▪ I. † ˈewer1 Obs.
Forms: 4–7 ewer(e, 5 ewar(e, euwere, 6 y(ewre.
[a. OF. ewer (Cotgr. eauïer):—L. aquārius, f. aqua (OF. ewe, mod. eau) water.]
= ewerer.
| 1361 in Nichols Royal Wills 53 Davy, q'est Barber et Ewer. c 1450 Bk. Curtasye in Babees Bk. 641 An euwere in halle þere nedys to be..He schalle gef water to gentil⁓men. 1461–83 Liber Niger Edw. IV in Househ. Ord. 84 Twoe yomen ewars..that resceyveth of the sergeaunt all naperyes, basins, ewers, chauffyrs..for the halle. 1601 F. Tate Househ. Ord. Edw. II, §50 (1876) 35 Thei shal carri the flesh, and the fish..with the helpe of the Ewers from the kitchin to the dresser. |
Hence † ˈeweress, a female ‘ewerer’.
| 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. iv. 20 The marshall ycclipped was dame Reason, And the yewres also Observaunce. |
▪ II. ewer2
(ˈjuːə(r))
Forms: 4–5 ewere, 5–6 euer, ewar, (5 ewear, ewyr, hure, yore), 6 eure, (ower, ure, yower), 6–7 ewre, 7 eawer, eawr, 5– ewer.
[ad. AF. *ewiere, parallel with OF. aiguiere (mod. aiguière), eviere (17th c. in Cotgr.), repr. Lat. type *aquāria, f. aqua water; cf. prec.]
1. ‘A pitcher with a wide spout, used to bring water for washing the hands’ (W.). In mod. use the trade name for a bedroom water-jug.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 1457 Þer wer bassynes ful bryȝt of brende golde clere, Enaumaylde with azer & eweres of sute. 14.. MS. Cantab. Ff. i. 6, f. 58 (Halliw.) Yore [= ewer]. 1413 Lydg. Pilgr. Sowle v. xi. (1483) 103 This sygne is Aquarius with his ewer. 1494 Fabyan vii. 345 He gaue to y⊇ abbot..a basyn with an ewyr of syluer. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. ix. 17 As quhow the crystall eweris [ed. 1710 eueris] to thair handis The watir gave. 1574 Gifts to Queen in Nichols Progr. Q. Eliz. I. 413 A very smale fountayne of golde with ower in it, enamuled. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 73 The holding up aloft a silver Ewre, after washing. 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 179 The golden ewer a maid obsequious brings. 1815 Scott Guy M. xxiv, Ailie..at that instant entered with basin and ewer. |
2. Comb., as ewer-wise.
| 1599 Minsheu Dial. in Sp. & Eng. 11/2 This pot made ewer wise. |
▪ III. ewer3 dial.
Also 8 yewer, 9 ure, yure, yooer, yawer.
[a. ON. *j{uacu}ðr (Icel. j{uacu}gr, Sw. jur):—OTeut. *euđr-, ablaut-variant of *ûđr-, whence udder.]
= udder.
| 1787 Grose Provinc. Gloss., Ewer, an udder. N. 1788 W. Marshall E. Yorksh. (E.D.S.) s.v., Ewer and Yewer. 1847–78 in Halliwell. 1873 Swaledale Gloss. Yure, an udder. 1878 Cumberld. Gloss., Yooer, Yawer, the udder of an animal. |
▪ IV. ewer
? corrupt form of oyer.
| 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. 106 Maye Byshops..bee Iustices of Assises, Ewer, Determiner, and the lyke. |