Middle English Dictionary Entry
sēr(e adj.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | sēr(e adj.(1) Also seir. |
| Etymology | OE sēar |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of plants: dry, withered; dead; also, bare; of a wooden idol: dried out; (b) of the body or part of it: dry, emaciated, shriveled; (c) appearing burnt in color, ?yellowish-brown; (d) brittle, easily broken; (e) of one's soul, thoughts: barren, lifeless, useless; (f) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(1399) Þer is a busch (Bagot)p.365 : The busch is bare and waxus sere.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4432 : Þe speres crakeþ also þicke So on hegge sere stykke.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4749 : May devoide of al delite With seer braunches, blossoms vngrene.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)453 : Seere, or dry, as treys or herbys: Aridus.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)58/1701 : The god of loue..doth affoyle the trees sere With grene.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)118/26 : Þat legge..he schuld drawe..after him as..a braunch of a sere tree.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)968/8 : The sere tre betokenyth..sir Lyonell, whych ys dry withoute vertu.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)24774 : Herbes and..floures..the hoote Sonne maketh..Sere.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.107 : Þe ymage..is..seer & drye and werm etyn..men shuldyn nought wurshepyn seer drye trees.
- a1500 Mirk Fest.Revis.(Hrl 2247)69/94 : Bringe palmes and bowes of grene trees..but not drye stikkes and seere þat be but dede.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.18 : He felt him heuy & ferly seke; his body wex alle seere.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.28/13 : Hete of lyf was ynfowndid to seyr and drye membrys, and anoon folowid full helth.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)68.385 (v.2:p.27) : Whan he his swerd lyfted had on hy, redy to smyten, even the same tide his hand wex seer, and myght the swerd nat guyde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)369/397 : I am fastened sore to this bere; myn handys are ser bothe tweyne.
- a1500 Mirk Fest.Revis.(Hrl 2247)83/84 : Forthwith þat hande þat she touched oure lady with wex seer [vr. sore] and drye as a stik.
c
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)621 : A grene wey shel þe þuder lede, And steppes sere of hew..For þer we went, Neuere after gras ne grew.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1459 : The colour of the felde was..seere as though hit had be bake.
d
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)480/120 : His feteres toburste anon atuo, for hi bicome wel sere.
e
- a1450 ME Verse in Anglia 92p.63 : I am a sowl baryn and seer [L inculta].
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)19/23 : Thou..were wonte..fooles..to enfourmen in..distroyeng of their derke opinions, and in comforte of their seare thoughtes.
f
- (1199) CRR(1) 1258 : Will. Serewith.
- (1199) CRR(1) 1341 : Godefridus Seredust.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1500 Hrl.2252 Artist.Recipes (Hrl 2252) 83/18 : Yf þu wylte temper vermilon yf it be sure and sadde, take and grynde it smalle vppon a stone drye, and then put hyt in a pece of syluer, and wasshe it clene.
Note: Glossary: "sure adj. 'sere, dark'."
Note: Additional quot., ?prob. sense (c). New spelling (sure).