Middle English Dictionary Entry
wāfer n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wāfer n. Also wafir(e, wafur(e, waifire, waiffur, (in cpd.) wafr- & (in surnames) wafre; pl. wafer(e)s, etc. & waf(f)res, wafferis, weifres & (error) wafreres. |
| Etymology | AF wafer, wafre, vars. of OF gaufre; also cp. AL wafra. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A cake or confection, presumably usu. thin, crisp, and sweetened, baked between irons; also, a sacramental or eucharistic wafer; ~ irenes;
(b) as surname [prob. confused with waferer n. (b)].
Associated quotations
a
- (1368) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.92 : [In the pantry…one pair of irons for] waffres.
- (1375) Doc.York in Sur.Soc.35127 : Pro iiij m wafers emptis pro choro.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3379 : He sente hir pyment, meeth, and spiced ale, And wafres [vrr. weifres, waferes] pipyng hoot out of the glede.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.263 : Ar I haue bred of mele, ofte mote I swete, And…ar my wafres [vr. wafreres] ben ywrouȝt, moche wo I tholye.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.199 : Mynstralcie can ich nat muche, bote make men murye, As a waffrer with waffres, and wolcome godes gustes.
- (?1406) Hoccl.MR (Hnt HM 111)146 : Ther was sweet wyn…And wafres thikke, for this conpaignie…been sumwhat likerous.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)662/23 : Uafra: wayfyre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)513 : Wafur, or wafyr [Win: Wafure, or wafyre]: Gafra.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)39 : Waffres…loke þat þin Eyroun ben hote, & ley þer-on of þin paste, & þan make þin waffrys, & serue yn.
- (1463) Will York in Sur.Soc.30259 : Lego…j par de wafryiryns.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57247 : Item, ffor wyne at the Sone in Lumbart Stret, viij d. ob…Item, the same nyȝthe ffor wafferys, iiij d.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)84 : Þese may marre many a man changynge his astate, but ȝiff he haue aftur, hard chese, wafurs, with wyne ypocrate.
- ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)114 : Tak obleys or waiffurs.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)72 : Offyce of Waferes hathe one yoman making wafyrs, and saufely and clenely to kepe them covered and under locke…to be delyvered for the Kinges mouthe.
- a1500 Hrl.2378 Recipes (Hrl 2378)78/11 : Thanne take a peyre irrens as men schul baken with wafres.
- ?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)598/5 : Nubula: a wafur.
- (1459) Invent.Fastolf(2) in Archaeol.21277 : Item, j Bulter…ij payre Wafer Irens.
b
- (1212) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames367 : Simon le Wafre.
- (1222) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames367 : Le Wafre.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1026 : Simon’ Wafre.