Middle English Dictionary Entry
pē̆re n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | pē̆re n.(1) Also per, peire, peare & (in names) par-, perre-; pl. peres, etc. & peren, peoren & (in names) perin-, par(r)en-, poren-, (error) perm-. |
| Etymology | OE peru & pere pear. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A pear, wild or cultivated; also fig. (with pun on per n.) angeles peres; (b) ~ appel, a kind of pear resembling an apple [cp. pomepere under pome n. (a)]; ~ robert, a punning nonce word: fruit of Robert (not of John); ~ wardoun, a kind of pear; ?a cooking pear; ~ wardoun-tre; stanri ~, a stony pear; ~ hord, a place for storing pears; (c) a pear tree (Pyrus communis) [cp. peretre, pirie], wardoun ~; (d) in proverbs and comparisons.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1191 : His wijf..bi-gan to serui..deinteþes..Applene & peoren and notes also.
- c1300 SLeg.Judas (Hrl 2277)89 : He..Of þ'aplen þat þe schrewe whan and of þe peren also..bar pilatus.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)679 : Nomina Fructuum..Appul, pere [F pere], and slo.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2333 : I moot dye so sore longeth me To eten of the smale perys [vr. peeres] grene.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)241b/a : Þe fruyte..is gret and harde, and broode atte þat oon ende and narwe and streyte at þat oþer..and þe fruyt..hatte pirum, a pere..and is heuyere þan oþer fruyte.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)241b/a : Þe wilde peres beþ more soure and erþy, more cold and druye þan þe tame, more vnsauory and hard in taste..And acordeþ nouȝt þerfore to mete but oonliche to medicyne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)241b/a : Swete peres beþ more temperat of complexioun and lasse colde þan oþere.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.50 : Compost..cast þerto peeres & parboile hem wel.
- (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)p.62 : Peeres in confyt. Take peeres and pare hem clene.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1574 : Damoysels playen wiþ peren ripe [LinI: peoren alle], Ribaudes festeþ also wiþ tripe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.71 : Þanne bereth þe croppe kynde fruite, and clenneste of alle, Maydenhode, angeles peres.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1375 : Many homly trees ther were That..beere Medlers, plowmes, perys.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)197a/b : Pira, peres, beþ colde & drye.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)63/26 : Perez, coyncez, & meldez.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)325/9 : Vse þinges þat ben delitable and soure..for constipacioun..as ben peres, coyns, and soche oþre.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)12 : Ȝeuynge lordes, ladies, and riche men a fewe peris, appelis, or nottis.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)394 : Peere, frute: Pirum.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)98b : Wyne, vyngre, sythere applus, peres, and alle þat may profite to thyn vse, loke hit by gedered yn.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1327 : Forto paren his pere, he praieþ hym ȝerne Of a knyf.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)904 : Peris and plummes and pesecoddes grene, That ladies lusty loken muche after, Were gadrid.
- a1450 I have a newe gardyn (Sln 2593)7 : In þe myddis of my gardyn is a peryr set, & it wele non per bern.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)87 : Peris in Syrippe. Take Wardons and cast hem in a faire potte, [etc.].
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.32 : Take sawge, persoly, ysope, saveray, Onyons, gode, peres..go fille þy gose þenne.
- a1475 PPl.A(1) (Hrl 875)7.282 : Poretis, peris, applis, & plowmes.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)275 : Pere: pirum.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)9550 : As þou seest vpon a tree Peere or appul, wheþer it be.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10426 : A seke man somtime wole dere Forto ete a litel pere.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)394 : Peere apple: Pirumpomum.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.708 : A stanry pere [L Lapidosi generis pira] is seyd to chaunge his mete In esy lond ygraffed yf he be.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)88 : Peris in compost..take pere Wardones, and pare hem, And seth hem.
- a1450 I have a newe gardyn (Sln 2593)23 : Þat day twelfus month, þat mayde I mette; che seyd it was a per robert but non per Ion [?read: Ionet].
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)603/10 : Piracium: a Perehorde.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)620/6 : Volemus: a Perwarduntre.
c
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)82 : Þe popeiayes..On peren [vr. piries] and pynappel þei ioyken in pees.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)210a/b : Some [trees]..bereþ more fruyt in eelde þan in ȝouþe..as it fareþ in almoundes, in pyries, and in peres.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)104 : Þe playn, þe plonttez, þe spyse, þe perez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)172b/a : Leuez of wilde perez.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)169b/b : As touchynge incarnatiues..þes ben simpel..þe leues of sorelle, of appels, peres, lekes, & lilye.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)394 : Pere, tre: Pirus.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.87 : The treen theron light, fertil, faire, & longe, As peris wilde.
- c1450 When the son (Frf 16)31 : The hard costard, the duryng wardon per, And damasyns yn a quarter set I fer.
- a1500(?a1450) Treat.Garden.(Trin-C O.9.38)19 : Of pere y mynde ȝorne To graffe hym a-pon a haw-thorne.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)3012 : Þe tree þat best fruit bers, Be þei applin, be þei pers..Þat tre shal þe gardenere Moost loue.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)132a/a : Þe leye..comeþ by lynes in to a scharpe schap as it were to þe poynt of a toppe or of a pere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)37 : O gode pertre coms god peres [Göt: peris; Trin-C: perus], Wers tre, vers fruit it beres.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)111/347 : Take horhoune & grynde it wel & make þer-of ballus of þe gretnus of perus.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3080 : The brede of hir brest..Was pleasaund..With two propur pappes, as a peire rounde, ffetis and faire, of fauour full swete.
- c1475 A philosophre (Hrl 372)p.43 : Appeles and peres that semen very gode Ful ofte tyme are roten by the core.
2.
Something of little value, a worthless object; the worth of a ~, the valeu of a ~, a very little amount; not worth a ~, completely worthless; ne setten at a ~, not to value (sth.) at all; not (nought) a ~, not the pare of on ~, not in the slightest, not at all; not apeiren a ~, not harm (sb.) at all; not the werse bi a ~, not at all worse.
Associated quotations
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)208/31 : God..nele þe yeue pere ne eppel ase me deþ ane childe, ac greate þinges he wile þet þou him acsi.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)5722 : Of þyne ne schalt þow lese noȝt þe worthy of a pere.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)247 : I charge hit not [vrr. ȝeve not, counte nouth, ne sett at] a pere.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)769 : Euery gadlyng nat wurþ a pere Takyþ ensample at ȝow to swere.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)1/16 : Þai turned ogayn with sides sare, And al þaire pomp noght worth a pere.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)2/17 : A pere of prise es more sum tyde Þan all þe boste of Normondye.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)1928 : Thei may not a-ȝeyns vs dure In oure owne lond to do vs dere -- Nought the value of a pere.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)364 : Fande he neuer ane slayne, Ne þe worse by a pere.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2317 : Al þi labour schal nat be worth a pere.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)815 : His armours ne vaylede noghte a pere.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)231/8 : He wole not paie þe wiþ an appel or a peere, as doþ a child.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)443 : With þaire charite þay chaungen a knyfe for a peyre.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)522 : This is not to pourpoos þe pare of oon pere.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.907 : Ye no man counte the valu of a pere.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)934/12 : Thou sholde know God frome vayneglory of the worlde, hit ys nat worth a peare.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)prol.73 : It shulde not apeire hem a peere, a prynce þouȝ he were.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)657 : All deryd not a pere.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)597 : All the baytys that ye for hym haue leyde, Without myn helpe, be nat worth a peere.
3.
In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.62-3].
Associated quotations
- (1187) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames262 : William de Perreham.
- (1200) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Perendona.
- (1202) in Ekwall PNLan.130 : Perebold.
- (1207) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Parrendun.
- (c1220) EPNSoc.39 (Glo.)224 : Perhamesmor.
- (1234) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Porendon.
- (1243) in Ekwall PNLan.130 : Parbold.
- (1254) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Perendune.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 2168 : Rober Perebrun.
- (1276) Hundred R.Tower 226 : Robertus Perheved.
- (1285) Pat.R.Edw.I208 : Adam Pereheved.
- (1291) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Great Perynton.
- (1327-30) *in Pilkington Surn.116 : Perheved.
- (1330-34) *in Pilkington Surn.210 : Perbroun.
- (1332) Name in LuSE 35147 : De Perbald.
- (1334) in Wallenberg PNKent116 : De Perstede.
- (1359) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Little Permdon.
- (1366) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames262 : John Parham.
- (1376) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames267 : Gilbert Perman.
- (1412) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Petyparyndon.
- (1428) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)48 : Perinden.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Y wandryng (Lin-O Lat.129)46 : Rose hathe raylyd vp rosemary an hyȝe, with rybbewort and rodys and ryche robert perys.
- c1450 Y wandryng (Lin-O Lat.129)52 : And Valery with verueyne and vynys ryȝt fayre, With wardeynes and waturperys wardyth þe beste.
Note: New combinations denoting unidentified varieties of pear or plants resembling pear in some respect: Robert peris; water peris. For former, see editor's note 46, pg.506.