Middle English Dictionary Entry
colẹ̄r n.
Entry Info
| Forms | colẹ̄r n. Also coller, col(l)ar, culer. |
| Etymology | OF colier (from L collāre fetter, collar). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An ornamental border at the neck of a garment, a collar; ~ hem, the hem at the neck of a garment or its collar; (b) a cape or wrap worn over the shoulders.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3265 : A broche she bar vpon hir loue coler As brood as is the boos of a bokeler.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1190 : Opened hadde she hir coler [rime: cleer]..The flesh was seen as whit as mylk.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)120/19 : O prest..takyng hir be þe coler of þe gowne, seyd, 'Þu wolf, what is þis cloth þat þu hast on?'
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)87 : Coller of a garment: Patagium.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.171r : A mayde .. that me cleped Herlote .. when sheo was brought to the dukes bedde and shulde go therto she toke her smok aboue atte coler hem and rent hit doune to the foot and leide hit awey fram hure.
- (1468) Will York in Sur.Soc.45168 : Pro factura unius togae cum le coler.
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31532 : Payed..for amendyng of the Sirplys Colars, j d.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 30.18 : With a coler [L capitio] of a kote thei girten me.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)31/24 : Seruyng women of lowe astate..furre her colers that hangin doune into the middil of the backe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)27a : A coler: colarium, anaboladium.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)375/270 : The cuker [read: culer]..furrid with a cat skyn.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)84/24 : Þey schul usyn kerchiues honestli in one maner of kerchiues & of colleres.
2.
A (gold) chain worn about the neck as an ornament or (by men) as a badge of office or honor; a necklace.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28016 : Biletts for-broiden and colers wide, For to sceu wit your quite hide.
- a1400 Bk.Mother (Eg 826)41 : He stirith him to..pampe her fleische, desyrynge delicous metis and drynkis..perlis, callis, filettis..colers, lacis.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.162 : I haue ysein segges..Beren biȝes ful briȝte abouten here nekkes, And some colers of crafty werk.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1569 : He schal be gered ful gaye in gounes of porpre, And a coler of cler golde clos vmbe his þrote; He schal be prymate..of pure clergye.
- (1407) Issue Roll Exch.in Cussans Heraldry [OD col.]256 : For a collar of gold worked with the Motto 'Soveignez' and the letter S.
- (1424) Will York in Sur.Soc.4408 : ij colers argenti.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.811 : Ofte tyme this was hire manere, To gon ytressed with hire heres clere Doun by hire coler, at hire bak byhynde.
- (1430) Will York in Sur.Soc.3013 : Lego..liberaturam meam, Anglice coller.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)87 : Coller or lyue[rey]: Torques.
- (1446) Will York in Sur.Soc.30124 : I will yat dame Jahan my nece, ye lady Clifford, have my colar of gold.
- (1450) RParl.5.212b : The same mysdoers..murdred and slough the seid William Tresham..and robbed hym of a Coler of youre lyvere, a cheyne of gold, an Hors, and xx li. of money.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)27a : A coler of silver or gold: murenula.
- (1487) Will Uvedale in SAC 3164 : I bequeathe to Elizabeth my daughter..a coler of goold of xxiiii leves, droppes enamelid with black and goold, with a fastenyng in the myddil with a Rubye.
- c1500 Cleges (Ashm 61)554 : The kyng made hys son squyre And gafe hym a coler forte were.
- 1598(a1475) Flower & L.(Speght)215 : Every trumpet his lordes armes bere, About their nekkes, with gret perles set, Colers brode.
3.
(a) A piece of armor protecting the neck, gorget; (b) a (wrestler's) neck-guard.
Associated quotations
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4577 : Þoru hauberc & þoru is coler, þat nere noþing souple, He smot of is heued.
- (1434) Proc.Privy C.4.251 : A pusan of gold, called þe rich coler, conteynyng xvj culpons.
- (1445) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)11.83b : A Puson of Golde, called Iklyngton Coler, Garnished with..Rubees.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)8310 : Strong Sheldes..myghti colers, Haubrek..And helme of fyne stele.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)158 : The coler of his haubrek.
b
- (1467-8) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.524a : Two wrastlyng colers.
4.
(a) A neck chain or fetter; (b) a horse collar (to which the traces are attached); fig. haven many colers on, to be tied up in many things; (c) a collar put around the neck of a dog (or cat); (d) coler-maker, one who makes horse collars (?or harnesses).
Associated quotations
a
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)10a/b : Boia: a coler þat prisoneres han abouten here neke, or a fetur.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.37/18 : They put abowte his necke a coller of Iren..and a grete chayne.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)87 : Collere: Collare, collarium.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)27a : A Coler of yrne: Columbar, Collare.
b
- (1334) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100523 : In i croper, hamys, et l coler.
- (1343) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100543 : In..11 Carterapes, cum 6 Coleres.
- (1365) Doc.Coldingham in Sur.Soc.12p.xlviii : ij colerys, cum una sella et cruper, ad unum currum pertinentibus.
- (1379) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29171 : In quatuor colers equinis.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)33 : Berwham, horsys colere: Ephiphium, epifium.
- (1458) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99151 : Pro factura del colars pro equis carect.
- (1470) Paston (Gairdner)5.74 : I shall do as well as I may, for fawt of monye, tyll I spek with yow. I have many collars on, as I shall tell yow when I come.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)27a : A coler of a horse: colarium.
c
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2152 : Aboute his chaar ther wente white alauntz..And folwed hym with mosel faste ybounde, Colered [vr. Colers] of gold and turrettes filed rounde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)prol.169 : To bugge a belle..And knitten on a colere..And hangen it vp-on þe cattes hals.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)87 : Coller of howndys: Millus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)27a : A coler of a hunde: millus, colarium, copularius.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)966 : Twey whyte grehoundys ronne hyre by; Hare colers were of golde.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)812/44 : Hic millus: a grehownd colere.
- -?-(?a1500) Hunt.Hare (Adv 19.3.1)83 : Greyt dogges and stronge; Sum of hom had..browd colers full of neylis.
d
- (1366) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms218 : Joh. Colermaker.
- (1411) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103609 : In panno lineo et canab. empt. pro le Colermaker et aliis necessariis.
- (c1449) Rec.Norwich 2230 : Steyners..Caryers, Colermakers.
5.
The neck.
Associated quotations
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1651 : Þe heuede by þe colere He cuttid awaye.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7318 : He clefe hym to þe coler, & the kyng deghit.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.35 : Þo crane schalle fyrst enarmed be..With legges al hole he rostyd is..Put in þo bylle at coler þou schalle.
6.
Various pieces of equipment or rigging: (a) Naut. A round block with holes through which a lanyard is reeved, a deadeye; (b) some sort of (?leather) strapping or restraint associated with a church bell.
Associated quotations
a
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57205 : Paid to Roger Fuller for tymbre for colers of the maste and gonne walles, xx d.
b
- (1483-84) Acc.Ashburton in D&CRS n.s.154 : [Paid] Michael Stodele for a] coler [for a bell, 6d.]
- (1496-97) Acc.Ashburton in D&CRS n.s.1524 : [For a] belle coller, 5d.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: As regards sense 6.(b), the 'Michael Stodele' [variously spelled] paid for a bell collar is otherwise listed in these accounts as responsible for 'bauders' i.e., the leather 'baldrics' by which the bell clappers are suspended, so may have been a saddler or leather worker. Collars for the bells continue to be bought or repaired (and continue to be cheap purchases) in 1507-08 (p.36: "For mendyng of a bell cowler, 1d.") and 1554-55 (p. 131: 6d. for the mendyng of the bell colyers.., 9s.2d. for bell ropys, 7s.6d. for a newe huyll and mendyng of the bell frame, 4s.8d. for the mendyng of the bell clappers."). See also OED s.v. collar n., sense 10, especially the examples from 1507 and 1593.