Middle English Dictionary Entry
rār(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | rār(e adj. Also rēre. |
| Etymology | L rārus & OF rer, rere, rare. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of thin substance, light, airy; of soil: loose, light, aerated; ?also, light-colored; of a human organ, the skin, etc.: porous, spongy; (b) sparsely distributed; (c) thinly woven; (d) scarce, seldom found; (e) of small quantity, small.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)107/13 : Þe skyn of þe heed is more þickere þan þe brain sculle, þat it schulde ben more rare [L plus rara] & more porose.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)36b/b : Oþerwise forsoþ beþ rare or þynne bodiez & oþerwise spisse or þik bodiez to be medicyned.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)69a/a : In fracture of þe panne þer is abiden a pore feble & rare, i. þynne, vnto 3 daiez.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.85 : For vynys lond to chese eek most me yeme: In coors and in colour solute and rare.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.99 : The londis fatte, or lene, or thicke, or rare..ffor dyuers seed..right needful are.
- a1475 Prk.Weather & Moon in NM 58 (Brog 2.1)67 : Snowe ys causede of a grosse vapour lyke wyse as ys þe rayne, whyche vapour in the mydyll part of þe eyer ys turned into rar cloude.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)27a/a : Þe tunge is a membre wiþinne middis concauite of þe mouþ y-compouned of whit, neische, rere fleisch y-medlid wiþ veynes and arteries.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)35b/b : The lunge is a spermatyk membre..fulfillid wiþ rere fleisch official & compouned.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)35b/b : Þou schalt fynden causis whi þe lungis weren lappid in sich a pannicle, The firste for þilke pannicle schulde gadere togidere and resseyue and kepe þe rere substaunce of þe lungis.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)174/36 : Þat qwyche is sotel is mor wurthy þan þat qwyche is grose, and þat rar, porous, or lyght is mor bettyr þan qwyche is thyk of substauns.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)175/7 : Euiry rar thyng werkyth in to euiry thyk thyng.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)181/25 : Þe erth is in þe myddis of alle elementis, and it is þe mor thyk substauns and sadder essencially..contemperat is þat qwyche is rare, thynne, porose or sotel.
b
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.1033 : Bowis ore hit trayn So lough and rare, on hem that bees may dwelle And drynke ynough.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1497 : Mesure a grounde as wil thin ooste suffice; To wide it is, thin ooste therin is rare; To streyt, thei be to thicke.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1893 : A prince..of his folk the multitude Shal seen..how thei shal stonde aright..and by this similitude Be short and huge in brede or longe & rare; But myghtier is brede.
c
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.814 : Of peris wyne is maade, if they be grounde And thorgh a rare saak [L sacco rarissimo] with fors ywronge.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.494 : A multitude of reysouns puld they take And into russhy frayels rare [L rariore contextu] hem gete.
d
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)6361 : Þat book is rare And straunge to gete.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)9/17 : Be rare [L rarus] amonge yonge peple & straunge folkes.
e
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.9 : He ordeynede that brede ordeynede to synge with scholde be..litelle in quantite, seyenge that a rare oblacion is more myȝhty then and if hit were of moore quantite [Trev.: þe scarser þe oyst be þe better it is].