Middle English Dictionary Entry
quẹ̄r n.
Entry Info
| Forms | quẹ̄r n. Also quer(r)e, quire, quier, quore, quhere, queor, kere & (N) queire, (chiefly N) wher(e. |
| Etymology | OF cuer, quer, chore, queor; for quore, cp. ML quorus, var. of chorus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A group of singers who perform or lead the musical parts of the divine service, a choir; (b) the body of clergy or religious responsible for a particular religious institution, a chapter; (c) the singers of the Jewish temple; (d) a choir of angels or of the elect of heaven; a company of angels; ~ of aungeles; the hevenli ~, the angelic host.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.81 : Þis Robert was ful clere in sciens and konnynge in grete festes of seyntes..berynge a cope to governe þe queere [Higd.(1): queor; Higd.(2): where; L chorum].
- c1390 In a Chirche (Vrn)9 : Alle þe queristres in þat qwer On þat word fast gon þei cri.
- a1425 Ordin.Nuns(1) (Lnsd 378)143/24 : Þan þe preste sall say or sing, 'Et ne nos'; 'Sed libera nos,' sall þe qwere answer.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)192 : Whanne þer ben fourty or fyfty in a queer, þre or foure proude & lecherous lorellis schullen knacke þe most deuout seruyce..& alle oþere schullen be doumbe.
- (1441) Visit.Alnwick8a : Prioresse..if hit happe yow to come late..make not the qwere to begynne agayne any houre than begunne, ne that ye putte the qwere to any other obseruance in saying of devyne seruyce other wyse than the laudable custome of the place has been here afore.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)205 : Aftir eche of these versis the queer of preestis and of clerkis stonding in processioun binethe bi the crosse singen the firste verse: 'Glorie, preising, and honor,' et cætera.
- (a1450) Code Laws in Willmore Hist.Walsall168 : The seid Patrons..to be so good Masters to the Towne of Walsall, as to admytte such P[re]ste or P[re]stes as be able in conyng of pryksonge, to maynten, kepe, and uphold the queer.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)399 : The cloistre and þe quyre were so accorded To yeue Mvm þe maistrie.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)144/8 : So þan only þe quere of virgines and maydenes after oure lady may synge worthily þis new song of oure sauacioun, 'Magnificat anima mea dominum'.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)122 : Robert, Kyng of Frauns..wold be in summe monasteri at every servise and stand himselve in a cope of silk and governe the qwer.
- (1467) Will York in Sur.Soc.30278 : I will that every prest syngyng messe..the day of my beryall have vj. d..and every child syngyng in the quere, j d.
- a1500(c1400) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)133 : Þe masse he begynnes..Wyt queme questis of þe quere wyt ful quaynt notes.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)103/6-7 : Þe quere on þat one syde schal take his verse, & þe Quere on þat oþer syde schal take anoþer verse.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Wright)p.14 : Tuelf other freres of the queor hi mette to-ward the mete.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(Hrl 2277)440 : Alle þe canouns of þe queor [Ld: ordre] þer come fur & ner.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)556 : Thenne raughte I fro religion..And caried to closes and cathedralle churches..I queyntid me with þe quyre for my questions sake, And moevid of Mvm more þenne þaym liked.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Esd.12.39 : Two queres of men preisinge stooden in þe hous of god.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.9.27 : Þe qwerys maad of syngerys, þei wentyn in to þe temple of þeir god & betwen metys & drynkis þei kursedyn to Abymalech.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lam.5.14 : Olde men faileden of þe ȝatis, ȝunge men of þe queer of syngeris.
d
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.447 : Þis Samuel ordeyned first companye of clerkes and queres forto synge.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)13/5 : Þai..ar crounyd in be-haldynge moste plentevous of þer makar, syngand with clerist wheris.
- a1450 *Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)448 : She shuld thenke on..oure blessed lady, goynge afore the queer of maydens, syngynge a songe that noon othir may synge.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)3.832 : The curte above celestiall..The laudes songen in the hevynly quere.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)56/7 : The leves of the flour sprede hem abrode above all the hyghnes of heuyn and above all the quores of angels.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)365/289 : In propure persone, moder, I wyl ben here redy Wyth the hefnely quer yowre dirige to rede.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)127/21 : He mowe offre to þe a pure praier & to be worþy to be presente to þe queres of aungeles.
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)58 : God may yeve hir to be with holy spiritis in the qweris of aungels.
2.
(a) That part of the church in which the choir assembles, the choir; also, the choir plus the presbytery, the chancel; (b) the choir as a place of burial; (c) a part of the Jewish or a pagan temple; (d) the functions or duties associated with the choir; kepen (serven) ~, to attend to the duties of the (one's) choir.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)319 : Seue taperes weren in þe queor..And foure-and-twenti segene.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)15/214 : Þis holy body þat lay þer ded..bygan al along þe rewe þoru out þe quer wende.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.207 : In a tyme he wolde have i-entred into þe queor [Higd.(2): qwhere; L chorum] of clerkes at Melan forto hire masse.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)251b/b : Þerfore it is þat, if þe queere schal be encensed, Thus þat is y-blissed schal be take vpon þe autier.
- a1400 Monk Sees Virg.(Eg 2810)321/5 : Alle þe brether wit-in þe where, Ilkane schall stande in stalles sere Be-fore oure lady autere dyȝte.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)6.60 : Clerkes..ben aires of heuene..And in queer and in churches cristes owene mynestres.
- (1412) in Salzman Building in Engl.487 : He sall make the kirke and the quere of Katrik newe als werkemanschippe and masoncraft.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)46/8 : Besyde the queer of the chirche..is the place where oure lord was born.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)397/5 : A verry obediencer wille be þe first þat schal entre þe qweer & þe laste þat schal go out.
- (1426-7) Rec.St.Mary at Hill64 : Also payd to iij carpenters iemoynge þe stallis of þe quere, xx d.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)53/22 : Þis creatur was in a cherch of Seynt Margarete in þe qwer wher a cors was present.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1780 : The grete autere þat stood in the qweer [rime: here, auteer] Was meued fro his place.
- c1440(?c1350) Mirror St.Edm.(4) (Thrn)40/14 : One þe same manere sall þou say and do at thyne offece in þe qweire.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1354 : I wol that the Quere of my saide College of Eton shal conteyne in lengthe c iij fete of assise; wherof behinde the high auter shal be viij fete, and fro the seide auter vnto the Quere dore iiij xx xv fete.
- a1450 Ordin.Nuns(2) (Vsp A.25)149/32 : Þe priores and þe couent sal þen go down into þe qwer in-to þer stalles.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)36/24 : When þis Theodosius þe Emperour come in-to þe wher, þis Ambros..sayd vnto hym, 'O þou Emperoure! þies inward placis er ordand for prestis.'
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)249/26-250/1 : Opon a day when all þe covent of þe nonnys stude in þe where at þer serves, sho come vp in-to þe where & lowtid up vnto þe altar.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.47/16 : I will al this ordand to my chauntres & to worschip gode with in the kirke & the quere of Someretby be kend be my chauntre prests as they es deuyded be indenture.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)19/3 : Haue a zele..forto seye hem dystynctly and apertly with pronouncyng of þi wordis yivyng þerto þentente of þin herte so þat þi tonge be not in þe queere and þin hert in þe towne.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)609/26 : Whatsoeuer þinge myht be leueyid of þe seyde burgage sholde be for..a lyhte in wex a-fore þe cros in þe quere of þe monasteri of Godestowe.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)1258/38 : Whan syr Ector herde suche noyse and lyghte in the quyre of Joyous Garde, he alyght and put his hors from hym and came into the quyre.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)122/11 : The fayrenes and honowrynge of the temple is three-folde: in the walles, in the quere, and in the auteres.
- a1500(c1450) Idley Instr.(Arun 20)2.S.60 : Off euery wytty man auȝt to be refusyde In stallys in þe querre to take any stede, And can not helpe to seruffe, syng, nor rede.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)126/8 : Kyng Robert..wolde wer a coope in the quier to begynne the song and entvned the anthemes in the chirche.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)575 : Also they must kepe sylence in the qwere in the church, in the cloister, in the refectory.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4593 : At glastinbury his bones suþþe me fond, & þere at uore þe heye weued amydde þe quer ywis As is bones liggeþ, is toumbe wel vair is.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)354/19 : Þanne come þe frere Austyns and toke vp the body..and bare it whome yn-to hir hous and buryed hym yn hir quere.
- (1466) Will York in Sur.Soc.30284 : My body to be beryd in the abbay..in the where.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)8.99 : Seynte Hewe..see a tumbe in the myddes of the qwere afore the hie awter coverede with clothes of sylke.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)3138 : In A chapell A-mydde the quere That bold baron they beryed thare.
c
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)11123 : In the temple of Appolynys..In-myddis the quere, Ryght be-fore the hey autere, A tabernacle..thei wrouȝte.
- ?a1450 MLChrist (Add 39996)4890 : Oure Lady..Was on a day þe temple wiþynne, In a quere only.
d
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.465 : Clerkes fliȝ þe travayle of þe queere [vr. kere; Higd.(2): qwere; L chori] and spended þe catel of holy cherche.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick252a : We charge yow, prioresse..that ye ordeyne that ther be more multitude to sarufe the qwere.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)566 : Fye, preest, god gyfe the sorowe..Go home and kepe thy Qwer!
- (1453) LRed Bk.Bristol2.202 : The saide preest..may be redi to helpe all other diuine seruice to be doon in the saide chirch as the rule of the Quere shall require.
3.
In cpds. & combs.: (a) ~ cappe, a cap worn for service in the choir; ~ cope (mantel), a choir robe; ~ stol, a stool or pew in the choir; (b) ~ dore, a door communicating with the choir, esp. one connecting with the nave; ~ sconse, a bracketed candlestick in the choir.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)274 : Monekes..in queor-copes a-ȝein heom..comen gon.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)47a/a : Palla: a quere mantel.
- (1427-8) Rec.St.Mary at Hill69 : Also for a quere stole, vij s. x d.
- (1428-9) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7822 : Item, for mending of ii qwere copis and other ornements v s. to the werkemen.
- (1438) Will York in Sur.Soc.4594 : De iij quercappes, iij s.
b
- (1434) Indent.Fotheringhay in Med.Mason246 : To the two respownds of the sayd qwere shall be two perpeyn-walls..oon on aither side of the myddel qwere dore.
- (a1447) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29app.241 : He and his felows at ye qwerrdoor..mad a asawtte to ye said kepper.
- (1447) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 11117 : A Lytell belle hongyng yn the chancell by the quere dor for to ryng sacryng.
- (1447-8) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1355 : The seide bodie of the Chirch shal be lenger than is the quere fro the reredos atte the high auter vnto the quere dore by ix fete.
- ?c1450 in Aungier Syon Mon.363 : Lyght the quyer sconses.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : Item, in ij keyes of new y bought for the quere dorys, vj d.
4.
Singing, a song; dancing, dance [rendering Biblical L chorus].
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lam.5.15 : Turned is in to weiling þer queer [WB(2): song; vr. queer ether song; L chorus].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.149.3 : Preise þei þe name of hym in quer [WB(2): a queer; L choro]; in tymbre & sawtre do þei psalm to hym.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.150.4 : Preise ȝee hym in tymbre & quer; preise ȝee hym in cordis & orgne.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)1 Kings 21.11 : Whether thei sungen not to hym bi queeris [vr. carouls; WB(1): dauncys; L choros], and seiden, 'Saul smoot a thousynde, and Dauid smoot ten thousynde'?
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.11 : Herie þei his name in a queer!
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.12 : Herie ȝe him in tympan & queer!
5.
A group, an assemblage; in ~, ?in the presence of an assembly; haven in ~, ?to have (knights) in an assembled company.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)SSol.7.1 : What shalt þou seen in sunamyte but querys [WB(2): cumpenyes; L choros] of tentis.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)693 : Þo keruer hym parys a schyuer so fre And touches þo louys yn quere a-boute.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.133 : My knightes al, which I had in quere, Thus sodenly fro me..passe awaye.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The phrase ~ stol, with reference to the quot. from Rec.St.Mary at Hill, was defined in the print MED as a stole (MED stole n.) worn by members of the choir, but context among structural items supplied by a carpenter suggests that it is rather a stool or seat (MED stol n.) within the choir of a church (or, conceivably, a choir stall (MED stalle n.), though the cost seems low for that, the same text spells stall as 'stall,' and no spellings in -o- are attested.)