Middle English Dictionary Entry
mēre n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | mēre n.(1) Also māre, maire, meire & (early) meare, mure. |
| Etymology | OE mē̆ares, mē̆are, etc. (infl. forms of mearh, *merh 'horse') & WS mȳ̆re, A *mē̆re 'mare'. Corn. margh, march, verh, etc., are of Celt. origin. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A riding horse, a steed; also, any beast of burden; also, cattle, livestock, pastured domesticated animals; grei ~, a gray horse; esp. an old one; cart ~ [see cart 7.].
Associated quotations
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)85 : Þenne he brohte hine uppen his werue [L iumentum], þet is, unorne mare.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)72/16 : Sone se flesch haueð his wil, hit regibeð anan ase feat meare [Tit: mare; Nero: kelf; L transl.: iumentum; F transl.: iumente; Recl.: mare] & idel.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1161,1169 : Þo wende forth a man..and huyrde him a mere [Hrl: mure]..With one haltre ope þe mere [Hrl: mure], forth rode þis holi man.
- ?c1335 Elde makiþ me (Hrl 913)p.171 : Mine hed is hore and al forfare, Ihewid as a grei mare.
- a1350 Ich herdemen (Hrl 2253)54 : Mede y mot munten a mark oþer more, þah ich at þe set dey sulle mi mare [rime: care, bare, hare].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)49.11 : For alle þe wilde bestes of þe wodes ben myn, þe meres [vr. kyne; L iumenta] and þe oxen in þe mounteins.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)77.53 : He ȝaf her meres [vr. bestes] to hail.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)146.10 : Þe which ȝeueþ to meres her mete.
- (1381) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.4 : John Remmesbury..hath deliuered to william Hunte, baillif..iv mares, xvii oxen wiþ þe bole, also iv kyn.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.541 : In a tabard he rood vpon a mere [rime: millere].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.78 : Yet hadde I leuere payen for the mare Which he rit on than he sholde with me stryue.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)35.7 : Men and meres [L iumenta], lauerd, sauue sal tou nou.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)48.21 : And til vnwis meres [vr. mares] euenmet es he.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)77.53 : He gafe til hail meres of þa.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6115 : Ruȝ hij waren als a bere [LinI: beore] -- Hij weren mouþed als a mere [LinI: mare].
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)35/27 : Say now, sir Iohn of France..If þou be man of mekil might, lepe up on þi mare [rime: fare, care, þare].
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)14/2 : It is like tyl a mere þat beris þat man lais on hir bak.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5752 : Hys trust vpon his mere [vr. stede] was; þerffore..Hys crouper heeng al ful off belles.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5778 : Mawgry hym he garte hym stoupe Bakward ouyr his meres [vr. hors] croupe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2853 : With þat comaunds he he[s] kniȝtis to cutt doune..Bowis of buskis..And bynde to þaire hors feete..Bath to Meeris & to mulis & all maner of bestis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3921 : Þan come a beste of a busche with a blak heued, Mad & merkid as a Meere.
- a1475(a1450) Tourn.Tott.(Hrl 5396)75 : Tyb on a gray mare was set upon loft.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)594 : Alasse, Mankynde, alasse! Mercy stown a mere! He ys runn away fro hys master, þer wot no man where; Moreouer, he stale both a hors and a nete.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)114 : The bischop..buskyd þiderwarde..on his blonke..Mony hym metten on þat meere.
2.
(a) A mare; stod ~, q.v.; (b) horsed ~, a mare which has been bred; wilde ~, a mare running wild; meres milk; meres sone, a horse, steed; haras (stod, stede) of meres, a herd of mares; (c) ~ colt, a colt; ~ milk, mare's milk; also, milk of other domesticated animals; ~ tail, a plant, prob. the female horsetail, marestail (Hippuris vulgaris); ~ wod, lustful after the mares, mare-crazy; (d) in proverbs and idioms; (e) fig. a bad woman, a slut; also, a rabbit.
Associated quotations
a
- (1296-7) Acc.Cornw.in RHS ser.3.68194 : Et remanent 16 pullani de exitu quorum 9 mares.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2449 : He..bounden hond and fet..And keste him on a scabbed mere [rime: bere].
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2504 : Þei garte bringe þe mere sone..And bunden him rith at hire tayl.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)185/34 : Þe ilke zelue boc zayþ þet on mere draȝþ uorþ þet colt of anoþre huanne hi is dyad.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)715 : Destre, iument, et poutre: Stede, mere, and merecolt.
- (1383) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.128 : [5] meres [of divers colours with 3] foles.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.201 : And so þey useþ in Spayne for to brynge faire hors and gentil..to fore þe mares..while þey conceyueþ.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.447 : Hit was nouȝt leveful to þe bisshop of misbyleved men to be i-armed noþer to ride but uppon a mare [L equa].
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.691 : A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot; No berd hadde he ne neuere sholde haue..I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare [rime: Ware].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)132a/b : Ȝif a mere in trauayle of folynge smelliþ suche a smoke, sche schal fole a deed colte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)259b/b : An olyphaunt haþ tyttes vnder þe breste, and þe mare in þe flanke.
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester10 : An hors, j d; and a mere, ob.; and a colt j qt.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)637/34 : Hic equs, Anglice, horse. Hec equa, Anglice, mere.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)167/21,29 : And men putten a mare besyde him with hire fole & an hors sadeled & brydeled..And the mare [Man.(2): þe meere; F la iument] schall ȝeuen him mylk & bryngen him forth mo hors [F chiualx].
- (1426) Will in Bdf.HRS 246 : That ys to wete, hors and mere, cow and oxe, with all other catel of the forsaid place.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)333 : Meere, horse: Equa.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)713,717 : Þe stede was swifter þan þe mere, For he hade no thynge to bere..The mere was bagged with fole.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.799 : Fed stalons faat goth now to gentyl maris.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)191/1 : On meere wole norische þe colt of þat oþer whan sche is ded.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)166/13 : He told þaim at sho was his wife & at sho was forshapyn in his bed vnto a mere.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.371 : Item, that no horsez ner marys stande in the markett.
- a1470 Ordin.War Hen.V in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)469 : Also, that nomaner man be so hardy to take fro noman, gayng to the plough, harrowe or carte, hors, mare, nor oxe, nor none other beste.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6240 : His hors myght vnnethe goo for lene; Hit was an old crokyd meyre.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6263 : Wyth sporres and wand he stroke the mere; He beyttys on her bonys.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4065,4081 : And whan the hors was laus, he gynneth gon Toward the fen, ther wilde mares renne..allas! youre hors gooth to the fen With wilde mares as faste as he may go.
- c1400 *PPl.C (Trin-C R.3.14)[18.21] f.46b : Marie maudeleyn be meris mylk lyuede.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)167/21 : Men setten a table before him..And a cuppe full of mares mylk.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.984 : Another thyng that lightly may be founde, The caluair of an horsid asse or mare, Sette vp that.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)603 : A stede of mares.
- c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)232 : A harresse off horsez, mares, or coltez.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)429/16 : For thoughe a marys sonne hath fayled me now, yette a quenys sonne shall nat fayle the!
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1128/27 : My hurte ys but lytyll in regard for the sleyng of a marys sonne.
- a1475 in Hodgkin Proper Terms53 : A Harres of horssys. A stode of marys. A Rage of colttys.
- c1475 in Hodgkin Proper Terms52 : A Stoode of marys.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)698/7 : Hic equiferus: a wyld hors. Hec equifera: a wyld mer.
c
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)496 : Þe sulue stottes ine þe stode Boþ boþe wilde & mere-wode [Jes-O: marewod].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)715 : Stede, mere, and merecolt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)319b/b : Mare mylk is moche y-liche to camel melk.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)116/25 : Þai make oþer damysels to comme in, bringand cowpez of gold full of meere mylk [Man.(1): mylk of dyuerse bestes; F lait des iumentz].
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)124/13 : Þai sette þer apon..a coupe full of mere mylke.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)194b/b : Cauda equina: Maire tayle or schaue gresse.
d
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4055 : The grettest clerkes been noght wisest men, As whilom to the wolf thus spak the mare.
- c1440 Lyarde (Thrn)281 : As wyfes makis bargans, a horse for a mare, Thay lefe ther the febille and brynges ham the freche ware.
- c1440 Lyarde (Thrn)282 : The frere sone of Oxenforthe was hanged for a mere [rime: parkere].
e
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7980 : Shame hyt ys..To be kalled 'a prestes mare'.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1814 : A, Lechery, þou skallyd mare!
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1416 : Þys ys a stede of Arabye..An vnycorn..Begat hyt þare; A rabyte..Þerto was mare.
3.
?In place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.38].
Associated quotations
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