Middle English Dictionary Entry
preier(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | preier(e n.(1) Also praier(e, praiour. |
| Etymology | From preien v.(1); also cp. OF priëor. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who offers prayers, one who prays for another, a beadsman; also, one who begs or entreats, a beggar, suppliant; an intercessor; (b) ~ of word(es, translating ML circumpres [?modeled after interpres, an interpreter]: ?one who prays round about, ?one who prays aloud.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.28.27 : Who despiseþ þe preyere lowly [WB(2): a pore man bisechynge; L deprecantem] shal suffren scarsnesse.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)50/10 : Preiers þat ben in Cristis chirche priien wiþ deuocioun, wiþ al þe strengþe of her herte.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)51b/a : Precarius: a preyare; Precator: idem.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)412 : Preyare [Win: Preyar], or he that preyythe: Orator, exorator, deprecator, oratrix, etc.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)31 : Þer ben but þre maner men callid of hooly chirche: þe firste men ben goode preyers & techers of goddis lawe.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)188/30 : Seyntes be not to be worschiped fully as goddes..we may not a-counte hem autours of helth, bot prayers and getters ther-of.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)98a : A Prayour: precator.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)289 : A Prayere: orator, rogator, etc.
b
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)14b/a : Circumpres: preier of wordes.
- ?a1440 Hortus (Brist-U)270 : Circumpres: a prayere of word.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)573/3 : Circumpres: a prayer of a worde.