porringer
(ˈpɒrɪndʒə(r))
Forms: α. 6 por(r)eger, porrager. β. 6 porrynger, 6–7 poringer, 7 porrenger, 7– porringer.
[An alteration of the earlier potager, poddinger, going with porridge from potage, poddige. For the n cf. passenger, messenger.]
A small basin or similar vessel of metal, earthenware, or wood, from which soup, broth, porridge, children's food, etc., is eaten: variously specialized in different localities: see Eng. Dial. Dict.
| 1522 in Bury Wills (Camden) 115, iiij sawcers of pewter, iij poregers of pewter. 1538 Ibid. 135, vj pewter porryngers. 1578 in Gentl. Mag. July (1861) 36, vi. porragers of pwter, xiid. 1579 Langham Gard. Health (1633) 239 Put the iuyce into a Tinne Poringer. 1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. Wks. (Grosart) V. 145 From Spaine, what bringeth our Traueller? A scull cround hat of the fashion of an olde deepe porringer. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. iii. 64. 1661 Pepys Diary 29 May, Rose early, and put six spoons and a porringer of silver in my pocket to give away to-day. 1784 Franklin Autobiog. Wks. 1840 I. 102, I ate it out of a two-penny earthen porringer. 1798 Wordsw. We are Seven 47 And often after sunset, Sir, When it is light and fair, I take my little porringer, And eat my supper there. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop lxi, A tin porringer containing his breakfast. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Porringer.., a coarse earthen pipkin, with a loop handle at the side. 1871 G. H. Napheys Prev. & Cure Dis. ii. ii. 431 A porringer, graduated so as to mark the quantity of its contents, is useful. |
b. A hat or cap resembling a porringer: cf. quot. 1594 in prec. humorous.
| 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. iv. 50 A Habberdashers Wife..rail'd vpon me till her pinck'd porrenger fell off her head. 1820 W. Irving Sketch-bk., Little Brit. §16 There is the little man with a velvet porringer on his head. |
c. attrib. and Comb.
| 1860 Motley Netherl. (1868) I. ii. 39 Their little velvet porringer-caps stuck on the sides of their heads. 1901 Athenæum 27 July 132/1 Anothe of these porringer-shaped cups with two handles. |
Hence ˈporringerful.
| 1904 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 3 Dec. 1517/1 Half a porringerful of foul fluid making its escape. |