Middle English Dictionary Entry
werring(e ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | werring(e ger. |
| Etymology | From werren v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The act or practice of waging war; warfare, combat; also, a battle, fight; strife; haven ~, to wage war; thin ~ is don, your warring is done, your fighting days are over;
(b) strife, contention;
(c) ?the act of striving to get ahead, ambitious effort.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2304 : Vrgan wiþ gret wering Biseged him in his tour.
- a1400 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Dub 69)p.195 : Werryng [Hrl 874: Þe leues of þe tree ben helþe to Men & wreþþing ne shal be nomore].
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)4819 : Kyng Alisaunder leoseþ many men Ac alle gate þe kynges Loren ten aȝeyns on in werrynges.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)12022 : Leodagan the kyng…jn his contre hath gret werryng: jn his lond of Tarmelyde he hath werre on ech a syde of kyng Ryown of Yrlond.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)143 : Yf wee sufferede nethere frende nere foo…passe forby us in tyme of werrynge, Than nede frome Flaundres pease of us be sought.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)170 : Age ys stolen the vppon, And thy lyf-dayes beȝt ny don, And don hys alle thy werryng; Thou nart nouȝt wordy at nede A-ȝeynes a knyȝt to prike a stede.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2975 : Arthur louyd noght but warynge.
b
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)33 : Fleishshes faunyng…falsist is of fuye; Ȝef we leueþ eny leode, werryng is worst of wyue.
- c1500 Castle Love(3) (Ashm 61)366 : The syster Pes…was sent out contre, For sche may for no thyng Be among wreth and werryng.
c
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Curates (Corp-C 296)147 : Þei techen cristen men to sufre moche cold, hungur, & þrist, & moche wakynge & dispisynge & betynge for to gete worldly honour & a litel drit bi fals werrynge out of charite.