Middle English Dictionary Entry

yōre adv.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms yōre adv. Also yor, yare, ȝore, (16th cent.) yoare, youre & (chiefly early) ȝare, (early) ȝeare, gare & (error) þore.
Etymology OE gēara, gēaro, gēare, gāre. Cp. ME ēr adv., from which the form ȝor should be deleted as not represented in the quots.; the form ȝar there, represented in quots. a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) 2nd in sense 4a.(b) & (c1390) GGuy(2) in sense 4b.(d), may belong here, but there appears to be some confusion between the two words.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1a.
(a) At a time long past, long ago, of old; biforen ~; (b) earlier, previously; formerly; also, by now [quot. a1375]; ~ while, recently, a short time ago; (c) for a long time now; for some time now; ~ sin, long since; (d) over a long course of time; more ~, longer; not ~, not long.
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1b.
(a) In phrases with ppls. agon and gon: long ago; for a long time now; ?also, after a long while, at last; ful (wel) ~ agon, gon ful ~, sitthe (sitthen) gon ful ~, etc.; not ~ agon, recently, of late; (b) in constructions with hit) is followed by clause (expressed or implied): it is long ago (since or that I did sth., since sth. was the case, etc.); ~ gon (igon).
Show 22 Quotations
2.
As quasi-noun in prep. phrases: (a) of ~, of (ful) ~ agon, long ago; (b) of ~ (agon, earlier, previously; (c) for ~, of ~ agon, for a long time now; (d) in nominal combs.: er ought ~, before very long, presently; for long ~, over a long course of time; (e) of ~ (agon, used adjectivally: longstanding; also, of old.
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3.
As adj.: former; ~ fader, a forefather, an ancestor.
Show 3 Quotations

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