Middle English Dictionary Entry
mēre n.(3)
Entry Info
| Forms | mēre n.(3) Also mer, merre, meire, mare, (early) mær. |
| Etymology | OE ge)mǣre boundary, etc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A boundary between kingdoms, estates, fields, etc.; the outer limits of a country, a military encampment, etc.; bounds set for creatures, the sea, water, etc.; also, the land along the boundary, borderland; mere of eche a mount, the roots of all the mountains; meres of erthe, the ends of the earth; (b) a boundary marker; a landmark; ?also, a place near a boundary; ~ ston [OE mǣr-stān], a stone used as a boundary marker; ~ dole [OE gemǣr-dōla], a boundary mark [cp. dol n. (3)]; (c) ?territory within boundaries; another ~, another country; (d) in surnames & place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.33].
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2133 : Locrines mær [Otho: mer] eode suð & east forð; Albanac hefde al þat norð; Camber hefde al..bi westen Sæuarne.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31220 : Edwine an his ende his teldes alle sette, his marken & his mare.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.137 : Þilke men destingeþ nouȝt noþer to sette her feeldes by boundes noþer by meres.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.31 : Now Loegria hatte Engelond; Þe meeres and þe marke [L limites] were þerof somtyme þe Frensche see boþe by est and by souþ.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.109 : Þat ryuer Of Mercie was somtyme þe marke and mere [L terminus et limes] bytwene þe kyngdom of Mercia and þe kyngdom of Norþhumberlond.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)671 : Þat is þe castel of alle flour..In þe mere [F en la marche] he stont bitwene two, Ne haþ he ferlak for no fo.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)765 : So þat swete Mayden Marie wes; Heo stont in þe mere bitwene two.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)10b/b : God ledeþ creatures and lettiþ hem in meres & endes & merkes & boundes [L et limitat et finit eas].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)152a/a : Watir is..noght yholde with ynne his owne meerys & boundys [L proprio termino], ffor watir shulde alto shede and falle to noȝt but he were y-stoppede and y-holde yn with other meeres and boundes thanne his owen.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)173b/b : Þe Ryuer of leyre [Loire]..is þe bounde and þe meer of þat londe [Aquitaine] in many places.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)195a/a : Þe rees of þe see is ylette with þe multitude of grauele and sonde..þat he passeþ noȝt þe meres and boundes þat god hath y-ordeynede þerto.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)246b/a : Many woodes beþ markes and meres bytwene dyuerse..londes and departeþ hem atwynne.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)73.18 : Þou made al meres ofe erthe [L terminos terræ].
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)103.10 : Mere [L Terminum] sete þou, whilke ouerga þai ne sal, Ne turne to hile þe lande with-al.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)778 : Þen he wendez his way..Towarde þe mere of Mambre.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)320 : Þe abyme byndes þe body þat I byde inne..To laste mere of vche a mount [L ad extrema montium] man, am I fallen.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)333 : Meer, marke be-twene ij londys: Meta.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3842 : Þe lordshepe of Ferlande..lay neyȝe his plase þer bye, & to his lordshepe þe merus duden last.
- a1450 St.Etheldr.(Fst B.3)85 : Vpon þe north-syde þe mere þer-of [of Northumberland] ystreyȝt ys Euene in-to þe scottysshe grete se.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1209 : Þus ȝede þai..And trottes on toward Tyre..Bot or þai meten ware a myle þe meris with-outen, Þar metis þaim, [etc.].
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)39/16 : Thow..the meris [Dub: merres] y-sette of thyn eldryn lond vnryghtfully ouer-goste.
b
- (1360) Halmote R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.8226 : De Johanne Makand, quia amovit unum merstane in les Croftes, 6 d.
- (1364) Halmote R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.8231 : Le merstanys inter terram Domini et terram liberam ipsius Ricardi.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1061 : Þer watz stabled bi statut a steuen vs by-twene To mete þat mon at þat mere, ȝif I myȝt last.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45233 : To the lityl dych, the hyt schutyth northwardys; than to the old merdole [OE gemærdola], than to the lytyl rw burw.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5058 : He was meten to þe meere quare he þe monte entird.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.138/23 : That þe Bondis and merestones Bitwene j felde..and þe londe of þe tenauntes..where i-sette and stiked.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)329/41 : His body was beryed rygh by þis mere.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)78b : A Meyrestane: jnterfinium [Monson: bifinium], limes.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)79b : A Merestane: Bifinium, Cippus, limes, vbi Merke.
- a1500 Medulla (Cnt D.2)333 : Bifinium, locus inter duos fines: a mere, or a hedlande.
c
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)430/44 : Þe lyon..nolde noday bileue Þat he nolde þe asse driue aueld & bringe hure hom an eue..And wanne he[o] misȝeode, driue aȝen wiþinne þe riȝte mere.
- (1412) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.50 : Thayre feffes..are infeffed in..landys and yenges with the appurtena[u]nce, yat thay hade with in the towne and ye meres of Harrewode.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)211 : And Anes is all his ane, ferre of his awyn landis, With-in þe merris of Messedoyn, þar na man him knewe.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)162/322 : He taught vs hom tyll oure halle A wey by a-nother mere.
d
- (1183) in Ekwall Dict.EPN455 : Tormertona.
- (1199) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)27 : Mareweie.
- (c1200) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.141 : Mereburne.
- (1205-16) EPNSoc.43 (Wm.)272 : Merebec.
- (1242) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)310 : Merlegh.
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames131 : Ric. del Merebrok.
- (1288) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)149 : Merehonedene.
- (1303) in Ekwall PNLan.78 : Magna Merlay.
- (1312) EPNSoc.27 (Der.)12 : Meresbroke.
- (1327) in Ekwall Dict.EPN307 : Merigge.
- (1327) in Kristensson ME Top.Terms75 : Rob. del Merclogh.
- (1332) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames131 : Adam atte Merbrock.
- (1379) EPNSoc.43 (Wm.)272 : Meregill.
- (1428) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)310 : Marlegh.
- (1429) EPNSoc.42 (Wm.)11 : Meresyke.
- a1500(c1298) Cart.Boarstall in OHS 88180 : & sic usque Chalfle per le Merehegge inter Peryhale et Chalfle.
2.
(a) The outer limit of a series of numbers; (b) the end of one's life.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)326b/b : The nombre of ten passeþ nyne by oon and is ende, bounde, and mere of alle simple nombres.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5024 : Þi meere bees na langir Bot out þis anlepi ȝere, & aftir viij monethis; Þan sall he duale þe with a drinke.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1467) Paston (EETS)2.353 : John Pykerell of Basyngham hath mad mene to the counseill of the Abbot of Sent Benettes to remove a ston that standeth for a bounde and a merestake by-twix the seid tenement Greyves and tenour of þe seid Abbot.
Note: New cpd.