Middle English Dictionary Entry
carre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | carre n. Also car, kerre, curre. |
| Etymology | AF; cp. OF char cart & L carrus; also cp. OI kerra. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A cart or wagon; often, a small vehicle carrying half as much as a cart; (b) ~ bond, the tire of a cart wheel; ~ chain, a cart chain; ~ clout, an iron plate protecting the axle of a cart; ~ hous, a cart shed; ~ man, a carter; ~ port, a gate for the passage of carts; ~ staf, a shaft or a tongue of a cart; also, in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1360) Fabric R.Yk.Min.in Sur.Soc.352 : Pro ij plates pro le karre.
- (1363) Doc.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12p.xli : In una carre pro lapidibus cariandis.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)90/1683 : Summe were crupeles in carres led.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)259/56 : Heore labour was ston beryng..heo was set to lede a Car.
- (1404-5) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103605 : Pro 1 kerre empt. pro decima de Chilton colligenda, 8 d.
- (1423-4) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103620 : Et in 2 Kars empt.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Num.7.9 : To the sones forsothe of Caath he ȝaf not carrys [WB(2): waynes; L plaustra] and oxen.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)436/1325 : His litil carre whan it sholde passe, The bregge broke.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)62 : Carre [Win: Care], or lytylle carte þat oone hors drawythe: Monocosmus.
- (1425) Paston (Gairdner)2.59 (49) : j carectula, Anglice, a carre.
- (1448) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1399 : For the making of Barowes, Carres, Gynnes.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)23/5 : Sho was made ane offisur in þe abbay for to folow þer car & lede wud & fewell vnto þer brewhowse.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2966 : In carris had for hem, carribalistis Wer sette.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)215/10 : He grauntyd..for her cartes & carrys [L karretas et carros] to goo & come with-out ony vexacion.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)194 : He was brought in a carre, alle nakyd.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.72vb : Salomon had xl M rackes [L (Vulg.1 Kings 4.26): praesepia] for the horses of his cartes, chares and curres, and xij M for horse to ryde on.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)192 : Vc someres were charged, and xxv cartes and vij carres.
b
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2116 : Johanne Careman.
- (c1320) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100514 : In 24 Carcloutis cum clavis pro eisdem.
- (1327) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms93 : Rob. Carman. Joh. Carman. Galfr. le Carman.
- (1332) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10317 : Joh. Carport'.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)2198 : Carstaf [A: Vor ȝe beþ men bet iteiȝt..To cartstaf & to ploustaf].
- (a1400) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.103 : And also ij car chenys.
- (1400) in Löfvenberg Contrib.Lex.92 : [The stable with the] carhous.
- (1460) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1306 : All carterys and carmen that usyth to drawe dung out of the towne.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)21b : A Carbond [Monson: Carte band]: Crusta.
2.
As a unit of measure: a small cartload, half of a cart.
Associated quotations
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)191 : Of eche carre of lede, viij d.; of eche fotmel, j d.
- (1460) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1306 : Carterys and carmen..schall drawe out of the town ii carts of dung for a peny and iiii carrys for a peny.
3.
(a) A chariot; some kind of coach [last quot.]; (b) a sledge, a sled.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)19.8 : Hij in carres [L curribus], and hij in horses, and we shul herien þe name of God.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.66.15 : The Lord in fyr shal come, and as a whirlewynd his foure-horsid carres [L quadrigæ].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deut.11.4 : Knowe ȝe to day..werkis whiche he dide..to al the oost of Egipcians, and to horsis and carris [L curribus].
- (1452-3) Will York in Sur.Soc.45137 : Stabulum..j karr cum iiij rotis et v falleris de nigro, pro v equis.
b
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)83/35 : Þei let carye here vitaylle vpon the yse with carres þat haue no wheeles, þat þei clepen Scleyes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1454) Plea & Mem.R.Lond.Gildh.140 : [2 pairs of wheels for a] carre, 2 s.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section: Also car(e, kar(re, kerre.--notes per MLL