Middle English Dictionary Entry
rother n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | rother n.(2) Also rothere, rothor, rither, rether, rethur, ruthur(e, (WM & early SWM) reother & (error) vrother; pl. rothere(n, rotheron, rothern, ritheren, retheres, rethere(n, retheroun, rethren, (chiefly SW & SWM) rutheren(e, ruthern & (early SW & SWM) reotheren, reoderen & (in names) reder(es)-, rederos-, rutre-, rudherhes-, roȝer-, Rede Rose. |
| Etymology | OE hrīðer, hrȳðer, LOE hrūþer; cp. LOE hreoðarhyrde. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An ox, a cow, bull; pl. cattle, oxen; ~ beste; (b) ~ drivere, a cattle driver; ~ herde [OE hrīðer-hirde], herdsman; rotheres lether, prepared oxhide or cowhide; (c) in surnames; (d) in place names [see Smith PNElem.1.265].
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4042 : Islaȝene weoren to þon mele twælf þusend ruðeren [Otho: roþere].
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)37 : Ðet oref þe þis deor waneð beð shep and reðeren and Get and swin, and bitocneð men.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)4/21 : Þe riche reoðeren [Roy: roðeren] ant schep..brohte to lake.
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)112/2 : He..teiȝede for þi an clod of eorðe to hire as me deð to þe reoðer [Corp-C: ku; Nero: swine] oðer to an oðer beast þet is to reachinde Abuten.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)419 : Þare cam in þe londe a swyþe strong qualm of orue, Þat schep and reoþeren and oþur bestes aldai leiȝen a-storue.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)13 : An eue þis ruþerene wenden hom as heore wone was, ech-one.
- c1300 SLeg.MPChr.(LdMisc 108)853 : Fond he þer Inne Chap Men stondinde and sullen..Schep and reþren and coluerene eke.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1209 : Vourti þousend of ruþeren [B vr. rothern] he let quelle þer to.
- (1375) Award Blount in ORS 7205 : She to have yerelye iij horse, x Retherbestis goyng with the lords Cataile.
- 1381 Dc.257 Cook.Recipes (Dc 257)70.43/1 : Nym þe tonge of þe rether & schalde & schawe yt wel.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.13 : Þis ilond..bringeþ forþ trees and fruyt and reþeren [Trin-O: Ruthern].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.205 : He tornede hym to examyne strenges and streyned guttes and senewes of schepe and of reþeren [vrr. riþeren, roþeron; L boum] i-fastned to dyuers wiȝtes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)315b/b : Þerfore hertes fleissh is likyng and roþeres [L bouina] also.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4710 : Men hem þrew wiþ drytt and dunge, Wiþ foule ayren, wiþ roþeres [LinI: reoþeres] lunge.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45171 : Than along the morys to Langford, suthward Langford to Maccanynge, so by Maccanynges ouytwert lond so as the rytheryn gou [?read: gon].
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)96/5 : Men schulde ete þat blessid brede as a rethur etith þe gress.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)111/364 : Þen schalt þou take freische rothorus scherne..& grynde it with sope & bynde it þer-to.
- ?a1450 Mem.Cred.(Tan 201)50/11 : Ȝoure retheroun and ȝoure schepe schulle by y slaw.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1239 : Meliager with his men..Raschis with rethere & rydis bot a quyle.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)98 : When þou seest þat hit is no neode to vse þe medycyne no more, take of vrotherfeet [vrr. roþeris feet; nettes fete], when þei beoþ y soden, and blowe hit of þe watre.
- (?a1455) Pet.Peyto in Spec.819 : Thomas Malory..hath take iiij rotherbestes of on John Dercet.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)1.424 : Tak of redyr fete, when the be sothyn and blowe of the fat fro the water that ther wer sothyn in.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)431 : Foure roþeren hym by-forn..feble were worþi [read: worþen]; Men myȝte reken ich a ryb, so reufull þey weren.
b
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)97 : Amos het a reoðer heorde.
- (1396) *War.Chanc.PRO file 560 [OD col.] (PRO Chancery Warrants 560) : Quatre boefs, pris de quarante soulds, de Johan ap Jakke, retherdryver.
- a1400 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/1)p.80 : Euerych sowtere þat makeþ shon of newe reþeres [vr. ruþeres] leþer, shal bote, at þat feste of Estre, twey pans.
c
- (1276) Let.Bk.Lond.B (Gldh LetBk B)262 : Hugh de Rotherherde.
- (1294) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms57 : Rob. Retherherde.
- (1299) Close R.Edw.I314 : Hugh le Rutherherde.
- (1316) Name in LuSE 3571 : Roȝerherd.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum14 : Steven Rotherford.
d
- (1127) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)28 : Retherhith.
- (1192) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)77 : Rutrefeld'.
- (1194) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)77 : Reðeresfeld'.
- (1203) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)28 : Rutherhey.
- (1238) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)28 : Rotherhuthe.
- (1246) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)77 : Rudherhesfeld.
- (1255) EPNSoc.11 (Sur.)29 : Ritherhith.
- (1261) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)372 : Rutherefeld.
- (1272) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)99 : Rotherebrug.
- (1283) EPNSoc.6 (Sus.)99 : Retheresbrugge.
- (1285) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)77 : Rederfeld Mordacke.
- (1285) EPNSoc.23 (Oxf.)78 : Rittherefeld Murdake.
- (1301) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.154 : Redereslane.
- (1318) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.154 : Rede Rose Lane.
- (1325-6) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.154 : Rotheresgateslane.
- (1343) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.154 : Retheresgate.
- (1369) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.154 : Rederoslane.
- (1372-3) in Ekwall Street-Names Lond.154 : Retherlane.