Middle English Dictionary Entry
meni-vẹ̄̆r n.
Entry Info
| Forms | meni-vẹ̄̆r n. Also -voer, -vieir, -were, menever, -vair, -veir, mennever, menuver, menver, -vair. |
| Etymology | AF; cp. CF menu vair 'fourrure tirée du petit-gris' (Godefroy, c1380). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. vair.
1.
(a) The fur of some kind of squirrel, used in garments, etc., esp. as a trimming; ?the winter belly fur of some species of gray squirrel; ~ mantel, a robe of miniver; (b) pured ~, pelts trimmed so as to show only one color, prob. white; gret (large) ~, prob. untrimmed miniver showing part of the gray back fur; (c) a helmet liner of miniver.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1314-5) RParl.1.292a : Covertures de menuvoyr. ]
- [ (1321-2) RParl.1.388b : Un chaperon de menuueyr. ]
- [ (c1325) Court R.Lond.92 fn. : Md qe Gris et bis est le dos en yver desqirel et la ventre en yver est menever. ]
- [ (1363) RParl.2.278b : Revers de menevoir. ]
- (1299) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100495 : In 5 furur. de Menivieyr ad capuscia, 33 s.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)110 : [He la]t bringe a cupe of seluer [And eke] a pane of menuuer.
- (1306-7) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100505 : In 13 furur. de Meneueyr ad Capuscia.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)46 : Silk no sendale nis þer none, No bise no no meniuer [rime: here].
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)131 : Florice het nime..a mantel of scarlet Ipaned al wiȝ meniuer.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.632 : Gold and seluer þai brouȝte meche, Badekenes and pane riche, Gris and menyuer.
- (1346) Will York in Sur.Soc.433 : Unum courteby furruratam de menvayre.
- (1377-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103586 : In 1 amows de Gray et Menevayr empt. pro d'no Priore, 20 s.
- (1378) Will Court Hust.(Gldh)pt.2.p.214 : [A hood of] Taunay [furred with] mennever.
- (1395) EEWills4/18 : I bequethe to the same Thomas..a bleu couertour of menyuer.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)476 : Florys toke a coupe of syluer clere, A mantyl of scarlet with menyuere.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5465 : Þe kyng dude of his robe, furred wiþ meneuere, And dooþ on a borel of a squyer.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.137 : For a mentel of menyuere [C: menyuer mantel], he made lele matrimonye Departen..& deuos shupte.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416:Everett)49/17 : Þou schalt not fynde aboute Marie and hure childe none gaiȝe couerelites ne testres, curtynes..meniuer, ne non oþir pelure.
- (1405) Will York in Sur.Soc.4535 : j clamidem cum capucio de skarlet fururatam cum menyvoer.
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 224 : Item, i pane paled wt menuer and red gray wt ȝokkes and meneuer in þe gray y set opon blewe choit.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)227 : A burnet cote heng therwithall, Furred with no menyver, But with a furre rough of her.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)48 : The newe knyhtes riden byfore the kyng well arrayed, her hoodes ffurred with Menever.
- (1437) Invent.Q.Katherine in Sus.AC 37 (Add 32645)175 : Item, delivred to my lady Pelham a mantel of dueil fourred with menuver.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11194 : Manteles, forours of riche pris, Of meneuer, stranlyng, veyr, & gris.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.45 : He fond wrekun a-mung the stones Knyȝtes in meneuere, for the nones.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)2836 : The forour was more fyn Than menyver outher ermyn.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)30/13 : Ye haue but half youre hodes & cotes furred with ermyn or meneuer [F de vair et d'ermines].
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)65/19 : The most thinge that greuid her was her..furres of gray, meniuere, and letuse [F fourrees de vair et de gris et letticees de hermines].
- (1463-4) RParl.5.505a : That noo man, but such as have possessions to the yerely value of xl li. or above, use or were..eny Furres of Martirons, Funes, Letyce, pured Grey, Menyver.
- (1465) Acc.Howard in RC 57320 : Item, a longe goune of cremysen velvet..furred wyth menever and purfelled wyth ermyn.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)818/11 : Than there com furth a lykly knyght and well apparaylede in scarlet furred with menyvere.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)p.114 : Here entrethe Anima as a mayde, in a wyght clothe of golde gyedly purfyled wyth menyver.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)145/31 : Thay Syttyn Iustices of benche in hare Roobis of Scarlete and menywere.
- a1500 Pennyw.Wit(2) (Cmb Ff.2.38)14 : He boght hur gownys of grete pryce, Furryd with menyvere & with gryse.
b
- [ (1423) RParl.4.235 : Item, 1 Goune de violet, furrez de gros Menever, pris xl s. ]
- (1379) Will York in Sur.Soc.4107 : Lego..togam meam..cur furrura de pured menver.
- (1388) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.38 : [2 cloaks lined with untrimmed] menyver [and 2 hoods lined with trimmed] menyver.
- (1397) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)6.165 : [A cover of green cloth for a bed, furred with large] menyver [worth 40 s.].
- (1422) EEWills50/19 : I bequeth to Elizabeth..i gown furred with gret menyvere.
- (1429) Will Braybroke in Ess.AST 5304 : Also I yeue to Johane, sumtyme the wyf of Gerard, my sone, a pane of pured menyuer.
- (1437) Invent.Q.Katherine in Sus.AC 37 (Add 32645)174 : Item, delivred to Agnes Hulfeld a gowne of blak cloth, fourred with gret menuver, with trompes slyves.
- (1445) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.81 : [One gown of] murrey in greyne, [half trimmed with] lag' menyvere..[one blue gown half trimmed with old] large meniver.
- (1463-4) RParl.5.505a : Barons of the v Portes and their wyfes may use and were..pured Grey or pured Menyver.
c
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)409 : Scho schewede hym þe menevaire.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)882 : And of þe menevaire he had syght.