad an hoore [Gloss.: that is, ful of hordom bi the synne of auoutrie, which cite kepte feithfulnesse of matrymonye bifore]?
2.
Cpds. & combs.: ~ hous, ~ place, a brothel; also fig.; ~ pleie, fornication, adultery; ~ maister, ~ man, ~ monger, a man who consorts with whores or adulterous women; hores shininge, frippery; ~ sone, ~ child, horcop, , qq.v.
Associated quotations
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)530 : Caymes sunes wrogten vnlage, Wið breðere wifes hore-plage.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4067 : And for luue of ðis hore-plage, Manie for-leten godes lage.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4072 : Ðe me[i]stres of ðise hore-men..ðe bidde ic hangen ðat he ben.
- (1327) Sub.R.Lei.in AASRP 19.2298 : Petrus Hurmonger.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)63/1370 : He comez nou fram þe hore hous!
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.25.8 : Þe prest..wente yn after þe man of Jrael into þe hoore hous.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.115 : Meny of þe Iewes..made in Ierusalem hore houses [vr. houre hous; L lupanaria] and place for ȝongelynges to use here nysete ynne.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.373 : Sche was so leccherous þat first sche dede hir priveliche to þe prive hore place [L prostibulo].
- c1390 Ailred Inform.(Vrn)308 : A blessed mayden, þat turnde an hoorehows in to an oratorie.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)488 : Þo hoorehows is not so cursid as mony suche templis bene.
- ?c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Add 41175:Hudson)50/7 : Veri vndurstodyng of holy writ is an heelful spouse..But mannus lawe is an hoore set forþ in þe hoore hows.
- ?c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Add 41175:Hudson)52/65 : Þerof is þis hooris schynyng, mynystrelis cloþing, kyngis aray [Bernard (PL 183:959): meretricius nitor, histrionicus habitus, regius apparatus], which þou seest ech dai.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)1620 : Þe war fayrer hald with þi spouse Þan spend oure gude at þe hore-hows.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2435 : Þan þe wife was wonder fayn; Hir hore-maister þan sent sho fore.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2472 : On þe morn, when it was day, Þe hore-maister went his way.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)18b/a : Crissatorium: an hore hous.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)246 : Horehowse, supra in B. Bordelle.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)804/10 : Hoc lupaner, Hec fornix, Hoc prostibulum: a horehowse.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1150 Aelfric Gloss.(Trin-C B.15.34)436/379 : Fulan horan and byccan [alt. from: fracodan myltestran].
Note: Antedates word