Middle English Dictionary Entry
quirrẹ̄ n.(1)
Entry Info
Forms | quirrẹ̄ n.(1) Also quirrei, querre, quẹ̄re, querrīe, quarre, quarrie, quari, whirri, cure, kirre; pl. quirreis, etc. & (?error) guyrreis. |
Etymology | OF: cp. AF quirreie, CF cuiriee, curee hunter's right; for spellings querre, etc., cp. ME quī̆r-boilī n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Hunt. (a) The parts of a deer, usually placed on the animal's hide, which are given to the hounds as a reward for the chase; (b) the ceremony of giving the hounds their reward; (c) the collection of game killed in the chase; also, the place where the game is laid out; also, fig. a collection of ill-gotten goods.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)499 : Þe forster for his riȝtes Þe left schulder ȝaf he, Wiþ hert, liuer, and liȝtes And blod tille his quirre, Houndes on hyde he diȝtes.
- c1425 Twiti Venery(1) (Vsp B.12)153 : Whan the hart is take..the houndes shal be rewardid with the nekke and with þe bewellis, with the fee, and thei shal be etyn vndir [read: on; F sur] the skyn [F quir], & therfore it is clepid the quarre [F quyrreye].
- c1500 Melusine (Roy 18.B.2)99/4 : Þe herte..was take by chaas of dogges..and the curee made & gyue to the houndes, as custome is to doo.
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)6 : He hath ynowe to doon to þenke to wel vndo his hert..and wele to doone his cure.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)8 : Whan þe herte is spaied and dede, he vndoþ hym and makeþ his kyrre and enquirreth or rewardeth his houndes, and..whan he comeþ home, he comeþ joyfully, for his lord haþ ȝeue hym to drynk of his good wyne at Kyrre.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)58 : As towchyng greyhoundes, men may wel helpe to make hem good techyng..in makyng of many good guyrreis, whan þei han wel idon, and astyng and biteng hem whan þei done amys.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)111 : Þe abay shuld abyde to þe quyrrey be don and þe flessh voided away.
c
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1324 : Þenne fersly þay flokked in..& quykly of þe quelled dere a querre þay maked.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)107 : Þe forsaid forster or parker shuld warne the shiref..for to ordeyne stable suffisaunt and cartis eke, for to brynge þe deer þat shuld be slayn to þe place where as quyrreis at huntyngges haue ben acustomed to be.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)110 : Þei shuld kepe þat no man come with inne þe quyrre to þe kyng come, saue þe maister of þe game..þan shuld þe maister of þe game lede þe kyng to þe quirre [vr. querre] and shewe it hym.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)111 : Euery man..þat haþ out slayn shuld mark it þt he myghte chalaunge his fee, and haue it at quirre.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)111 : Þan shuld þe gromys..do as is in þe same chapiter deuised wiþ þe grettest hede and þe fairest affeted þat þei can fynde in alle þe quyrre.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1647 : Robert bryngeth to the quarrie suche as he fynde [vr. gan fynde].
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)731 : That day he brought to quary tenne Moo than dyde all other men, Of noble herttes that were.
2.
Hawk. The prey at which a hawk is flown; ?also, the bird caught in a snare [quot.: c1500].
Associated quotations
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)233 : Then fawkoners..Puttis owte with a penn þe maryo one his gloue, And quotes thaym [their hawks] to the querrye [vr. whirry] that quelled hym to þe dethe.
- c1500 PFulham (Trin-C R.3.19)p.123 : I haue grete mervayle That thy panteirs catcheth no pullayle..But I trowe that thy grynnes [read: gynnes] been untelt,Ellys to fieble or to many folde Off queeres.