Middle English Dictionary Entry
wēring(e ger.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | wēring(e ger.(2) Also (early) wer(i)unge. |
| Etymology | From wēren v.(2). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The wearing of clothing, a special kind of clothing, jewelry, etc.; also, clothing, garments; a personal collection of clothes, wardrobe; also [quot. c1400], ?the manner in which a garment is worn; ?fashion; ~ clothes (harneis);
(b) the wearing of coarse garments as a spiritual exercise or an act of devotion; also, coll. & pl. the garments themselves; ~ of here(s; hardnesse (hard, sharp) ~;
(c) with ref. to an article of clothing or a jewel: the state or condition of being worn;
(d) diminution or decrease in intensity or force; ~ oute, the action of using up or expending.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)8/3 : Ȝef ha hit ne bihat nawt, ha hit mei do þah & leauen hwen ha wel wule, as of mete, of drunch…alle oþer swucche þinges of werunge [Nero: weriunge], of liggunge, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)233b/b : Flex is nedeful to dyuers vse, for þerof is y-made cloþing to weryng and seyles to seylyng and nettes to fisshyng.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)261/33 : Mortymer…disgisede him wiþ wonder ryche cloþes oute of al maner resoun boþe of shaping and of wering.
- (1418) EEWills32/26 : I bequethe to Ionet my wyfe…alle manere apparaillement & necessaries longynge to the body of the same Ionet, Outake Golde & syluer & myne owne werynge clothes, ij peire of my best shetes, & vj disshes & vj Sawcers of seluer.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1521 : Of bathe þer worldes gret outrage we se…In worldis havyng and beryng In vayn apparail and in weryng.
- (1425) Paston (EETS)3.4 (931/34) : William Paston shal yeve to þe seid William Joye xxvj s. viij d., and mete and drynk resonable, and a govne of his owyn weryn, and suffre þat his ploughes and harwes shuln telyn þe londes of þe seid Wiliam Joye.
- (1438) Will Dixton in BGAS 11159 : Item, all my clothyng and weryng harneys and beddyng at Usk I woll that the saide Watkyn and William departe by twene hem.
- (1445) LRed Bk.Bristol189 : Eny moovable godes that he hath off hys owne propre except beddyng and his weryng clothes…be gefe…to the wardeynes.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)124 : Certis wommen mowe not so grounde the wering of her silken or lynnen couerchefis bi it what is writen.
- c1450 *Assem.Bk.1 Gild St.Geo.Norwich (Nrw-CMus)18 : That the seid Walter fro alle beneficez of the seid fraternite utterly be expelled and of the weryng of the clothyng of the seid fraternite pleynly be discharged.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.51/20 : I will that all odyr yomen of my howsald…haue…a doblet or A hode or a hat of my weryng.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)147/11 : Also eschewyng of delices ouþer in mete or drinke…and soft wering wich ben norscheris of þe flessh.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)159/240 : Gold is þe rycheste metall And to weryng most ryall.
- a1480(c1450) Barlaam (2) (Peterh 257)77/2833 : What manere clothis han ȝe, vnto ȝoure werynge?
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)316 : Þe lady spake to him for cloth for hir weryng, And he grauntid hir.
- a1500 Allas what schul (StJ-C G.28)24 : Þan þei loken on my nabete & sein…Wheþer it be russet black or white, It is worþe alle oure werynge cloþes.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)188/18 : Þet an is pinsunge i flesch wið feasten, wið wecchen…wið heard werunge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1052 : Bodily peyne stant in disciplyne or techynge by word…Also in werynge of heyres.
- a1425(?a1400) Epistle Prayer (Hrl 674)51/22 : Þis is onliche it bi itself, wiþouten ani oþer maner of doing, as is fasting, waking, scharp weryng, & alle þeese oþer, þe which onliche bi itself pleseþ to Almiȝty God and deseruiþ to haue mede of him.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)29090 : Þe first [discipline is] armes of schrift to bere, Als wering of haire or oþer thing.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Hnt HM 148)98/11 : Werkes of penaunce, when þou þaim do, als fastyng and wakyng and herdnes weryng [Arun: hard werynge] & for-berynge of lustes…behoues softede to be so þat þai be done with a glad hert and a fredom of sprit.
- a1450(a1401) Chastising GC (Bod 505)213/2 : Also if þis passion…comyth of þe liȝtnesse of fleisshe, it is nedeful þanne to tempre it wiþ wakyng or fastynge…and wiþ sharpe werynges [vrr. werynge, weryng of clothys] and harde.
- a1450 Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)12/480 : Somme ther ben that wil not vse bodily affliccion, by wakynge, by abstinence, by liggynge, by weryng, and such othir, for drede of bodily infirmyte.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)39/7 : Seint Bernarde…for his holy lyuing, and of weringe of the heyre…was chose to be abbot of that place.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)160/13 : In a lilie ben six white levis be þe wiche þe clennes of chastite is be tokenyd…The secunde, hard weryng.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1123 : Wax ever in þe worlde in weryng so olde, Ȝet þe perle payres not whyle ho in pyese lasttes.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)347 : The fadir were worthi be blamed, if he wolde ordeyne these schoon to be no wijdir than euen meete to hise sones feet in the day of her firste wering.
d
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)266 : Whanne euer to a lawful and a loweable eende ben necessarie meenys, wiþoute whiche meenys þe seid eende may not be had and be brouȝt forþ, þanne if þe sooner spending out and wering out of þo meenys schal be brouȝt forþ and getun more of þe seid eende, or in better maner or sooner þan schulde so be bi more cherisching and fauoring þe same seid meenys fro her sooner out spending and sooner out wering, þerynne falliþ noon indiscrecioun, [etc.].
- a1450 Hilton Epistle CF (Add 33971)319/321 : Two remedys er þan halesom agayne þese flodes, or waxynge or werynge [marked for expunction; L fluctuosam, vr. fluctuacionem] of þi werynge conscience.