Middle English Dictionary Entry
sẹ̄r(e adj.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | sẹ̄r(e adj.(2) Also sēr(e, (chiefly N or NEM) seir & (error) see; pl. seres, sers. |
| Etymology | From ON: cp. OI sēr, dat. of sik refl.pron. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Different, various, diverse; on ~ wise, upon (a) ~ wise, in a diverse way, variously; mani and ~, many and various; (b) distinct, individual; also, separated, parted; ~ to, in addition to (sth. else); (c) many, several [1st quot. may belong to 1.(a)]; ~ coloured, many colored; (d) fro ~ sides, from all directions; in ~ stede, in many a place; on ~ half, on many a side, all around; on ~ sides, upon ~ halves, on all sides, everywhere; on sides ~, everywhere; also, in all ways; (e) ~ sith, ?at various times (during the war); ?several times over.
Associated quotations
a
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)88/466 : Of this syn [pride] comes mani sere spices, Bost and auantyng and unbuxumnesse, Despite and ypocrisie and unshamefulnesse And othir.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.4 : The faur godspellers..a talle thay telle Bot seer saues er in thair spelle.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6840 : Your land yee sal sau seuen yeir And scer þar-of your corns seir.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)12 : Aȝt happes he hem hyȝt and vche-on a mede Sunderlupes for hit dissert vpon a ser wyse.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1443 : Ilk day had þai solace sere Of huntyng and als of revere.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)12/143 : Other vertus ful mony and sere War wroght by him in þis werld here.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)3261 : Þus sal þai on sere-wyse pyned be, Sum many wynter for þair syn.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7874 : Here have I shewed on a general manere Þe ioyes of heven, many and sere.
- ?a1425 SLeg.And.(CmbAdd 3039)55/10 : Þe apostels sparpelled wyde, Ilkone into sere contre to preche.
- c1440 Treat.Prayer (Thrn)295 : Srayng [read: Prayng] es..gyffene till sere mene apone sere wyse as þe haly gaste will.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1294 : Þen sente þe kyng his messegers Vntil þe hauenes & costes sers.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7432 : Þe kyng gaf Hengist faire maners In Kent, & fele oþere stedes seers.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)116/8 : With þier seven gyftes þe Haly Gaste towches sere men serely.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)16/59 : Selcouthe thynges may we see heere..With beestes and foules so many and seere.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.27 : Now speke I wylle of sauces sere; How þay ar made, I wylle ȝow lere.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)17.16 : For some takis godis word and does thar eftere, some despises it, and swa thai ga sere wayes.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)150.4 : Til the strengis he settis orgyns that is made as a toure of sere whistils.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)18653-4 : Illc an had iss oþerr fra..todæledd, Forr ser iss Sune, & Faderr ser, & ser iss þeȝȝre baþre Allmahhtiȝ Gast.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)24/95 : Ne thre goddes, the fadir and the son and the haligast, Bot thre see [vr. sere] persons and noght bot a god.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1434 : Adam liued nine hundret yeir And thritte wynter þar-to seir.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5461 : His suns blessed he on rau, He gaue ilkan seir [Trin-C: dyuerse] benissun.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)292 : In þe sune..Es a thing and thre thinges sere; A bodi round, hote, and light, þir thre we find all at a sight.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)507 : Noe..hevened up an auter..And sette a sakerfyse þeron of uch a ser kynde Þat watz comly and clene.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5894 : Men sal alswa yhelde rekkenynges sere Of al gudes þat God has gefen þam here.
- c1425 Evang.(BodAdd C.38)1775 : Þan out of heuen doun þei harde þat as a greet fyre comyng ferde And sere tunges þere were sene.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)59 : The foure Elementes þou mad sere, To sustayne oure bodyly kynde here.
- c1440 Ihesu cryste saynte (Thrn)64 : Ihesu, Ioyne þi lufe in my thoghte, Swa þat þay neuer be sere.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)277 : Out of his bosom he brayd a blesand table..Þat thre serclis sere..had.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)8/255 : x orders in heuen were of angels that had offyce sere.
c
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)90/495 : This trespas [gluttony] dos men opon sere [Wycl.LFC: many] wise.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)1781 : I sall mak syte & sorows sere, And so I hope God sall me here.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)26067 : O sere men, sere opinion [Frf: of mani a man opinioun].
- a1400 Monk Sees Virg.(Eg 2810)24 : Sere tymes he saw..A lufly lady descend doune.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)822 : Sere seggez hym sesed by sadel, quel he lyȝt.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2505 : Þer come to þam..Lyons & lybardys full sere.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)16/404 : Sere miracles war done ilka day.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)528 : To hyr he gat a messynger, To schewe hyr all hys wandrynges sere.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7361 : We haue Godes seeres ffor whos wyrschip we make auteres.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)162 : He..cried kenely one Criste..With sawtries full sere tymes.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)151/5 : Þe fadir made a cote sere-colerd comynge to þe helys.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1659 : Cuthbert..went and duelt þar dayes sere.
- c1475 Babies' Bk.(Hrl 5086)164 : Eke yf to yow be brouhte goode metys sere, Luke curteysly of ylke mete yee assay.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)8/239 : Here ar..Gresys and othere small floures..of seyr coloures.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11668 : A selly þere sene was with seremen aboute, Gird to þe ground fro the grete heuyn, A ffygur full fyne, festnyt in the wall.
d
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)4054 : He fled fra hir in þat dere tyme, And on sere sides soght sho hym.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2919 : I have ȝow soght on sydes sere; Þarfore ȝowre answer wald I here.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)62/344 : Fro sere sides men þeder soght.
- c1440(?a1400) ?Nassyngton Trin.& U.(Thrn)73 : Thy creatours are ay whare, in sere stede.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)574 : Þat cite he asseggede appone sere halfues.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)13806 : He and all þat with hym was suld serue hym on sydes sere.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)321/494 : Mahowne you saue on sydys sere ffro syn and shame.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1702 : Then he somond all þe Cite vppon sere haluys To a counsell to come.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6054 : Agamynon..men of armys..made for to stond In soppes on sere halfe the sercle to kepe.
e
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7066 : Þe wer lasted sa long a pece þat þar was slain o þam o grece Aght hundret sith sexti, sexti and ten O thusands seresith [Göt: sere sith; Trin-C: diuerse tyme] o þair men.
2.
Extraordinary, great.
Associated quotations
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2834 : Þis ys a kyndnes grete; What sall we do þe for þis ser benfete?
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)437 : Þat werre was in tyme ser & lasted two & twenty ȝer.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)713 : Þys slaughter was yn bataille seer & lasted two & twenty ȝer.