Middle English Dictionary Entry
ōr(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | ōr(e n.(1) Also hore & (N) are, aurre. |
| Etymology | OE ār an oar. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An oar; oars; also in fig. context; ~ hol, a mount or slot into which the oar is fitted; oresman, an oarsman; long ~, a steering oar; brede of ~, the broad part or blade of an oar; seil and ~; (b) a rudder, steering oar; (c) ?a mast; (d) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (1294-6) in Sandahl ME Sea Terms 1117 : In j ligno empto ad faciendum langor'..vij d.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)347 : Huy drowen op seil and ore and schipeden a-nonriȝht.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)711 : Hise ship he greyþede wel inow..Þer-inne dide a ful god mast..Ores god, an ful god seyl.
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)154 : Whan þe somer is dai is hote, Þe ȝung nunnes takiþ a bote And doþ ham forþ in þat riuer, Boþe wiþ oris and wiþ stere.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)366 : Þe mariners flet on flod Til anker hem brast and are [rime: mare], And stormes hem bistode.
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)69/278 : Fast þei drowen to þe lond Wiþ ores gode ymade of tre.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)568 : I sayle now in þe see as schip boute mast, boute anker or ore or ani semlyche sayle.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.17 : He..took þe helme in his hond and was steresman, and þe oþere kynges were i-sette to rowe with oores [L remos].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1401 : Upon the See the wynd hem hente, And malgre wher thei wolde or non, Tofor the weder forth thei gon; Ther halp no Seil, ther halp non Ore.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115b/b : In nyȝt rowinge, ȝif þe mone liȝt spranclith on þe oores [L remos], þanne tempest schal come in schort tyme.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)147a/a : In swymmynge he [the swan] vsiþ þat oon foot in stede of an oore.
- (a1399) Oath Bk.Colchester6 : Ores, grete; c, iiij d. Ores, small; c, iij d.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)161/2039 : Þey arrayde hur shippes with saile and ore.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)217 : Haþeles hyȝed in haste with ores ful longe, Syn her sayl watz hem aslypped.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)56 : And wt ores [F viroums] shal man Rowe In boot wher ys a goud mariner.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)78/977 : Sir Prestolay..brouȝte..fourty schipes wiþ sayl and ore.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.5.21 : Ne no gest ne straunger ne karf yit the heye see with oores or with schipes.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2308 : The ores pullen forth the vessel faste.
- (1437) Doc.Merchant York in Sur.Soc.12949 : Item, payd for the makyng of the awrres of the pagent hous, vj s.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)368 : Oore, for rowynge: Remus.
- (1443-4) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)280 : Also payd for a barge to Westmestre wt viij ores, vij s.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1311 : Þe Troianes were al dight Wyþ seyl vpon þe mast vpright, Wiþ anker & ore.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)113a : Þere beeth foure degrees of galeyes eueriche gretter þan other, of þe whiche þe leste haþ in eiþer side of hym a raunge of oores.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)44.164 : With hem was fownden A Marynere, And An Ore [F avirons] In hond there.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3486 : [They] hadden þe wedur ryȝt at hurre wylle And reden hamewarde fast wt seylle & hore.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)970-71 : Eche of them an ore toke in honde At the ore holes.
- ?c1450 Trivet Constance (Harv Eng.938)229 : And than in that shyp, that ungoodly Morderes the Sowdans Moder, put that mayd Constaunce, withoute pooles or Orys, and withoute any maner of helpe of man.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)144.252 (v.1:p.429) : Whanne I was not wurthi to be put at an oore, I was put at the helm -- in the heed of gouernaunce of a cherche.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2656 : Thei hadde v or iiii ordris of ooris.
- -?-(1460-61) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.96181 : Cristianus de la Greve, aresman.
- (1467) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.608 : Item, pro c orys, val. xx s.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)196/8 : They shotte frome the bankes many grete caryckes and many shyppes..galeyes and galyottys, rowing with many ores.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)275 : He lette make a nobulle boot And dede her þer-yn..Wyth-owte anker or ore.
- c1450 Eglam.(Clg A.2)1289 : Sche asked be what cheson he bore A schyp of gold, maste and ore [Thrn: are].
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)805/28 : Hic remus: a hore; Hec palmula: the brede of the hore.
b
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)4b : An Are:..amplustrum.
c
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)4b : An Are:..rudes.
d
- (1313) Pat.R.Edw.II57 : Adam le Oremaker.
- (1332) in Fransson Surn.164 : Ric. le Orewrycthe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1400 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Paris n.a. lat.699)p.112 : Oren [Cmb. hores; glossing AF (Cmb): virouns].
Note: New spelling
- 1417 *For.Acc.(PRO) 8.Hen.V.G/1 [no.54 m.31] [OD col.] () : Reddit compotum de…cxx remis de diversis sortibus; lx orepecys; v magnis polleys.
Note: New comb.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1964 : Ȝet was þere anoþir felaw leyd in his hore Into þe holy Apocalipse hard and sore.
Note: New spelling
Note: We have no fig. sense leien in his ~ into, "to join in a discussion about (sth.), put in one's two cents worth on the subject of."--per MJW