Middle English Dictionary Entry
barren v.
Entry Info
| Forms | barren v. Also (rare) berren. |
| Etymology | OF barrer |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To secure (a gate, a door) with bars or a bolt; to bar, block, or bolt; ~ to; (b) to lock (a room); (c) to lock (sb.) up.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)2135 : Þe ȝates were ffaste ybarred ffor drede.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)2788 : Fast þe doris þan did he bar [Trin-C: bare].
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.162 : Alle þise wise wyes..In an hous al bishette, & her dore ybarred.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.286 : Ar we þorw bryghtnesse be blent, barre we þe ȝates.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4224 : The which for nothyng may be sure, But if she do bisy cure..Strongly to shette and barre the gate.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)614 : Ledes lepen to a-non, louken þe ȝates, Barren hem bigly with boltes of yren.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)691 : Medea the maidon meuyt to þe dore, Barret it bygly on hir best wise.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10463 : Þai..warpit to þe yates, Barrit hom full bigly with bolts of yerne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1312 : Balaa[n] bowis in-to þe burȝe & barris to þe ȝatis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2133 : Þe folke of þe cite..barris..þe foure brad ȝatis.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)5323 : After hym he barrethe the dore ffaste.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2046 : I busked of hire bour; sche barred hit sone.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)114 : Petir was stokkid in a noþir hous strongly schette and barred.
c
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)32/328 : I was neuer bard ere..In sich an oostre as this.
2.
(a) To furnish (a window) with grating; (b) ?to make (a barrel) by joining the staves; ?close (a barrel) by inserting the boards of the head.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)248 : Is paleis þat was so strong, and i-barred al with ire.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)3283 : A window barred with stele.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1130/9 : That wyndow was barred with iron.
- a1500(1396) Indent.Francisc.in RS 4.1 (Vit F.12)522 : That the sayd wyndos be well and sewerly berred of yerne.
- a1500(1396) Indent.Francisc.in RS 4.1 (Vit F.12)525 : The wych wyndos shalbe conuenabully barryd with yren and glasse.
b
- ?a1400 Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)3622 : Barred all & burnessid [Lamb: When þe barel was al dight, & wel y-burnuscht fair & bryght].
3.
To surround (an area) with a barrier, such as a wall or a row of stakes; enclose.
Associated quotations
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)480 : Enclosed and ybarred well, In stede of hegge, was that gardyn.
- a1486 Ordin.Lists in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)307 : That the listes be strongly barred rounde aboute, and a gate in the Est and an oothir in the West, with gode and stronge barris of seven fete of heith or more.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1188 : To the felde þey farde, The place was barryd and dyght.
4.
Ppl. barred: (a) ornamented with strips (of gold, etc.); (b) striped; (c) her. marked with horizontal stripes.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.297 : Clerks dede awey barred gurdelles.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3235 : A ceynt she wered, barred, al of silk.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)159 : Spures..Of bryȝt golde..barred ful ryche.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)600 : Þe brydel barred aboute, with bryȝt golde bounden.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)106/8 : Þis ascensory es couerd abouen with clathez of silk, barred ouerthwert with gold and siluer.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)24 : Barren harnes: Stipo, constipo.
- (1459) Will York in Sur.Soc.30235 : Meam zonam nigram vocatam Cristenynge gyrdill, barred throgh oute.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4916 : My girdyl of ledir barryd with siluir, with bokyll.
b
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)25/15 : His taile es barred ouerthwert with grene and ȝalowe and reed.
c
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)5636 : His shelde was blak and blew..Barred of asure and of sable.
5.
Law (a) To debar or prevent (sb. from asserting or enjoying a right); ~ of right; (b) debar (sb. from bringing suit or claiming a right); ~ to axen, ~ to claimen; (c) debar or stay (legal action).
Associated quotations
a
- (1433) RParl.4.442a : Yat your saide Warde..be Lawe, Statuit, nor Acte in your saide Parlement for to be made, be not excluded nor barred of his title and right in this Bille.
b
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)57 : Be that same womman..barryd to axene eny thyng in the forseyd tenementz so alyened.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)77 : Be not he..barryd that he may not recuren be pleynt of abatement.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)83 : Ne be he..be malice or collusione of swich false executours barryd from his accione to axen and recuren the same fre tenement.
- (1437) RParl.4.510b : To sende Writtes to ye seid Juges..to barre and exclude the seid Thomas Stamford in the seid suytes.
- (1474) RParl.6.100b : By the which the seid George Duke of Clarence..myght or ought be excluded, disherited, barable or barred.
- a1600(a1463) Fortescue Title York (Jul F.6)501 : Edwarde, late Erle of Marche, is forcluded and barred by all lawes used amonge Kinges..to clayme the Kingdome of Englande.
c
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)59 : That it be not barryd..that the man the same tenementz in the forseyd court of Gippiswich axene.
6.
Eccl. To excommunicate.
Associated quotations
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)28 : If þei ben wiþ doome barred & excludid fro þe chirche, þei ben to dispise.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.265 : Honorius..chaungede þe coopes of frere Carmes into clene white, þat were toforehonde ray, barred, and beemed [L stragulatæ, radiatæ et birratæ].
Note: Additional quote(s) for sense 4.(b). Cp. raile adj.