Middle English Dictionary Entry
mō̆rtherē̆r n.
Entry Info
| Forms | mō̆rtherē̆r n. Also mortherrere, murtherer, murtherour & morderer, mordrer, morderour, mordrour, morederere, murderer, murdrer, murderour, murdrour, moerdrer, moirdrer & (errors pl.) mardrerys, morareres. |
| Etymology | From mō̆rtheren v. Also cp. OF mordrëor, mordrere, murdrëour & ML murdrārius & OE myrþra. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A murderer, an assassin; also fig.; ~ of self, self-murderer, a suicide; man (mannes, men) ~, a slayer of men, a murderer; (b) a traitor; (c) a killer; (d) fig. a quack doctor.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)171/23 : Efterward he is moyrdrer [Vices & V.(2): murþerour] of þe kinges doȝter, þet is of his oȝene zaule..þet he heþ yslaȝe be dyadlich zenne.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)1380 : Þai had in presone ane Barabas þat man mortherer and traytur was.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1958 : Slain is the moerdrer and moerdrice Thurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.732 : To ben a mordrere [vrr. murdrere, mortherere, morderere] is an hateful name.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17303 : Ȝe man mortherar [Göt: men murtherers; Trin-C: men murþereres] so crus, How dare ȝe come in godis hus?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23112 : Þar sal stand..Wreches stad in waful wide..Murthereres [Göt: Murtherers; Trin-C: Murþereres] and monsuorn als.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)101/15 : Þise ben omicides & murþerers of hem seluen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.313 : He..Like a tiraunt and a murderere also, Þe childes throte made kutte a-two.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)194/26 : In þat yle is no thef ne mordrere [Man.(2): men murthereres; F moertreour] ne comoun womman.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2390 : He wol nat, for shame..serve yow as a morderour [vr. murtherer] or a knave.
- (1433) RParl.4.447a : Many murdererys of men and notarye theves have been savyd..and passed unponischid.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.2612 : Achillas, the moordrere of Pompeie, With alle his felawes..Wer slayn that day.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)342 : Moordrare [vr. Moorederere]: Sicarius.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)172/12 : Þei þat haue wraþþed God bi dedly synne..schal crie God mercy as his þef, as his mansleer and murþerour.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)56/9 : We denouncyn..alle false raueynerys, murdererys, nyȝt-thevys.
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)331/44 : A theif or a manys mortherrere, that were appelled of fellony by the law of the land, shuld haue eight dayes of respite to avise him of his answere.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)112/12 : He ys the moste outerageous knyght that lyvith, and the grettist murtherer.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)337/20 : I shall..make the knyght of the Table Rounde, but than thou muste be no man-murtherer.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7277 : Wenystow..ffor to gon..To Ierusaleem & nat fynde..Thevys and mardrerys ay lyggynge Vp-on the weye?
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)83b : A murderer [Monson: Murtherer]: Sicarius.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.6.59a : I was like to other baren trees, which þat grewe to þat ende to do iustice upon hem þat wer founde theves and murdereres.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)704 : Ther were..dyspysers of ryghtes, Homycydes, poyseners, & comon morderers.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4416 : O false mordrour [vrr. Mordroure, mordrer, murdrour, morderour] lurkynge in thy den! O newe Scariot! newe Genyloun! False dissimilour, o Greek Synoun!
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2226 : This..part..Halt prouidence of myghtiest bataile, The morthereer to bringe vndir the cheyne.
c
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)353 : There was..The swalwe, mortherere [vrr. mortherer, murdrer] of the foules smale That maken hony of floures freshe of hewe.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2913 : Better hadde be..To haue chaunged his othe to a better entent Than to be a murdrer.
d
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.275 : For morthereres [vrr. morþereris, morareres] aren mony leches..Þei do men deye þorw here drynkes.