Middle English Dictionary Entry
bọ̄chē̆r, bǒchē̆r n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bọ̄chē̆r, bǒchē̆r n. Also bochier, bu(c)cher, bouch(i)er. |
| Etymology | OF boch(i)er, bouch(i)er. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
One who slaughters cattle and swine and sells the meat, a butcher.
Associated quotations
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)93 : Þenne swor a bocher: 'by my leaute, shalt þou ner more þe kyng of fraunce se!'
- a1325 *Rwl.Statutes [OD col.] (Rwl B.520)lf.30 : Suuche bucchers.
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.50 : Ȝe ladde me bi ȝour enprise, As þe bucher doþ þe schepe.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2025 : The barbour and the bochier and the smyth.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.461 : Of hem alle ascapede none but oon cherle, a bocher [L macillarius].
- (1392) Will York in Sur.Soc.4175 : Roberto Beverlay, boucher.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2828 : He hem tohiwe by fyue, by sex, So þe bocher dooþ þe oxe.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.218 : Baxsteres & brewesteres and bocheres.
- (1410) Will York in Sur.Soc.4546 : De Johanne Cawod de Ebor, bucher.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.245 : Knyȝtis..shulden stonde for Goddis cause, and not al oonli kille men in mennis cause, as boucheris.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)12a/b : Carnifex: a bocher.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)39a/a : Macellio: a bocher.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.25/1 : A certeyne bocheyr.
- a1456(a1426) Lydg.Mum.Hertford (Trin-C R.3.20)91 : Þis bochier stoute and bolde, Þat killed haþe bulles and boores olde.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)143 : It is ordeyned that non bocher..brynge in to the forseid toun to sellyn carcaisys of beeff..but zif he brynge the skynnes with the carcayses.
- (1438) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)221 : That no personne enfraunchised of the seid craft..bye enye Bestaille..of eny Drovere or Bocher regrator in eny othir place or stede than oonly in the market of Smythfeld.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2271 : Boistous bocheris, al bespreynt with blood.
- (1445-6) Doc.Lynn in Nrf.Archaeol.6239 : Willelmus Welle, bocher.
- a1450 In patras (Sln 2593)p.218 : He reysyd thre klerkes fro deth to lyfue, That wern in salt put..Betwyx a bochere and his wyfue.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)107 : A boucheres ax..for to kille with swyn.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57186 : A boscher of Kokefeld.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.285 : A qwene of Fraunce..whiche, seenge a bochor, a semely man of stature, toke hym to here howsebonde.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)19b : Bucher..fleschener.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)14/398,403 : He..was a bowchyer of Parys..The bocher was a man of myȝt.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.3.49b : Othir bochierez lyvyng had noght so muche flesch in hire howses.
2.
(a) grom ~, a butcher of the royal household; (b) bocher(s rowe, rewe, butchers' row, the shambles; (c) bocher(s dogge, ~ hound, a large dog kept by butchers, a mastiff.
Associated quotations
a
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.229 : Thoffice of þe catery..iij gromes bochers.
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)65 : Þei etyn þe foule þinges in þe boochiers rowe [Dgb: bocherewe].
- (1460) Will York in Sur.Soc.30239 : In rangia vocata Boucher Rawe.
- a1500 Gloss Dict.Garland (Hrl 1002)127 : Carnifices in macillis: bowchers in bocherewys.
c
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)65 : That oþer nature of Alauntz of þe bochere is soch as ye may alle day see in good times, þat byn called greet bochers houndis [Dgb: bucher dogges]; þe which bouchers holde for to helpe hem to bryng here beestis..for ȝif an oxe escapid from þe boochers þat leden hym, his houndes wold go take hym and holde hym to his master were come.
- c1450 *Dogs in MS.Arms 58 (ArmsAr 58)f.1 : There beth grehowndys..terrourys, bocher hondis, and dongehylle curres.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)262/3 : A bacbytere is a bocherys dogge, eueremore hauyng a blody mowth.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)262/21 : A lytel hound, þat..berkyth more þan a gret bocherys dogge.
- a1525(?1470) Cov.Leet Bk.361 : They afferme þe olde ordenaunce made for Bochour dogges, þat they tye them ouer nyght.
3.
One who slaughters human beings, an executioner and torturer.
Associated quotations
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)750 : But bochours ben þei [your gods] echon, ȝour body to dismembre.
- c1450(1438) GLeg.Innocents (GiL9) (Eg 876) 59/84 : A litell sone of Herodes was withe the norse and he was slayn by auenture amonges other of the cruel bochers.
- c1450(1438) GLeg.St.Geo.(GiL54) (Eg 876:EETS) 273/185 : Thou cruel tyraunt and wicked bocher, [haue I not] ofte saide to the that thou shuldest not be so cruel to cristen men, for her god fyghteth for hem?
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)104.78 (v.2:p.136) : While he [viz. the assigned executioner] of a persecutoure was made a confessour and a felawe of feith and truthe, and the swerde hynge stille, grew a pitous contencion amonge the bochers who shuld doo this dede [viz. beheading].
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)104.72 (v.2:p.136) : The bocher .. was ordeyned and deputat to smyten of his hede.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.5.52b : Thus went this bochier a bought to this hanged poepil..& smartly he descendid to righte the fier which þat brent vnder hem.