Middle English Dictionary Entry
shǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | shǒur n. Also shour(r)e, shouer, shur(e, shor(re, sour, (early) scur & (errors) schorowe, sthoure, flour; pl. shoures, etc. & shourus, choures, (early) scuræs, sciræs, sures & (?error) scoures, (errors) shorows, schrowres, schomes. |
| Etymology | OE scūr & scūra; for form sciræs cp. OE scȳr-mǣlum. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. scour n., stour(e n.(2).
1.
(a) A fall of rain, shower of rain, snow, etc.; a rainstorm, downpour; also fig.; ~ fou [OE scūr-fāh], rainy, stormy; ~ of rein, rein(es ~ [cp. OE rēn-scūr]; hail ~ [OE hagol-scūr]; (b) ~ sote (warm), april (holsom, silver, etc.) ~; cold (dim, stormi, etc.) ~; gret (sharp) ~, a violent rainstorm; (c) in proverbs; (d) a shower of bad angels falling from heaven.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)66/15 : Ðonne hit byð Monendæig, hit byð scurfah winter, & god læncten & windig sumer.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)14/26-7 : Þe witegæ..bæd þenne Ælmihtiȝ God..þæt he reinscyræs forwærnde feorþe healf ȝeare, & he eft syððan bed þæt God asende reinscuræs.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)132/7 : Efne heo bið smeke ilic oððe rænæs scuræs þonne heo of heofenne swiðost reoseð & raþe eft toglidene wurðæþ.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)175 : Eft sone bicumeð in þe se storm and werpeð þat water upward and arereð shures fele and driueð hem biforen him.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)542/26 : N[imbus]: scur.
- a1300(c1250) Floris (Vit D.3)70 : Sore he wep..And gon Blancheflur bimene Wit teres riue ase a scur of r[e]ne.
- a1350 *Body & S.(4) (Hrl 2253)115 : In forstes ant in snowes, in shures & in cloude, of alle oure riche cloþes tid vs neuer a shroude.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1936 : Er he went..Of snowe was fallen aschour..al þe way was white.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3520 : This world..in lasse than in an hour Shal al be dreynt, so hidous is the shour [vr. flour].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.118 : This steede..Kan..Wher so yow list, in droghte or ellis shoures, Beren youre body into euery place To which youre herte wilneth for to pace.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)227b/a : A leef..defendeþ tendre blossome..þat it take no wrong of..schoures of reyne [L pluuijs]; leues fongeþ..blastes and schouynge of wynde & schowres and strokes of reyn.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1203 : Aurora..With þe swetnes of hir..schoures Bedewed had þe fresche somer floures.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4317 : Fra heven he sal do falle rayne-shours.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)33b/ b : Imber: reyn or a reyne showre.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)13 : Dethe spareth not low ne hye degre..When thei schyne moste in felicite He can..Ther briȝt sune clipsen with hys showres.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)448 : Schowre, of reyne: Nimbus, imber, crepulum.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)115b : Þan is the day light litel & schort..þe schoures [vr. schrowres] beeþ Imedled wiþ snow & hayle.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)737 : For who hath sight of a showre þat sharpely a-riseth And wil not..kepe with couryng abouue..He is auctor of al þe harme.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)1.26 : But graceles gostis..That neuere had harnesse [read: harmesse] ne hayle-schouris..Þey sawe no manere siȝth saff solas and ese.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)2734 : The sonne of liff may clipse no shouris Whoos hevenly bemys..Yeuth lyht of grace to euery creatur.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)33/351 : Ful sharp ar thise showers that renys aboute.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.1 : Aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote.
- c1390(1377) Death Edw.III (Vrn)21 : Sum tyme an Englisch Schip we had..hit..best dorst byde a scharp schour And oþer stormes, smale and grete.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.938 : Now be the lusti somer floures, Now be the stormy wynter shoures.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4173 : Lich unto the freisshe Maii Whan passed ben the colde schoures, Riht so recovereth he his floures.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.290 : This Air in Periferies thre Divided is..Fro the seconde..The moiste dropes of the reyn Descenden..And ofte also the grete schour..the forme schal forsake Of reyn and into snow be torned, And..into hail it torneth ofte.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.907 : May hadde peynted with his softe shoures This gardyn ful of leues and of floures.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)229a/a : Herbes and gras loueþ..reyn and hete and grete schoures.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)506 : Schyre schedez þe rayn in schowrez ful warme.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3909 : Þe soote stormis of Aprille Vn-to þe rote ful lawe gan distille His lusty licour with many holsom schour.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)183/6 : I send sum-tyme many gret reynys & scharp schowerys & sumtyme but smale & softe dropis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.21 : To hym appered a monstruous ymage..Hir riht side ful of somer flours, The tothir oppressid with wyntris stormy shours.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)13a : For ofte tymes þe oost, what wiþ grete schoures and reynes..puttiþ hem self in grete perel.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6310 : For holsom as the Aprile shour Fallyng on the erbes newe, Ryght so I holde her wepyng trewe.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)44/36 : Now, Isaac..Al-myghty god loke þou honoure, wich þat made both drye and wete, Shynyng sunne and scharpe schoure.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Expos.PNoster (LdMisc 683)311 : I ffond no sugre in my smal lybrarye, Soyll dryed vp of my sylver schours.
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)136 : She ys forsoth that blessyd hygh erthe fyne, Of the whyche the heuynly potter hath made Of the most swete shoure of hys dewe dyuyne The pot of oure hope whiche shall neuer fade.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9639 : A myste & a merkenes in mountains aboute All donkyt the dales with the dym showris.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9659 : There leuit thay laike and..ffor the wedur so wete and the wan showres, Soght vnto the Citie.
c
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.409 : 'After sharpe shoures,' quod pees, 'moste shene is þe sonne.'
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.212 : As the sonne is hoot a-fore þise schoures, So of envie hattere bran the glede.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Guy (LdMisc 683)81 : The sonne is hatter affter sharpe schours, The glade morwe ffolweth the dirke nyght.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)53 : He seith..he that casteth his cloke a wey in shours, Out of the tempest whan he may ffle..On of the nombre that schall neuer the.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)227 : Fellen fro þe fyrmament fendez ful blake..fro heven to helle þat hatel schor laste.
2.
(a) An abundant flow of tears or blood; (b) an outpouring or bestowal of grace, mercy, etc.; also, an abundance of food and drink; -- used fig. [1st quot.].
Associated quotations
a
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3406 : Whan the stormes and þe sharp shour Of her wepyng was somwhat ouergon, The lytil cors was grauen vnder ston.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)299 : O Mars..With Venus and Lucyna (the mone) pesybyl be; For masculyne furyus a-yens femenyn schouris Amonge goddys ys ascryuyd but to crwelte.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)339/17 : Who schalle ȝive me þat ȝifte þat I maye..see þi lovelye face..so þat I maye wasche hit with þe grettest schorowe of teres.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2048 : Sike scoures [?read: schoures; Dub: showrez] were of blude of schondirhed bernes Þat foles ferd in þe flosches to þe fetelakis.
b
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)32/43 : Full swith redy seruis fand þai þare a schowre, For first þai drank of þe swete and seuin [read: seþin] of þe sowre.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)167/2 : The deserte was this world put down fro worschepying of God..it waxid bare and rowe like to a felde vntilled hauyng no fairenes or fecundite of good werkis ne schowre of spiritual grace.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)322 : Fortune..Was vnto Pluto next in ordre set..Hyr gowne was..Chaungeable of sondry dyuerse colowres, To the condycyons accordyng of hyr shoures.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)744 : Of thy gret mercy lett vs receyue þe showre.
3.
(a) A shower of blows or darts; also fig.; (b) a military assault, an attack, onset; (c) an attack by Satan, a vice, etc.; the attack of death; dethes ~, death; haven ~ on, to attack (sb.); putten to dethes ~, kill (sb.); (d) a polemical or critical attack.
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)697 : Eyþer of þis frekes boþe til oþer ȝaf many a schoure; þey..ȝyue strokes sore.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1299 : Þai without in þe werke wiȝtly defendis, Schot scharply betwene schomes [read: schoures] of dartis.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)7673 : Ther ys noon mor dredful shour Than off a shrewede neyhebour, ffor with ther dartys swyche konne Hurte wers than bowe or gonne.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)368/374 : I schal snarle tho sneveleris wyth rith scharp schowris.
b
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.519 : I preie ȝow..That ȝe wolden strong & Myhtly Tweyne [?read: Susteyne] the ferste schowres Oþer thre.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)298 : Thai hade many sharpe shoures, Thai were assailed sore a-bowte.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)2463 : With xxti thousande thai..bigonne a newe shoure To breke down the Walles.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)3000 : There-to he made many A shoure, But the wallys myght he neuer wynne.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)208 : Than thei yaf hem a grete shoure [F enuaie] and a felonouse, for at that shofte thei ouerthrewe mo than xl.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)353 : Than thei yaf hem a sharpe shour that thei were disconfited and chaced oute of the place.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10454 : Menelay..Diamed..and derf Telamonius..ffrusshet to þaire fos with a fell sthoure [read: schoure], Greuit hom gretly.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.173 : Dethe with his swerde schulde haue slayn al And y-dymmed with his sodeyn schoures The gret prowes of thise conquerouris.
- (a1422) Hoccl.Hen.V.& KG (Hnt HM 111)21 : This day the feendes fikilnesse Weeneth fully to cacche a tyme & hour To haue on vs, your liges, a sharp shour.
- a1456(1429) Lydg.Hen.VI Coron.Ballade (Trin-C R.3.20)95 : God graunt þee grace..to represse of vyces alle þe shoures.
- ?a1430 ?Hoccl.Poems PS Compl.Virg.(Hnt HM 111)207 : Slayn is your Creatour..they to dethes shour Han put him.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3939 : In bataile, how scharp þat be þe stour, Hym leuere is to suffre dethes schour Than cowardly and schamefully flee.
- a1500 As Reson Rywlyde (Dc 78)111 : How durste ye sle youre savyoure? When he schall deme, þen schall ye curse; ye canne not hyde you from his scharpe schoure.
- a1500 ?Burgh CG (Hrl 7333)4 : Petir..for my love suffridest dethes showre.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7472 : He shulde be redy euery hour And drede of deth þe sharpe shour.
d
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)97/27 : But ȝit ȝe maken pursut wiþ many greuouse chouris & seyn þat seint Siluestir took þis possessioun, & seint Swithen.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)879/102 : For þou art enlumined with no floures Of rethorik..Þerfore þou must abide alle showres Of hem þat list sette on þe a lak.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.1132 : Ye muste defende vs fro this sharpe shoure With the whiche we arn heyled now on euery syde; But if ye spede, oure feyth wil sone slyde.
4.
(a) An attack of physical or emotional suffering, a bout of pain; pain, distress, torment; (b) an attack by Fortune, a stroke of misfortune; a hardship, difficulty; an injury.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)203 : For ðanne we of wenden, ðanne is ure winter; we sulen hunger hauen & harde sures buten we ben war here.
- ?c1335 Swet ihc hend (Hrl 913)p.85 : Þis sang wroȝt a frere..Fram þe schoure of pinis sure þou sild him here and þare.
- a1350 *Body & S.(4) (Hrl 2253)40 : Jhesu, vader, & holy gost, shild me from helle shoures.
- a1350 Nou skrynkeþ (Hrl 2253)55 : Wymmon, wiþ þi iolyfte þou þench on Godes shoures.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1570 : Ac er þat child y bore was..So hard schoures com hir opon þat ded sche wend haue ben anon.
- 1372 Earth(1) (Adv 18.7.21)p.27 : Wan herde is leyd in herde..þan sal herde for herde Hauen many a bitter sour.
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)323 : Olofern dyȝede in dolour, He was slaye in hard schour.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)18/139 : Þo was þe fend glad..He wende to han i lad hem to his boure..Wiþ him to wonen in hard schoure.
- ?c1400 Earth(3) (StJ-C E.24)st.3 : When erþe upon erþe haþ byggid his bowris, Þen schal erþe for erþe suffur scharp schouris [vrr. chowrys, schorrys].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3947 : Lateth ouer go Al ȝour wepyng, þouȝt, and heuynes..Let passe ouer alle þis scharp schowres.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)142/52* : Many hard thrawis þan gan he take And many scharpe schoures gan hym schake.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.2535 : Hir list nat fleen..Whan that hir blood doun railled from hir woundis; She nat affraied in al hir mortal shours.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)636 : Harde schourys þenne took here stronge Boþe in bak and eke in wombe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)529 : Scho suld bryng furth hire birth..Thik schouris hire thrat, tholid mekill soroȝe.
- a1450 The Fader of Heuene (Sln 2593)20 : How xalt þu sufferin þe scharp spere to þi herte?..many on is þe scharpe schour to þi body is schape.
- a1500 ?Chaucer Comp.A.(Hrl 7333:Robinson)66 : Shoures [Robinson: Yet wolde I..Biseche unto your meke womanhede That I now dorste my sharpe sorwes smerte Shewe by word].
- c1550(?a1475) Lament.Sinner (Rwl C.813)43 : When I was yn all my floures, then was I blythe as bryde on brere; therfore I suffer mony sharpe shoures [vr. schoris].
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4514 : I haue..many a scharp schour for þi sake þoled.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.166 : He kept vp a trencheour & kast it at Statin, did him a schamfulle schoure, His nese & his ine he carfe at misauentoure.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.333 : Þer after ros hard schoures [F les dolours] in Scotlond of þe clergie, Bisshops, abbotes, & priours.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.858 : But tragidie..doth þe conquest trete Of riche kynges..Whiche by fraude of Fortunys schowris Ben ouercast.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)6661 : Sampson..for myn amour Þou hast y þolid mony hard schour [Ld: dolour].
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Cl.(Petw 7)E.1157 : He [God]..suffreþ vs as for our exercise Wiþ sharpe shoures [Heng: scourges] of aduersite Wel ofte to be leten in sondry wise.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.1644 : Fortune durste..to yiue hym a sharp shour Bi Alisaundre, of Grece enheritour.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)478/146 : All þat are in newe or in nede..I praie þe, sone..þou socoure þame sone, In alle þer schoures þat are scharpe, þou shelde þame fro schame.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.236 : When..Vlixes Thus was be-set wiþ meschief and dolour, Mercurie..hym saued fro þis parelouse schour.
- c1460 Cursor (LdMisc 416)11316 : There was a good holy man..That many a shoure had byddyn riȝt.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)148/66 : Myght we se onys þat bryght on bed, oure bale it wolde vnbynde; We xulde shadyr for no shoure.
- c1475 7 Sages(1) (Eg 1995)106/2371 : Yf þou lyue on hyr jangelynge, In the byfalle a foule jncomberynge And also harde and lyther shoure, As fylle Herodes..That loste hys yeen syght.
5.
The storm of battle, combat; a conflict, battle; also fig.; also in proverb [quot.: a1425, 1st].
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3530 : Þilke þat went with þe lif a-wei fro þat sthoure [read: schoure], spakli to þe king of spayne þei sped hem þat time.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)51 : For now is he holden nouȝt in shouris But he con loue paramouris.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)7752 : Þe sarasines him vmbeset, In hard shour to gider þei met.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1064 : Men sen alday and reden ek in stories That after sharpe shoures ben victories.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.47 : The longe day..They fighte..But in the laste shour..The folk of Troie hemselven so mysledden That with the worse at nyght homward they fledden.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6820 : Þer myghte men se on boþe partys A scharp schour by-twyxten enemys.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)5330 : Fraunce and englonde..what sorwe lamentable Is caused of youre werres scharpe schoures Ther wot no wight.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.102 : He vndir hym made thre Emperouris To helpe his empere..In alle bataillis, in alle sharpe shouris [vr. shorows] To wynne Citees, Castellis, tounes, and towris.
- c1450 Whanne marye was greet (Lamb 853)96 : 'Go, sathanas'..'Alas..Þi conclusioun so soore me knyt; I abood neuere so scharp a schour.'
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)2181 : Sone there beganne a straunge shoure, To-geder they smyte, knyghtis of valoure.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)336 : Than was ther soore medle and sharp shour [F estor], ffor that oon part peyned for to rescu and that other part for to take.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)732 : Morpheus..went to warne Vertew of all thys afray..For he was lyke to endure that day A gret mortall shoure..With Vyce.
6.
In phrase: faren (priken a) god ~, to go (ride) quickly.
Associated quotations
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)4238 : To his ost he fariþ god schour.
- c1450 7 Sages(1) (Arun 140)98/1199 : Forth he prekyd a good schoure.