Middle English Dictionary Entry
atīr n.
Entry Info
| Forms | atīr n. Also attir, ater, atier. |
| Etymology | From atīren v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. tir & atiren.
1.
The whole equipment of a knight, i.e. armor, weapons and mount.
Associated quotations
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3275 : Mid his fourti cniþtes and hire horse and hire atyr.
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)229 : Seint Ieme cam to him ride in wel fair a-tyr of kniȝht.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)1013 : Sire Degarre and his squier Armed him in riche atir, Wiȝ an helm..riche for þe nones..A sscheld [etc.].
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1147 : Boþe partiȝes prestly a-paraylde hem..of alle tristy a-tir þat to batayle longed.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3704 : Helm & heued wyþ al þe atyre Into þe feld it fleȝ.
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)414 : He hade hym-selfene dyghte Alle the atyre that felle to a knyghte, Bot that he was noghte horsed ryghte.
2.
(a) Fine apparel, as of a lord or lady; fair ~, queint ~; (b) dress.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3542 : Euerich man of ich mester Hem riden oȝain wiþ fair ater.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)6403 : Riche anouȝ þat atire was Of gold & siluer.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)299 : Kniȝtes and leuedis com daunceing In queynt atire.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1721 : Sche..festened hire in þat fel wiþ ful gode þonges aboue hire trie a-tir.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.430 : Yet notifie they in hire array of atyr likerousnesse and pride.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)173 : Leuedyes and damoysele..Jn faire atyre, in dyuers queyntise.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)3.15 : For to telle of hure atyre no tyme haue ich nouth.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4154 : And sche þerwhiles chaungeþ hir attir.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3713 : Bi hir atyr so bright and shen Men myght perceyve well and sen She was not of religioun.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.73 : Clerkes þat lyven in lustis of foode and in lustis of atire.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.15 : Alle þer garmentis..ben atier [vr. tire] taken of þe fend.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)4724 : Alle come..In riche atyr.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.181 : Simple of atir and debonaire of chere.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)1258 : Hir atire she al to-rent.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)913 : In þe atyr off a squyer.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)181/788e : Her heer þat shynyth as gold wyre She to-drowe, and her nobill a-tyre.
- a1500(?a1449) ?Lydg.Lavenders (Cmb Ff.1.6)2 : Yee maisteresses..That haue to doe with my Ladis atyere.
3.
(a) Ornament (s) of dress; (b) a woman's headdress; chaplet, tiara [cp. L tiara].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.822 : Unto this yonge man..Of clothes and of good atir..This worthi yonge lady sende.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.23.40 : Thou..art ourned with wommans atyre [WB(2): atier].
- (1426) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.4254 : Alle þer arraie, apparaile, and atyre.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)225 : I saw Beute withouten any atyr, And Youthe, ful of game and jolyte.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1792 : In suche foule lust is hir most delite And to make hir freisshe with newe atires.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)17 : A-tyre, or tyre of women: Redimiculum.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)15 : Atyre of þe hede: tiara.
4.
Furnishings (of a dwelling, an altar); military equipment; ?lay-out, plan (of a city); supplies.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4118 : A caldron..In which was al the hole atir..Of jus, of water and of blod.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Abp.& N.(Phys-E)p.86 : A pouer hous was son purvaide, And pouer atir thar in was layde.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Abp.& N.(Phys-E)p.89 : Quen the bischop to sing was graid, And riche atir on auter laid [etc.].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7263 : And shewed hem al þe cuntreye..And þatyre of þat cite.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7676 : Hire owen chaumbre..Þe atyre was þere-inne so riche [etc.].
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)2080 : Aboute þe towne þei set engynes..Wiþ staffe slyngges and oþer atyre.
5.
(a) Disposition; at ~, at (someone's) disposal or order; (b) frame of mind.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)268/622 : Now is sire Eustas lord and syre, And al þe lond at his atyre.
- c1390 NHom.Theoph.(Vrn)290 : Now is Teophele lord and sire, and lered and lewed at his atyre..dude bowen to his hond.
b
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)4331 : He was in soche atyre, That for to wyt he had desyre.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3183 : Knew þow nouȝt þe soþe, þat I was tiffed in atir when I wend fro þe?
Note: Per MM: New gloss needed
Note: Eds. group in glossary with other 'raiments.' Here, though, queen had disguised herself as a hind - atir is either iron., or = 'disguise' or perhaps contains a punning ref. to a deer's headgear (see OD attire 5.) - though do English does have antlers?
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)599 : We..no tidi a-tir in templus araie.
Note: Need date in 4.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)23/30 : Also ȝif a womman make her self þorwh coryous a teer & be craft to seme fayr & fresscher þan kynde hath grawntyd, [etc.].
Note: Most senses need date