Middle English Dictionary Entry
quarrẹ̄ adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | quarrẹ̄ adj. Also quarrei, -i, quare, -ie, quaire, querri, carre. |
| Etymology | OF carré, quar(r)é, p.ppl. of carrer. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Having a square surface or covering a square area; of a formation of troops: square in outline; of a shield: ?square-cornered; ?rectangular; (b) square in cross section; (c) of a club: having a square head; (d) cubical or roughly cubical.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2977 : Þo he fond him stede and sadel..quissers & aketoun, Quarre scheld, gode swerd of stiel.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)6/44 : Þer inne þai set an halle anon..Quaire hit was wiȝ chaumbres seuene.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.184 : Þe Cite was quarre [vr. square; F quarrée], & þe lengþe þereof was als mychel as þe brede.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.27.1 : Thou schalt make anauter..þat schall haue fyue cobitis in leynþ & as feel in brede, þat is to say, querry [L quadrum], & þre cobitis in heyȝt.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10310 : Þat lough ys here yn þys contre, Cornerd as a cheker quarre; Twenty fot of lengþe, as þe brede, es.
- a1450 Dc.291 Lapid.(Dc 291)p.17 : God commaunded..to moyses, þe prophete, þat he shulde put þe twelue stones..in a moos clene & fine, quarre of four handbrede of lencth & brede in foure corners.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1672 : Þe Kyng off Fraunce þere he founde, In pauylouns quarre and rounde.
- a1479 *Vegetius(1) (Lnsd 285)24b : Quare [L quadratam; Dc: Þe þridde tyme þey schul be comaundid to make here scheltrun square].
b
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)1382 : He hath deuised.. þat þis treo mot beo þus idiȝht, Faire bi hewe and sarre, At eiþur ende euene and quarre.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)3 Kings 7.31 : In þe cornerys, forsoþe, of þe pileris weren dyuerse grauyngis, & þe mene piler betwen quarre & not round.
- (c1451) Doc.in Welch Hist.Pewterers Lond.15 : Item, j qware bolle molde iiij part ys, vij li.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)92/13 : Anoþer ys of þe maner of plantouns..whos braunche ys quarre [Ashmole: the rotes square].
c
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4676 : He..slow al þat hum com agayn, With þat mayl quarree [rime: knee].
d
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3618 : Þai hewe þe gret stonis, Bi-hewe quarre for þe nonis.
2.
(a) Heavily or solidly built, stout, stalwart; also, corpulent; of the shoulders, chest, forehead: square; as noun: a stout man; (b) of a lance: sturdy; (c) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8526 : Þilke [read: Þikke] mon he was inou, bote he nas noȝt wel long; Quarre he was & wel ymad vor to be strong.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)785 : Þer com a dwerw..His visage was stout..Grete sscholdres and quarre, Riȝt stoutliche loked he.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1072 : Brode scholdres had he with-alle & brustes ful quarree.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)419 : Quarry, thykk mann or womann: Corpulentus, grossus.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.198v : Ho so desirith to wite the quantite of his body and the qualite, witeth that he was quarre of body, rede of colou, namecouthe of strenthe though he were nat grete of stature.
- c1465 Chaucer CT.Prol.(Bod 414)A.549 : Carre [vr. squarre; Heng: He was short shuldred, brood, a thikke knarre].
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)228/35 : A quarre forhede of meen gretnys tokenyth feyrnysse and corage.
b
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)493 : He prykyd..Wiþ a long schafft, stout and quarrey.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5689 : A quarry tree off ffourty ffoote Before his sadyl anon dede hote, Faste þat men scholde it brase.
c
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1055 : Alice Relicta le Quarye.