ˈvantbrace Now arch. or Hist.
Forms: α. 4–5 vauntbras, 6 -brasse; 6–7 (9) vantbras, 7–8 -brass. β. 5, 7, 9 vauntbrace, 6–7, 9 vantbrace.
[a. AF. vantbras, aphetic f. avantbras, f. avant before + bras arm.]
= vambrace.
| α 1374 For. Acc. 49 Edw. III, B, In .x. bacinettis,..iij. paribus Vauntbras et rerebras. 1412 in Somerset Med. Wills (1901) 60 Unum basinetum cum ventale, vauntbras, rerbras [etc.]. 1416 in Rep. MSS. Ld. Middleton (1911) 104 Pauns, vauntbrases,..et quysshews. 1504–6 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. III. 90 For iij pair vantbrases. 1520 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. I. 167 The King..lokythe dayly..to receive the vauntbrasse and gauntlett. 1614 Sylvester Bethulia's Rescue vi. 254 One, for his own, his Fellow's Helm puts on: One, his right Vantbras on left arm doth don. 1671 Milton Samson 1121 Then put on all thy gorgeous arms,..thy broad Habergeon, Vant-brass and Greves, and Gauntlet. 1790 Ann. Reg., Poetry 153 On his strong vantbrass Hacon's sword descends. 1802 James Milit. Dict., Vant bras, armour for the arm. |
| β 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy iii. 87 (MS. Digby 230), Þat þe sleues eke so longe be Þat his vauntbrace may be cured ner. 1600 Fairfax Tasso xx. cxxxix, His shield was pierst, his vantbrace cleft and split. 1622 F. Markham Bk. War i. x. 39 As touching the Vantbrace (which armeth from the Elbow to the hand) they are not greatly materiall in this case. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Hist. Jas. V, Wks. (1711) 105 After many..blows to the disadvantage of their casks, corslets, and vantbraces. 1801 Scott Eve St. John iii, Yet his plate-jack was braced, and his helmet was laced, And his vaunt-brace of proof he wore. 1828 Heber Journ. India II. xxv. 126 Many of the others [native horsemen of Baroda] had helmets, vant-braces, gauntlets, &c. |