Middle English Dictionary Entry
mō̆re n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | mō̆re n.(2) Also morre, moure, maure. |
| Etymology | OF More a Moor & ML mōrus & CL Maurus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A Moor; the nacioun of mores, Mauretania; ?also less precisely, a black African; (b) as adj.: Moorish.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1686 : Ther was no grace in the visage, Hir front was nargh, hir lockes hore, Sche loketh forth as doth a More.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)30b/a : Hete is þe modir of blaknes..so in hote londes comeþ forþ blake men & browne, as among þe moores [L mauros].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)307b/a : Men of þe nacioun of maures, here blak colour comeþ of þe Inner partyes..ffor þat contre marytanya is þe moste hoot contre in ethiopia, in þe which contray for gret hete the blood is y-brende bitwene felle and fleisshe and makeþ al þe membres blake, and so he þat first woned in ethiopia was y-made blak.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)104/3 : Ethiope is departed in ij parties..The whiche partie meridionall is clept Moretane. And the folk of þat contree ben..more blake þan in the toþer partie, & þei ben clept mowres.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1005 : Thre hundred thousand of Sarsyns felle, Some bloo, some yolowe, some blake as more.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)32.38 (v.1:p.237) : Hym thought that he was brought to his doom bifore a iuge and hangen vp in a balaunce, and many foule maurys wern in that othir balaunce, sore pullyng ageyns hym.
b
- a1500 Parton.(1) (RwlPoet 14)9847 : To þe Morre [vr. morreys] Kynge was a good poste.