Middle English Dictionary Entry
werreiǒur n.
Entry Info
| Forms | werreiǒur n. Also werreioure, wer(r)eour, werreor, werriour(e, weriour, wer(r)ior, werriur, wer(r)ier, war(r)iour, verriour, varioure, (N) wer(r)aiour, werraiur(e, werraour, (WM) weorreour, weorriour, (SW) worreour, worreor, woriour. |
| Etymology | From AF guerreier (var. of OF guerroiier) & OF guerrëor, AF guerreour & AF guerreiur, guerrayour (vars. of OF guerroiëor) & OF/AF guerrier, guerier; also cp. ME werreien v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A soldier, warrior, fighter; one who conducts warfare; also, a nation of warriors, a fighting people [quot. a1387];
(b) one who conquers by warfare, a conqueror (of the world);
(c) one who makes war on another, an adversary, a foe; also, a spiritual enemy or adversary; werreioures withouten, external foes;
(d) one who inflicts violence or persecution, a persecutor; also, that which troubles or torments [last quot.];
(e) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2176 : Scotland aþ euere ybe a luþer recet…Wanne þer eni worreours toward þis lond come.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2548 : Sende we ȝute after mi sones octo & ebyse, Þat quointe werreours [B vr. worreors] beþ & stalwarde & wyse.
- a1350(a1325) SLeg.Cec.(Ashm 43)52 : Is þis þe luþer werreour [Ld: werreor] þat me clepeþ valerian?
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3053 : Þan spak Ro[land] þe werreour wordes þat dude auaile.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.157 : Of þe tweye peple þe better werryour [L bellicosior] was hollyche destroyed.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)22347 : He sal þaim bring þan all to grund And at þe last þaim all confund, Gain sarazines gret werraiur.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1459 : He had of hem al þat he wolde Steden, armes, siluer and golde, And many stronge werreyoure [LinI: weorriour].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.123 : With Achilles, þe worþi werrioure, Ȝe bene expert ful wel of my labour.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)36/451 : Þe kyng hoped þat he wolde beo good werrier.
- a1425 Siege Troy(1) (LinI 150)88/1125 : Þo com a baroun, sir Patrode, And oþir weorreours [vr. weriours] mony and gode.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)78/8 : Þir wymmen er noble werrayours and wys.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)186/16 : He þat is a werriour on þe see, he moot of ebbynge tyme & flowynge be bothe wise & war.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2643 : ‘Quat now, my worthi werreours [Dub: werayour]?’ þe wale Kyng said.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)111/13 : He was a grete weryor & alway had þe victorie whar-evur he faght.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)895d : The lorde parpadode, With wariours stought and goode, ffourty sheppis he brought on hye.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)1522c : Sir pryamus…Wepes…ffor sir Ectour, the good weryer.
- ?c1475 *Trev.Nicod.(Sal 39)142b : Who art þou [Jesus] þat art so gret and sotulle…knyght and Emperour in liknesse of a seruant and a wonderfulle woryour, kyng of blis ded and alyue?
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)114/3 : He was a nobyl werryur of knightly prowes.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)2506 : O roulond, the good conquerour And the noblyst warryour That euer-more schal be!
- a1500(a1400) Libeaus (Lamb 306)5 : Jhesu Criste…Spede hem…That lysteneth of a conquerour, Wise of witt and a wight wereour.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)155/3 : Iulyus Cesar the forte werryor…many reprowis…recewid.
- a1500(1426) Lydg.Hen.VI TP (Hrl 7333)37 : The noble, þat worthi varioure, Whiche may be callid a very conquerour.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)p.218 : Here endyth a good tale of Beues of Hamtoun, that Good Verriour.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5310 : ‘Qui fadis so þi faire hew?’ said þe faire lady, ‘Þe werreour of all þe werd & wastoure of ynde.’
c
- (a1392) Clanvowe 2 Ways (UC 97)63/245 : We han ȝre stronge enemys…þat oon is þe feend; þat oother is þe world; þe ȝridde is oure flesshe…we haan good…resouns…which þat Crist and hise lawes haan ytauȝt, wiþ þe which we mown wel keepen vs fro þise ȝree forseide cruele enemys and werreyours.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)18014 : Sathan þenne to helle vnswerde; He seide, ‘whi art þou so ferde? Receyue ihesu, þou liþer hyne, Oure werreour [Ld: warriour], boþe myn & þine.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4294 : Oure inward enmys ilkane we inwardly drepis, þat is to say all þe syn…So þat oure werraours without vs worthis noȝt at drede.
d
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)20933 : To þaim he firste was werrayure [Trin-C: werriour], Eftirward bicom prechure.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6106 : In his tyme was an Emperour Dioclisian, a werreour; He sente hider Maximian & struyde & slow ilk Cristenman.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)986 : For to lade a cart or fille a barwe…My bak vnbuxum hath swich thyng forsworne, At instance of writyng, his Werreyour; That stowpynge hath hym spilt with his labour.
e
- (1324) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms159 : Thom. le Werreor.