Middle English Dictionary Entry
outher conj.
Entry Info
| Forms | outher conj. Also ouȝir, aur. |
| Etymology | OE āhwæþer conj. For additional forms, see pron. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. either conj.
1.
As the first conjunction in correlative constructions: either; -- often introducing quasi-formulaic pairs or series of synonyms, antonyms, or otherwise related elements: (a) ~..or (elles, ~..or..or, etc.; (b) ~..~, ~..~..~..~, ~..~..or, etc.; (c) ~..other (..other, ~..other elles.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Wer þer ouþer (Rwl D.913)1 : Wer þer ouþer in þis toun ale or wy[n], isch hit wolde bugge to lemmon myn.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 15.21 : In what euer place þou were my lord kyng, ouþer [Corp-O: other; WB(2): ether; L sive] in deþ or in lijf, þer schal ben þi seruaunt.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.17.17 : Ouþer [DC 369(1): or] puffynge wynd or sweete soun of briddis.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1485 : And shortly outher [Cardigan: ellys] he wolde lese his lyf Or wynnen Emelye vnto his wyf.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2286 : Som men han seyd that the conseilyng of wommen is outher to deere or elles to litel of pris.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.908 : Parentele is in two maneres -- outher goostly or flesshly.
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)97 : Whon ȝe seȝe ouþer Blynd or lame..Al þat ȝe duden..Hit was to me.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2309 : Such a thurst was on him falle That he moste owther deie or drinke.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.757 : Ne wolde neuere god bitwix vs tweyne..were outher [Seld: neither] werre or stryf.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)4437 : Þat auþer [Vsp: oþer] in prisoun ware or bande, alle had Ioseph vnder hande.
- ?c1400 Treat.Geom.(Sln 213)58 : Byholde vpon what place of þe quadrant þe perpendicle falles, for ouþer it wille falle on þe vmbre toward or on þe vmbre froward.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3521 : By crafte was wrouȝt þis discomfeture, Outher by charme or som sorserye.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)402 : Anoþer noyse þan herd I sone, Als it war of horsmen Mo þan owþer nyen or ten.
- a1425(?a1400) Penny (Glb E.9)97 : With-owten owþer spere or schelde es he þe best in frith or felde.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)123/3 : Fro what partie of the erthe þat man duell, ouþer abouen or benethen, it semeth alweys to hem þat duellen þat þei gon more right þan ony oþer folk.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 277)21/9 : Alle sekenez ouþer is termyned after þe mouyng of þe mone or of þe son.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)213 : Þe beste knyght arte þou þat in my lande lyues nowe, Owþir ferre or nere.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)10/9 : Owþer I schall wyn thi rewme wit dynte of swerd..or þou schall make me subiecte vn-to þe.
- (a1443) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxxiv : He shold owder leve the said John Broghton, or els his said annuete & his servicez.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)832 : God..sese al thinges Þat we in world here euer wroght, Ouþer in wark or word or thoght.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)52/216 : Werly watte andyþer [read: and yþer] þe wynd, Yf þou fynde awdir lande or tree.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)351/17 : Ouþere hit semith not tribulacyone or ellis it is liȝhte forto bere.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7761 : He myght no wise away for wothe of his dethe, But auther aunter vppon hym, or angardly moue.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)28/8 : Siue pro te, Siue contra te; Owder for þe or agayn.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)277 : Þou dydest but asay What I wold sey þerto, ouþer ye or nay.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)21a/a : For if þere were but oon pannycle ouþir yt muste be hard or it muste be neische or ellis it muste be meene.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)25a/8-10 : Þe mater of whiche comythe syxfold, for outher it is of humours or of blode, Outher of fleweme or coler or malencoly or waters or wyndes and all þat oon. Outher to gedder thay apostume seld be of one humours.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.675 : Ic wille..þet whilc man swa haued behaten to faren to Rome, and he ne muge hit forðian ouðer for untrumnisse, ouðer for lauerdes neode, ouðer for haueleste, ouðer for hwilces cinnes oðer neod he ne muge þær cumon.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Esd.7.26 : Dom shal ben of hym ouþer in to deþ ouþer in to outlawe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prols.1 Par.(Bod 959)9-10 : Þou wenyst of oure dom to ben ouþer to schewyn of manye whiche be verrey, ouþer [WB(2): ethir..eithir; L aut..aut] a newe werc to makyn in old werk.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1149 : This chanoun in to the crosselet caste A poudre -- noot I wher of that it was Ymaad, outher of chalk outher [Petw: or ellis] of glas Or som what elles.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5363 : To false a chartre..ys a dede of tresun Ȝyf hyt be of dysheresun, Ouþer of lond ouþer of rent.
- a1400 Wycl.MPl.(Add 24202)42 : In myraclis..that Crist dude heere in erthe, outher in hymsilf outher in hise seyntis.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)15/8-9 : Saint benet..bidis..In what labur sam ye be, þoȝ ye be in þe kirke, Ouþir in þe garde, Ouþir in gate, Ouþir in felde, ouþir what labur sam ye do, þat ye haue yure heuidis enclind to þerþe.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)41/7-8 : Bot loke þe abbes þat sho knaw hir wel þat sho sal halde in þe kirke, Ouȝir ȝurh hir abbes ouþir þurȝ hir lettirs.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)28b/b : Anoþer maner when colre noȝt naturale vitellyne is aduste, ouþer in þe lyuer ouþer in þe stomac or in þe veynez.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)60/26 : Hermes..seith that a reportoure or a contreuour of wordis, outhir he lieth to him to whom he reportith them outhir [vr. or] he is fals to him of whom he seith them.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)48.60 : How thinkyth ȝow be this qwestiown? Ys it Owther trowthe, Owther Ony Resown?
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)40/12-13 : Þis may be vndirstonden on two maneres, ouþer of þe breed with whiche þe body is susteyned..ouþer of breed þoruȝ þe whiche þe soule is susteyned.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)24434 : Truely..of my mylk thou hast mor nede..than outher of siluer outher [vr. or] of gold.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)82/19 : For ouþer we bi mynde passen to god ouþer we ben sobir to ȝou.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)25b/2 : If it [choler] be roten, outhir it is in all þe body..outhir it is one stede.
c
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)702 : Wonde þer bot lyte Þat auþer God oþer gome wyth goud hert louied.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)26511 : Ou[þ]er him to sla oþer put out of place Oþer out of regne him for to chace.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)41.290 : Into the water they sonken there Anon As thowgh it hadde ben Owther led Oþer ston.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)843/4 : Owthyr he shall sle me, othir I hym, but that he shall be crystynde or ever we departe in sundir.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.71 : The fame of a false thynge is wonte to falle auþer by obliuion other by oppinion contrarious.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)102 : Ouþere thow most sey iij trewe poyntes..oþere elles þou shalt be dede.
2.
Or: (a) as a simple conjunction; ~ elles; (b) as the second conjunction in correlative constructions beginning with whether.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Ic bidde ealle þa ða æfter me cumen, beon hi mine sunes..ouþer kyningas þa æfter me cumen, þet ure gyfe mote standen.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.777 : Cuðbriht geaf þone abbote L punde þær fore, & ilca gear anes nihtes feorme ouðer xxx scyllinge penega.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ruth 3.10 : Blessed þou art..for þou hast not folewid ȝonge poere men ouþer [WB(2): ethir; L sive] riche.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Esd.6.32 : Whoso euere ouer passen any-thing of þese thingis þat ben writen, ouþer [Dc 369(1): or; L aut] despisen..be þei hangid.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)76/239 : How þou hast gouerned Goddis folk þat was taken þe to kepe? As an herde ouþer as an hyred man þat doþ al for þe loue of his bodily hire? As a fadir ouþer a wolf þat etiþ þe shep and kepet hem nouȝt?
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)248b/a : Svdes..is an heysaule outher a stake y-scharped at eyþer ende.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)20791 : He wil noght take þe boke on him, þou it be sua ouder nai.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)7461 : Wiþ him I wolde my fors fonde Ouþer [Göt: Ayder] sende he to me hider A mon þat we may fiȝte to gider.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)196/15 : Lepra is a foul sijknes þat comeþ of malancolie corrupt, ouþir of humouris þat ben brouȝt to þe forme of malancolye corrupt.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)282 : Humble speche..May a prynce..mor avaunce..Than..pride or tyranye, Outher disdeyne, daunger or surquedye.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3680 : Sodeyn pees outher hasty werre Moot folwe anon.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)193a/a : Eueryche þing þat is bitter ouþer stynkynge oþere swete smellynge of kynde, þe more þat it haþe of suche a propirte þe beter it is.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)23.298 : Ȝif thow wilt with me now go, Owther My Cownseil Assentyn vnto Al this Richesse schalt thow have.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)274 : God..Js misplesid..whanne ony Synnere doth him hate Owthir for ony thing with him debate.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)16/32 : Haue a man neuer so myche of erþely goodis..ouþer of kyndely goodis..for alle þoo dampned may he be.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)472 : There no segge scholde sitt bot hym scholde schame tyde, Owthir dethe with-inn the thirde daye demed to hym-seluen.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4981 : Þai fande a ferly faire tre..Withouten bark ouþir bast.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)296 : Go and novmbre þe gravel in þe see Ouþer motes in þe sunne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)647/34 : Every day in that twelvemonthe he had to do wyth one knyght owther wyth another.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)32b/a : In þe riȝthand sche is calid Saluatella ouþir ellis epatica.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)148b/b : Holde þi fyngir vpon þat place þe mountaunce of an hour ouþir lengere if it be nede.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)33 : Where do ye dwell, In heuen or in erthe, outher elles in hell?
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.9.2 : Wheþer is it bettere to ȝow þat seuenti men, alle þe sonys of Jeroboal, han lordschipe of ȝow ouþer [WB(2): What..whether; L quid..ut..an ut] oon man be lord to ȝow?
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 13.9 : Wheþer his face ȝee taken & for god ȝee enforcen to demen ouþer [L aut..aut] it shal plesen to hym whom hiden no thing may?
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)10779 : Wheþer he wolde ouþer [Vsp: or] nay he most hir spouse & lede away.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--note per MLL