Middle English Dictionary Entry
horrǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | horrǒur n. Also orrour, horer, (error) errour. |
| Etymology | OF orror, horreur & L horror. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The emotion of horror or dread; (b) a thing which excites horror; (c) ?a feeling of disgust; (d) a shuddering reaction to the taste of things which are sour or bitter; also, the quality of taste which elicits this reaction.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 7.14 : Thurȝ orrour thou shalt smyte me to gidere.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Hos.13.1 : Effraym spekynge, errour [vr. orroure; L horror] assailide Yrael.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.223-4 : Ther shal horrour and grisly drede dwelle with outen ende..Horrour is alwey drede of harm that is to come, and this drede shal euere dwelle in the hertes of hem that ben dampned.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.32.10 : Y shal make many puplis for to wondre greetli vpon thee, and the kyngis of hem with ful myche orrour [WB(2): hidousnesse] shulen be agast vpon thee.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.173 : What trewe man wolde not have orrour [vr. horrour] þat prestis shulden not serve þer God, but ȝif þe fend ȝaf hem leeve?
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)371 : Orrowre: Horror.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)144.113 (v.2:p.426) : I tremelyd in mynself with loue and errour [read orrour; L horrore].
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.32.10 : He fonde hym in a desert lond, in place of orrour [L horroris] and of wast wildernes.
- ?c1400 Wycl.CGosp.Mark (Add 41175:Hudson)52/85 : Neþer þei fiȝten as kniȝtis, neþer þei prechen as clerkis: of what ordre ben þei?..'Ech man schal rise aȝen in his ordre'; y drede þat þei schulen be ordeyned in noon oþer place þan where noon ordre is but euerlastynge orrour eþer hidousnesse dwelliþ [Bernard (PL 182:772): nullus ordo sed sempiternus horror inhabitat].
- (1439) Proc.Privy C.5.356 : Hit is grete a sorow and an orrour to think or her it.
c
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)1083 : Mes de femmes ai dedeinz [glossed:] horer.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)168b/b : Egre þinges forsoþ bene bringing in horrour [L horrorem] & mych desicking, i. drying.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2108 : Many thinges..may be abhominable soure, over sharpe, to bitter, or of great horrour.