Middle English Dictionary Entry
barre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | barre n. Also bar(r, bare. Pl. barres, barreis, barresse, barras; (early) barren. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A barrier, obstruction, or barricade, esp. outside the gate of a walled city or castle; also, the gate itself; -- often pl.; (b) in names: gate (of a walled city).
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)131 : He..tobrec þa irene barren of helle.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2317 : Ant bihefden hire utewið þe barren of þe burhe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4679 : Þanne come þe Sarzynz out And defendede þe barres al about.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.181 : Whan þe water schal torne in to þe citee, Men takeþ out a barre þat þe water is istopped wiþ.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)963 : Þe grete barrez of þe abyme he barst up at onez.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)321 : Þe barrez of vche a bonk ful bigly me haldes, Þat I may lachche no lont.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7961 : And hem enforced aboute in euery place, Her round cite with barreis & with palis.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jonah 2.7 : Y wente doun to the vtmeste places of hillis, the barris [L vectes] of erthe closiden me togidere.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)391 : At þe barresse he habade And bawndonly down lyghte.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)765 : He boweþ to þe barres [vr. barrers] or he bide wolde, Betynge on with þe brond on þe bras rynges.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1279 : Oure Cristen knyghtis..chacede þam to þe ȝate, The owte barres hew þay downn.
- (1455) Doc.in HMC Var.Col.4203 : The makynge of the barres abowte the seid Cite for the grete defence..of the seid Cite.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)9b : A Barras: Antimurale, vallum.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)120 : With chaynys and barrys the dyche lay wyde & depe.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)29/783* : Alexander..Brades vppe þe brade ȝate & þe barre entres.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2903 : Þe Prince..band hys blonnke at a barre [vr. barrere] withoute þe brode ȝatez.
b
- (1280) Abbrev.Plac.Edw.I199 : Jordanus Attebargate.
- (1289) Court R.Ramsey278 : Galfridus ate Barre.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1095 : Walterus atte Barre.
- (1327) Sub.R.Som.in Som.RS 3199 : Willelmus atte Barezete.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1931 : At seynt clementes he lis, Wiþ outen temple bar y wis.
- (1347) Let.Bk.Lond.F (Gldh LetBk F)165 : Robert Barremakere.
- (1385) Doc.in Bentley Excerpta Hist.139 : Viam regiam inter Southwarkbarr' & Newton.
- (1419) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8513 : At his tenement..wyth oute Walmegate barr in the suburbes of York.
- (1419) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8514 : The kynge's dyke betwix Bouthumbarr and Munkbarr was so stopped, that the water myght noght hafe issue.
- (1419) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.12589 : Le mote infra Mikelgarth barre.
- (1435) Doc.in Rec.B.Nottingham 2358 : Two hussus undder ye West Barre called ye Chapelle Barre.
2a.
The railing in front of the judge's seat in a court of law, at which the litigants and the barristers stand; the court itself; at (in) the ~, at the bar, in court; bringen to the ~, bring suit against (sb.), bring before a court or to justice; pleden (serven) at the ~, plead in court, practice law.
Associated quotations
- [ c1320(1306) Yrbk.Edw.I in RS 31.5121 : Lendemein vient Johan a la barre e respondi. ]
- [ c1320(1306) Yrbk.Edw.I in RS 31.5293 : En examinement de sun clyent a la barre. ]
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)342 : Countours in benche that stondeth at the barre, Theih wolen bigile the in thin hond.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)prol.85 : Þer houeþ an Hundret In Houues of selk..to seruen atte Barre; Pleden for pons and poundes þe lawe.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)189 : Þus þei brouȝt hire to þe barre, hir bales to brewe.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)17/20 : He was brouȝth bifore þe Barre tofore Pilate.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.452 : Shal no seriaunte for þat seruyse were a selk houe..for pledyng at þe barre.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)5.132 : Ich shal no reuthe haue, Whyl Mede hath the maistrye, ther motyng is atte barre.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)852 : Gamelyn took him in his arm and..þrew him [the judge] ouer þe barre.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)113 : To bar sen þou him broght, to schilde þiself fro schame.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.186 : Ech man mote nedis stonde at þe barre bifore Crist.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)137/148 : He is aboue, þat knowis ale..at His bar stond ȝe schal.
- (1437) RParl.4.509b : The seid Thomas Stamford, beyng at the barre at Westm' before oure Lord the Kyng..was committed to the Marchall, in prison to abide.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)752 : Yf a freeke for felonye is frayned atte barre For traison..And wil not answere [etc.].
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)48/26 : Þis yong man was broght vnto þe bar befor a iudge.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)25 : Standyng at the bare afor the Juges.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)222 : This ȝere [1362] was ordeyned that alle plees at the barre schuld be in Englisch tunge, and in no othir tunge.
- (c1470) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.525a : Paied to Maister Catysby, for pletyng at the barre divers tymes this quarter.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cl : Crist wiþhelde no men of lawe ne pleders at þe barr..to toyle for worldly cause.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)188/5 : Howe the handemayde i-knewe the in the barre.
2b.
A group of barristers, bar.
Associated quotations
- (1447) Shillingford19 : Kys, Hengston, More, Wode, and Orcharde, a greet barre.
3.
(a) A counter or bar (for serving drinks); (b) a railing; (c) the borders (of a district); -- pl.
Associated quotations
a
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)77 : This yoman hathe the specyall charge..of the keepinge of this ale, beere..and ministration thereof at the barre, for alle the household.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)24 : Barre abowte a graue or awter: Barre.
c
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.15.5 : Myn herte schal crie to Moab, the barris [L vectes] therof til to Segor.
4.
(a) A bar for bolting a door or gate; (b) a metal bar (of a grate); pl. a grate of crossed bars.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 Gloss.Neckam (Tit D.20)110 : Ostium..habeat..vectes: barres..repagula: bars.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1794 : Auelok..þe barre sone vt-drow..And caste þe dore open wide.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5678 : Þe gate..Wiþ lockes..Wiþ mani bar & mani gin.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)471 : Sere, veroil et cerrure: Barre, slot and stapul.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4707 : Or þay moȝte þe barre arere, þe ȝate to make faste.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.65 : Þe ȝates of Caspij beeþ i-steke wiþ yren barres [L ferreis trabibus].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13201 : Þe yates fand he sperd..And he þe barres of ham brast.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)884 : Steken þe ȝates stonharde wyth stalworth barrez.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.633 : Þe lowkis þikke..of þe gatys..And with-Inne þe myȝty schittyng was of strong yrne barres.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)136/4 : Þe principall ȝates..er of precious stanes..and þe barrez of þam er of euour.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1098 : Barres and lokkes stronge..His goed from theeues for to keep & saue.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6018 : The Troiens full tite tyrnyt the ȝates, Barret hom bigly with barres of yrne.
- c1450(?a1400) Quatref.Love (Add 31042)260 : Alle þe ȝatis gan þay steke, Bot son..alle þe barres braste.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)2923 : Richard raught him with a barr of bras, That he caught at the gate.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)46 : The brygge they vp-drowe, the barres forthe they pyȝt: the sarsyns layn with-oute al redy for to fyȝt.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1847 : To the chambyr dore he sprente And claspid it with barres twoo.
b
- (1364-5) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.lxvii : Barres de ferro pro fenestris.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1075 : Thurgh a wyndow thikke of many a barre Of iren greet..He caste his eye vpon Emelya.
- (1400) Will York in Sur.Soc.4515 : Pro..j craticula cum vj barres.
- (1443) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 828 : For a barre to ye wyndow yn ye gabul.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)432/10 : Sir Trystramys..brake the barrys of a wyndow, and so he lepe oute.
- a1500(1396) Indent.Francisc.in RS 4.1 (Vit F.12)522 : That the sayd wyndos be well and sewerly berred of yerne and closyd with wyndowes of glasse, natt removable, but fastened stedfastly to the barres abowesayd.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)219/8 : Barres of a gret grydyr.
5.
(a) A pole, pale, or staff; a narrow board (as for framing); bar-tre; a bar (of iron); (b) a shaft (of wood or metal); a lance; ?a crowbar [quot.Vegetius]; (c) ?a board; specif. "a transverse piece of wood making fast the head of a wine-cask" (OED s.v. bar n.1, sense 11).
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ex.26.26 : Thou schalt make also fyue barris [WB(1): beryng staues; L vectes] of trees..to holde togidere the tablis in o side of the tabernacle.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)103b/a : Be þer a barre [L barra] transuersed vnder þe armehole And be he raised vp bi 2 ministerez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)120a/b : Be it [corpse] put in a case of lede..& be it festned..wiþ barrez of iren..for to lifte and for to bere.
- (1448) *MS L Reg.Test.Ebor.ii.183 [OD col.] : Instrumentum textrinum..et j warppyng fatt cum bartrees ad hoc pertinentibus.
- (1455) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15162 : The barre of Ire..v & xvj vnces.
- a1486 Ordin.Lists in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)307 : That the listes be strongly barred rounde aboute..with gode and stronge barris of seven fete of heith or more.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4563 : A gret barre of yre saȝ he lye..Reyner..tok vp þe barre with boþen ys hond.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.27.1 : The Lord schal visite..on leuyathan..a barre [WB(1): leuour; L vectem]..and he schal sle the whal.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)57 : Phebus and he strof togedir in castyng of a barre of yron.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1195 : Barrys like a sworde, To bere on with the foyn, and not to shere, And smyte thorgh a plank other a boorde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)296/5 : Ther myght none caste barre nother stone to hym by two yardys.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)9 : Lances ferreas: barris of yrene.
c
- (1423-4) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.177 : Item, for j barre to þe botme of an tubbe..for cuttynge of an hoggeshede, with ij hopes & ij barres to þe same.
- (1463) Acc.Howard in RC 57217 : For barrys and ladynge off the same bott .. viij d.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)7/12 : Must that is put into a tunne .. for lake of attendaunce breketh both his barris and dryvith owte the bong.
6.
(a) An ornamental (gold or silver) strip or bar, as on a girdle, a piece of armor, a saddle; (b) an ornament, ?brooch; (c) a strip (of foil).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1349) Wardrobe Acc.Edw.III(1) in Archaeol.3155 : Boucles..pendentes..barres arg[enti].
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.329 : Girt with a ceynt of silk with barres smale.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.433 : Crouperes, peytrels and bridles, couered with precious clothyng and riche barres and plates of gold.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)162 : Þe barres of his belt.
- (1423) Will York in Sur.Soc.4573 : Brestplat..cum x barres de argento.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1103 : Rychesse a girdell hadde upon..The barres were of gold ful fyn Upon a tyssu of satyn.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1200 : Upon a thikke palfrey..With sadel red..Of gold the barres up enbosede hye, Sit Dido.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)28/21 : And girt aboue with a girdil whech had no barres.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)138.6 (v.2:p.384) : Seynt Simplician .. fled to desert clad in an abyte of blak hauynnge the forme and the shap of a cros, gyrt abouyn with a thong of ledyr withowtyn ony barre.
- (c1465) Invent.Cirencester in BGAS 18 (Bod 6530)328 : A gurdyle of sylke with xxi barrys & a plate with ye boxyle and ye pendante.
b
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)38b/b : Lunila: a nouche or a barre.
c
- ?c1425 Arun.Cook.Recipes (Arun 334)460 : Lay orethwart him [a roast pig] one barre of silver foile, and another of golde.
7.
Her. A horizontal stripe, a bar.
Associated quotations
- (1433) Will York in Sur.Soc.3047 : Duas ollas argenti vocatas potellpottes: quarum una signata cum scuto de septem barres.
- 1466 Challenge Warw.in PMLA 22 (Lnsd 285)601 : His letres sealde with his Armes of Silvyr with twey barris of Goules.
8.
barres, an outdoor game played by children, prob. the original of 'prisoner's base'.
Associated quotations
- [ (1332) RParl.2.68b : Que nul enfant..ne jue..as bares ne as autres jues. ]
- c1330 St.Greg.(Auch)83/382 : Went he on aday to plawe, As children don, atte bars.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2398 : Som at bares þai ran.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)336 : Bal and bares and suche play, Out of chyrcheȝorde put away.
9.
Law The staying or debarring (of any further legal action); in barre of.
Associated quotations
- (1430) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.96/23 : Ȝef the seid Erle..plede any acquitaunce or relees yn barre of act[i]on of the seid obligacion yn any court to be made yn any other shire.
- (1445) in Webb Rec.St.Barth1.500 : The said priour appered and leted in barr of the said accion of dette an acquitannce.
- (1449) RParl.5.169a : Yf the same Robert..plede any plee or plees in barr of the accyon.
- (1450) RParl.5.213a : If the seid mysdoers..plede..other mater in distruction or barre of the seid Appell.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)28/107 : This hawk hath fayre lang wynges, a lange tayle with vi heres [read: beres] and standeth apon þe vii beri.
Note: New spelling. Forms in -e- not otherwise attested.
Note: New sense. Under sense 6., add "a banded marking forming part of a bird's plumage."
Note: Ed. tr. 'this hawk has handsome long wings, a long tail with 6 bars & will soon have the 7th bar.'
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1480) Acc.Purser in RHS ser.4.7 ()27 : Ffor a peylotte to bryng the schep out at the bare of Welva to yn to the Streyts.
Note: New sense, closely related to sense 1.: 'a sandbar or similar obstacle to navigation, lying across the mouth of a harbor or river.' [= OED bar n.(1), sense 15.(a).]