Middle English Dictionary Entry
unker pron.
Entry Info
| Forms | unker pron. Also unkere, (acc.) uncorne & (error) vinkere. |
| Etymology | OE uncer, gen. of wit pron. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. inker pron. poss. dual.
1.
(a) As poss. adj.: of us two, our; also, in the charge, control, or possession of us two;
(b) in partitive construction: whether ~, which of us two; whichever of us two.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)18/13 : God ælmihtiȝ þurh hine…hæfþ uncorne anwlite þus awende.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.80 : Þeȝȝ shulenn lætenn hæþeliȝ Off unnkerr swinnc, lef broþerr.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)11/27 : Gif ich at him ani þing bouhte oðer him sealde, æure me was leuere þat ic biȝate and he forlure, ðanne unker chepinge bileafde.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)74/27-8 : Ne mostes þu iheren…þeo bellen rungen [þet u]nker becnunge wæs, ne holie lore þe unker help wære.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)2592 : Ne isihst þu, leoue broder, heou breoðeð þa Frensce, & þa ferde of unker londe isund ȝet stondet?
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4434 : Ilæst ich habbe þe min foreward & al þat ich þe bi-hehte bi-foren vnkere cnihten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8783 : Wit scullen wel wreken unker [Otho: oure] wine-mæies.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)552 : Ar we to unker dome fare, Ich wille speke to ward þe.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1689 : Hit was unker uoreward, Þo þe [read: we] come hider ward, Þat þe [read: we] þarto holde scholde Þar riht dom us ȝiue wolde.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11774-6 : Fehten ich wulle…wið Arðure kinge—Whaðer unkere swa beoð þere wakere, sone he bið þe laðere; wahðer vinkere [read: vnkere] swa þer ma luuien, his freonden he bið þe leouere; and wha[ð]er unkere þe mæi of oðere þat betere biwinne; habben al þis oðeres lond and sette hit an his aȝere hond.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)151 : Whi nel tu flon in to þe bare & sewi þare [Jes-O: hweþer] unker bo Of briȝter howe of uairur blo.