† ˈerer, a. and adv. Obs.
Forms: adj. 1 ǽrra (m.), ǽrre (f. and n.), 2 ærra, (2 erra, 3 earre, eror, errure, 4 erore); adv. 1 ǽror, -ur, (3 ærer, erur, arer, -ure), 4–6 Sc. erar(e, (4 errar), 5 erer, (6 earar).
[The OE. adj. ǽrra corresponds to OHG. êriro, Goth. airiza:—OTeut. *airizon-, f. *airiz adv.: see ere. The OE. adv. ǽror is a new formation after the analogy of advb. comparatives in -or (:—OTeut. -ôz); the OE. ǽr (:—*airiz), owing to the loss of the suffix, not being distinctly shown by its form to be a comparative. Cf. OHG. êror of similar formation.]
A. adj. Former.
c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxv. §6 Þonne forlyst he eall his ærran god. a 1000 Elene 305 (Gr.) Se þe of deaðe sylf woruld awehte..in þæt ærre lif. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 95 Þe þet on þam erran [MS. ercan] to-cume liðegedde þan sunfullen to þere godnesse. c 1230 Hali Meid. 7 Hire latere were..lesse haueð þen hauede ear hire earre. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 324 Of þe kunde he was of Denemarch, of þe eror wyf y bore. a 1300 Relig. Songs (Percy Soc.) v. 79 Of alle hire errure freond nu nafdh heo non. c 1305 St. Kenelm 290 in E.E.P. (1862) 55 & for þe erore miracle of þe toun þe whatlokere þerto hi come. c 1380 Sir Otuel 46 Otuwel thoute on errore deede. |
B. adv.
1. Before, formerly, at a former time.
Beowulf 810 Se þe fela æror, modes myrðe manna cynne fyrene ᵹefremede. a 1000 Cross 108 (Gr.) Swa he him ærur her on þyssum lænum life ᵹeearnað. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 183 Uncuðe men fon to þe aihte þe arure his waren. c 1205 Lay. 17459 Mærlin heom gon ræren alse heo stoden ærer. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1736 Al swo hit was erur bi-speke. 14.. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems 221 And of þat erer was his Nou shal he hauen mys. |
2. Sooner, rather, in preference; also with than.
1375 Barbour Bruce i. 458 Thai war sum tyme erar may then les. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vii. Prol. 32 Swa erare will I now ches me To be reprowyd of sympilnes, Ðan blame to thole of wnkyndnes. 1513–75 Diurn. Occurr. (1833) 93 Erar to hasert the samyn vpoun the chance of battell, than continwallie to be in feir of thair life. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 30 He chesit earar to thoile ane cruel deid. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus i. 527 He wald preuaill the erar I assure. |