▪ I. mar, n.1
(mɑː(r))
Also 3 mer(e, 6 marr, 7 marre.
[f. mar v.]
† 1. A hindrance, obstruction; an impediment in speech. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 67 For þan sal mede witouten mere, be mette for dede or bettur or were. Ibid. 24802 A gret resun wel sceu he cuth, wit-vten ani mer in muth. 1653 R. Baillie Dissuas. Vind. (1655) 43 The main marre of their labour was the common error of Independency. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl., Maunt, to speak thick and fast; to have a marr in the speech. |
2. Something that mars or impairs; a drawback to. In early use, † a fault. rare.
| 1551 R. Ascham Let. to E. Raven 18 May Eng. Wks. (1761) 384, I trust my will to write shall match the marrs I make in it. 1876 Duke of Edinburgh in Daily News 1 May 2/6 The only mar to the pleasure I feel in again hoisting the pennant. 1901 Pall Mall Mag. Sept. 70/1 It was no mar to the day for Roderic to share Miss Allan thus. |
3. Comb.: mar resistance, resistance to loss of gloss by abrasion; so mar-resistant adj.
| 1942 L. Boor in Mod. Plastics Sept. 80/2 Depending on the type of plastic under consideration, various methods of evaluating the optical degradation of the test areas may be used... The particular aspect of hardness of which this test is a measure has been given the tentative designation ‘mar resistance’. 1969 C. O. Raspor in W. R. R. Park Plastics Film Technol. iv. 87 The gloss of the marred area is measured and compared to the unabraded film to determine the mar resistance. 1973 Washington Post 13 Jan. C3/4 (Advt.), Seven-drawer kneehole desk..with mar-resistant top. |
▪ II. mar, v.
(mɑː(r))
Forms: 1 merran, mierran, mirran, myrran, 3 mære, 3–5 merre, 3–6 mer(e, 3–7 marre, 3–8 marr, 4 mire, 5–7 mare, 4– mar.
[Com. Teut. OE. męrran corresponds to OFris. meria to hinder (only once, in 3rd pers. sing. pres. ind. meert), OS. merrian to cause to stumble or err, to hinder (MLG., MDu. merren to hinder, also intr. to loiter, mod.Du. marren to fasten, tie up, to loiter), OHG. marren, merren to hinder, disturb (MHG. merren to hinder, also intr. to linger, delay), ON. merja to bruise, crush, Goth. marzjan to cause to stumble, offend. A parallel formation from the same Teut. root *marz- appears in OE. mearrian to go astray, err, MHG. marren to linger, loiter. The Teut. word was adopted in Romanic as OF. marrir to lose (one's way), to lead astray, perplex, afflict, distress (mod.F. only in pa. pple marri grieved), It. smarrire to bewilder, Sp. marrido adj., grieved.
According to some philologists, the OTeut. marzjan is formally equivalent to Skr. marṣaya-, causative stem of mṛṣ to forget (Indogermanic root *mers-, whence Lith. mirszti to forget); the root may have had a wider sense than that preserved in Skr. and Lith.]
† 1. trans. To hamper, hinder, interfere with, interrupt or stop (a person, event or thing). Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Exod. v. 4 Hwi mirrað ᵹit þis folc fram heora weorcum? a 1300 Cursor M. 2254 Now we haue vs sped sa ferr Vr wil may he noght vs merr. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xiii. (Marcus) 75 Sathanas sal nocht mare me. c 1440 York Myst. xli. 100 Bot thowe, myghty Lorde, my mornyng mar! Mar ye, for it shulde me well pay, So happy to se hyme yf I warr. 1513 Douglas æneis x. vii. 173 So thyk in stayll all marryt wolx the rout, Oneys mycht ony turn hys hand about To weyld his wappin. 1530 Palsgr. 705/2 If these bordes shrinke, all my purpose is marred. 1578 Banister Hist. Man viii. 109 Mouyng is marred, when..solution of continuitie is made. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 3 In case anie horseman..should bee wounded..his fighting for that day were marred. 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. xxv. 308 [He] had certainly dispatched him, if a large Brass Lamp which was burning over his Head, had not marred the Blow. 1827 Carlyle tr. Tieck's Elves, Germ. Rom. II. 121 ‘Then we shall see which of us is swifter’. ‘Done’, said Mary, and began to run; ‘for we shall not mar one another by the way’ [orig. so hindern wir uns auch nicht auf demselben Wege]. 1849 Chambers's Inform. II. 653/2 [Glasgow regulations for Bowls.] If a bowl is accidentally marred by an opponent, it shall be in the option of the party playing to let it rest, or play it over again. |
2. To spoil, impair. a. With obj. a material thing: To damage so as to render useless; to destroy or impair the quality of. Now rare. Also in OE. † to waste, squander (property).
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xliv. 325 Ðylæs mon unnytlice mierre ðæt ðæt he hæbbe. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 474 Þen wakened þe wyse of his wyl dremes, & blusched to his wodbynde þat broþely was marred. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5700 But his shippes..rut on a Rocke, & rent all to peses, Þat mony was mard & the men drownet. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour H iij b, Wyn taken ouer mesure..marreth and corrupteth the good blood. 1530 Palsgr. 458/2 You have blotted this shete of paper so sore that it is marred. ? 1538 Leland Itin. VII. 47 Fische Garthes marre the Haven. 1562 Turner Baths 1 The bathes of brimstone hurte the stomack and mar it. 1611 Bible Mark ii. 22 The wine is spilled, and the bottles will bee marred. 1612 Brinsley Lud. Lit. 252 Making markes vnder euery hard word in each page, without marring our bookes. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 22 There is ever some dead fly in our box, which marreth our ointment. 1728 Young Love Fame iv. 52 Thunder mars small beer, and weak discourse. a 1848 R. W. Hamilton Rew. & Punishm. vii. (1853) 336 The vessel is so marred that it cannot be repaired. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 36 The breath is not the flute, Both together make the music; either marred and all is mute. |
b. With immaterial obj.: To impair fatally, ruin. Often in proverbial antithesis with make (see make v.1 46 b) or mend v. In mod. use with somewhat lighter sense: To detract from the perfection or completeness of. Also absol.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. 9 Adam & eue..merden ure cunde. Ibid. 43 Sone so þu telles te betere þen an oðer..þu marres ti meidenhad [MS. Bodley merrest þin meiðhad]. a 1300 Cursor M. 17988 Harde haþ he werred me aȝayn, And myche marred of my mayn. c 1420, 1542 [see make v.1 46 b]. c 1440 York Myst. xxiii. 87 It marres my myght. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 34 Some wittes, moderate enough by nature, be many tymes marde by ouer moch studie. Ibid., Galene saith, moch Musick marreth mens maners. 1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Familye of Loue 4 An euill exposition marreth the text. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. iv. 369 Striuing to better, oft we marre what's well. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farm 9 It marreth the voice, bringing Hoarsenesse, and a little Cough. 1624 Wotton Archit. i. 23 It will marre all the mirth in the House. 1719 Young Revenge iv. i, There they'll revel, and exult to find Him sleep so fast, who else would marr their joys. a 1732 Boston Crook in Lot (1805) 4 What God sees meet to mar, one will not be able to mend in his lot. 1744 Harris Three Treat. i. iii. (1765) 172 The Dread of them may marr the Rectitude of our Purposes. 1833 H. Martineau Briery Creek v. 99, I cannot mar my satisfaction by groundless doubts. 1853 Mrs. Gaskell Ruth III. i. 43 For the present she would neither meddle nor mar in Ruth's course of life. c 1865 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 121 So be it; I must maim and mar. 1867 M. E. Herbert Cradle L. viii. 212 The pleasure of shopping was marred by the surliness of the inhabitants. 1889 [see make v.1 46 b]. 1896 N. & Q. 8th Ser. IX. 160/1 Though marred by eccentricities and extravagances of language, the play has genuine dramatic fibre. |
† c. Phrases. to mar all: to act so as to prevent a project or operation from being carried to a successful issue; to ‘spoil everything’, to act badly. to mar (one's) market: see market n. 4 c. Obs.
| c 1420 Liber Cocorum (1862) 57 Ȝif þou cast salt þer to, iwys Þou marres alle, so have I blis. 1535 Coverdale Judg. ii. 19 Whan the iudge dyed, they turned backe, and marred all more then their fathers. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia 90 As they had beene troublesome at Sea, began againe to marre all ashore. |
† d. intr. for refl. To become deteriorated; to spoil; to perish. Obs.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. 13 Þat ha [sc. hire limen & hire wittes] ne merren ne formealten þurh licomliche lustes i flesche fulðe. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 172 Lo al synkes in his synne & for his sake marres! c 1440 York Myst. i. 93 My mighte and my mayne es all marrande, Helpe, felawes, in faythe I am fallande. 1530 Palsgr. 638/1 The beste thyng in the worlde, if it be myskept, will marre in processe of tyme. 1609 C. Butler Fem. Mon. i. (1623) C iv, The Host..could not choose in that space but melt and marre. |
3. trans. To harm, injure (a person, etc.). a. To inflict destructive bodily harm upon. In later use, to mangle, disfigure (now arch.).
| c 1205 Lay. 1903 Vfele he [a wrestler] hine mærde ah na wiht he hit ne mende. Ibid. 22345 Arðures men letten fleon vnimete flan and merden Irisc folc, & hit swiðe ualden. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5553 What mighty were marrit, & martrid to dethe. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 96 Quhy has thow marrit my man, with maistri to mene? c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon vi. 140 Goo backe agen, & marre not your horse about noughte. 1530 Palsgr. 598/2 And you heale his legge up afore you kyll the deed flesshe quyte you marre hym for ever. 1535 Coverdale Isa. iii. 15 Wherfore do ye oppresse my people, and marre y⊇ faces of the innocentes? 1575 Turberv. Venerie 21 You may kepe them from going out, and that other dogs do not byte them, or that they be troden upon or marred with mens feete. 1656 Culpeper Eng. Physic. enlarged 59, I am confident..That if you mar the very Apple of their [young swallows'] Eyes with a Needle, she shal recover them again. 1692 Ray Disc. i. iv. (1713) 57 Those..Embryos may, by a violent cause, be marred or deformed in the womb. 1812 Scott Let. to Miss J. Baillie 17 Jan., in Lockhart, The watchword of these young heroes..was—Mar him. 1845–6 Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. ii. vi. 233 Some limbs of his body broken off and some marred and battered by the..waves. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid vi. 495 Noble Deiphobus here he beholds, all mangled and marred. |
† b. To ruin, damage seriously (a person, his fortunes, etc.). Often in antithesis with mend. Obs.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 1171 Heiȝh king of heuene..ne fauore nouȝt my fo [MS. so my] þat falsly me so marres. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 66 Þe foles foundeden hem-self freres of the Pye, And maken hem mendynauns & marre þe puple. c 1400 Destr. Troy 720 Soche a maiden to mar þat þe most louet! c 1440 York Myst. xxvii. 119 The fende is wrothe with ȝou and me, And will ȝou marre if þat he may. 1560 Becon Sick Man's Salve Wks. II. 220 b, Thys sycknesse hath vtterly marred me. 1607 Shakes. Lear i. i. 97 Mend your speach..lest it mar your fortunes. 1611 Bible Jer. xiii. 9 After this maner will I marre the pride of Iudah. 1614 Chamberlain Let. in Court & Times Jas. I, I. 320 The parliament will mend him or quite mar him. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle iii. 1151 But now this boy..doth all his fortunes marre. 1622 R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea (1847) 104 Pittie marreth the whole cittie. |
c. To ruin or damage morally. Obs. exc. dial. to ‘spoil’ a child by indulgence: cf. marred ppl. a.
| 1530 Palsgr. 483/1 You cherysshe this chylde so moche that you shal marre him. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. ii. §1 That it [learning] doth marre and peruert mens dispositions for matter of gouernment and policie. a 1639 W. Whately Prototypes ii. (1640) 153 Those that have these good abilities, must take heede of marrying [sic] themselves, and defiling them by being proud of them. 1684 Wood Life 9 Oct. (O.H.S.) III. 114 Digby Lord Gerard..was utterly mar'd by keeping company with base lewd fellowes. |
† 4. To confuse, bewilder; to perplex, trouble; to grieve, distress. [Cf. OF. marrir.] Obs.
| 13.. Cursor M. 15725 Ful merred war þai in þair mode. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. vii. 29 On molde y waxe mad, a maide marreth me. c 1350 Will. Palerne 884 He ferd as a mased man an marred neiȝ honde. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vi. (Thomas) 354 He..Is lyk a man þat merknes merryse. c 1485 Digby Myst. iv. 1054 To blame ye are, With this dedly sorow your-self to marre. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 523 O mad monstour! marrit out of thi mynd. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. x. 31 But minds of mortall men are muchell mard And mov'd amisse with massy mucks unmeet regard. 1603 Philotus cxlviii, As ane out of his mynde or marrit, He hes mee of his hous debarrit. |
† 5. intr. To err; to go astray; to be or become bewildered or confused. Obs.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxii. 29 ᵹie merras vel ᵹe duellas [Vulg. erratis]. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. 110 (Douce MS.) Hit marred, hit memered, hit mused for madde. c 1440 York Myst. xliv. 166, i Doct. Þai are drounken, all þes menȝe, Of muste or wyne, I wolle warande. ii Doct. Nowe certis þis was wele saide, Þat makis þer mynde to marre. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 22 Amang thay myrk Montanis sa madlie thay mer. a 1510 Douglas K. Hart i. 104 All that couth attene the castell neir, It made thame for to mer amiss, and mang. |
▪ III. mar
obs. f. mayor, mere ns.; more n. and a.