▪ I. † tere, teir, a. Sc. and north. dial. Obs.
[Origin obscure. From the variant readings in Wars of Alexander 1404 and elsewhere, it would seem to have been an alteration of tore, tor a., in the same sense, under the influence of tere vb. to tire; or to have arisen out of tere vb. by change of syntax and identification of the resulting adj. with tore.]
Difficult, tedious, tiresome, toilsome.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 1404 (MS. A.) It ware tere [MS. D. It wald tere] any tonge to of his turnes rekyn. Ibid. 4918 It ware to tere me to tell þe tirement to-gedire. a 1400 Anturs of Arth. 121 To telle þe todes þereone my tonge were fulle tere [v.r. were to tere]. a 1440 Sir Degrev. 1409 To tell here metus was tere, That was served at here sopere. c 1450 Holland Howlat 578 The order of thar armis, it war to tell teir. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 27 Mony otheris that tere is to tell. 1513 Douglas æneis xi. Prol. 197 For sa schort renovne [thay] warryn so bald To sustene weir and panis teir ontald. |
So † ˈterefull (5 teirfull, tyrefull) a. Sc. Obs.
| c 1450 Holland Howlat 421 It war tyrefull to tell, dyte or address. c 1475 Golagros & Gaw. 760 It war teirfull to tell treuly the tend Of thair strife sa strang. Ibid. 33, 42. |
▪ II. tere
obs. form of tar, tear, teer.