Middle English Dictionary Entry
hors-man n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hors-man n. |
| Etymology | From hors & man. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A soldier who fights on horseback, a mounted warrior; hors-men sheteres, mounted archers; (b) one who travels on horseback, a rider; (c) a representation or figure of a man on horseback; (d) a horse keeper, stable man, groom; (e) in surnames and place names.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26617 : Heo letten alle þa horsmen i þan wude alihten.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)34 : Sixtene hundred of horsmen asemblede o þe gras.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.16.5 : Thei..wenten in to the feeld, and loo, a copyous oost in to metyng to hem, of fotemen and horsmen [L peditum et equitum].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.331 : Marcus Curtius, an horsman of Rome [Higd.(2): the ryder of þe Romanes; L eques Romanus], forto save þe citee, armed hym and wente doun into þat chyne.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.21 : Þey took wiþ hem Pirrus..with foure score þowsand of foot men and sevene þowsand of horsmen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1824 : Thilke ys which that the horsmen bar Tobrak.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6105 : Þe wayes were so streite..Þat horsman non..Ne miȝtten comen þe toun neiȝe.
- (1418) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.291 : Þe priour of Kylmaynan wiþ cc horsmen & ccc footemen to come to vs yn al hast.
- (1442) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.2245 : The horsmen and men of armes entred in the north side.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)8b : Þe craft of armes is neiþer litel ne liȝt, wheþer þou schul teche hym to ben an horsman or a foot man or an archer.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4127 : Þou hase horsmen and puttayle.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)24/24 : The Cristen ordeynyd four thosand horsemen to ride aboute theym and to devise the oste.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1599 : Whether his horsmen Be myghtier in fight, or his footmen.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)35/15 : Ever in savying of one of thes footemen, we lese ten horsemen for hym.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.80va : Olyfernes assemblyd dukes and maistres of the strength of Nabugodonosor and nombred C xx M fote men and horsmen shoters [L (Vulg.Judith 2.7): equites sagittarios] xii M.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)11132 : The good hors men, now fiersly they ride.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)15/15 : Thay that the hors-men keste to ground..the Iryssh footte-men Smoten of the hedis.
b
- a1350 Of Rybaudȝ (Hrl 2253)39 : Herkneþ hideward, horsmen, a tidyng ich ou telle.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.413 : Þe foot man..is wel bolder on his way Þan þe horsman riche and gay.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)401 : Anoþer noyse þan herd I sone, Als it war of horsmen.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)432/1067 : Egelwn herde..A gret rumour off horsmen behynde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)248 : Horsman, or he þat rydythe [Win: or he þat rydythe horsys]: Equester.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1235 : So fayre a horse-man was [Cmb: as] he Sawe I neuer are.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)20/18 : A man..in prosperite, þenkeþ..on his faire hors & hors-men þat beþ wiþ hym.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)409 : He tuke þis hors-man be þe brydill.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)101/17 : Then comys pouerte; hors-man Iak cope Walkys then.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.219 : Þere was also an horsman of bras an hiȝe.
- c1450(?a1400) SLChrist (Add 38666)502 : A-boue þat temple..A hors-mon stode, al made of bras.
d
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45157 : To al my gentylmen twenty hundryd handfullys of goold, and to all my ȝymen, and to myn horsemen [L equorum custodibus], and to my botelerys, syxthi hundryd handfullys of goold.
- (1450) Complaint in War.AM 4179 : Thomas Smythe of the same, horseman..Robt. Holme of the same, horseman.
- ?a1475 PParv.(Win)226 : Horsman: Equarius.
e
- (1227) Feet Fines War.in Dugd.Soc.11424 : Hugh le Horsman.
- (1248) Select Pleas Manor.in Seld.Soc.215 : Ricardus Horseman.
- (1263) in Ekwall Dict.EPN240 : Horsmonden.
- (1275) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms160 : Walt. Horsmon.
- (1332) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms160 : Hug. Horsman. Thom. le Horsemon.
- (1396-7) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.449 : Johannis Horsman.
- (1428) Feudal Aids 4253 : Willelmus Horsemon.
- (1448) Cart.St.John in OHS 66249 : Uenellam uocatam..Horsmanlane.