Middle English Dictionary Entry
rēver(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | rēver(e n. Also revour, refar, reiver, -our, rīver; pl. reveres, etc. & (early) revres, reaver(e)s, reaferes, -æs, ræveres. |
| Etymology | OE rēafere |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A robber, plunderer; also, a destroyer, spoiler; ~ bi (on) the se, a pirate; robbere ne ~, robberes and reveres; (b) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : Gif twa men..coman ridend to an tun, al þe tunscipe flugæn for heom, wenden ðæt hi wæron ræueres.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)56/13 : Ȝitseræs and reaferæs ȝeond weorulde smealice acsiæð..hwanon heo maȝon þa teoriȝendlican gold ȝeeacniæn.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)15 : Þas ruperes and þas reueres and þas þeues þet nulleð nu nefre swike heore uueles, þu aȝest luuan heore saule.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)243 : Þas þri fihteð agen elcen ileafful man..alse þri reaferes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7016 : Ne durst nauere peohtestes cumen..no ræueres..þat heo neoren sone of-slæȝen.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)26/430 : Reauers hit..robbið.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)79/20 : Þe bereð tresor openliche i wei þet is al ful of reaueres [Nero: reauares] & of þeoues, him luste leosen hit.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)149 : He haueþ bi-tauht þe o tresur..And bit þe luke þine bur, & wilneþ þat þu hit wyte wel Wyþ þeoues, wiþ reueres, wiþ lechurs.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2104 : Nou ne sitten none but wicke men, Glotuns, reures, or wicke þeues.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1798 : Þov mayntenest þef [?read: þes] reyuours her neȝ to þyn honde.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.51.48 : Fro þe norþ shul come to it reueres [WB(2): rauynours; L prædones].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)73b/a : A riȝtful loord..p[u]ttiþ of robboures & reyuers.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2205 : Þis Nembrot..was..gret werrur, Reuer [Trin-C: Robber], and man-queller.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)14.58 : He in derke mete With robbours and..reuers þat riche men dispoilen.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Serv.& L.(Corp-C 296)243 : Þei meyntenen..extorsioneris..reuers to distroie here pore neiȝebores.
- (1434) Proc.Privy C.4.194 : Such robbers & revers by þe see of scippis, godes, or merchandises..shal be..arestid by..shirrefes.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)p.8 head. : The commodytes of Pety Brytayne, wyth here revers [vr. ryvers] on the see.
- ?a1450 Mem.Cred.(Tan 201)55/21 : Y am not as oþer men buth, robbars, reuars, manslears, spouse brekars.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)155/17 : I am no robbere ne revere ne no theff.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5925 : We meruayle vs Þat ȝe ressayue þir reuours þus.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)77 : Clerkis now are fals witnes aȝen þer lawis and þefis and refars.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.37.82a : Vpon theves & murderers, robboures and reueres..thei schuld be feers.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)688 : Ther were..Robbers, reuers, rauenouse ryfelers.
b
- (1255) Close R.Hen.III133 : Ricardus le Reuere.
- (1317) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.14242 : William le Reuere.