▪ I. † aire, n.1 Obs.
Also 6 aare.
[a. OFr. aire:—L. āra altar.]
An altar.
| 1581 J. Studley Seneca's Trag. 57 b, Nor yet deuoutly praying, at the Aares with godly guise To Pallas, president in earth, to offer sacrifice. 1652 C. Staplyton Herodian xx. 166 Distracted like men ran upon these Aires, Maximiens Honor'd Statues were defaced. |
▪ II. † aire, n.2 Obs.
Forms: 4 air, 5 eyre, 7 ayre, 4–7 aire.
[a. OFr. aire: see aerie.]
The earlier equivalent of aerie.
| c 1325 Sir Tristr. i. xxix, Aȝain an hauke of nobl air. [Cf. OFr. faucon de gentil aire.] a 1440 Sir Degrev. 46 Ffelle ffaukons and ffayre Haukes of nobulle eyre. 1616 Surflet & Markh. Countrey Farme 79 Some [storks] do euerie years repayre to their wonted ayres, and doe ayre and neast themselves willingly also in the tops of high Towers. 1706 Phillips, Aire or Airy (among Falconers) a nest of Hawks, or other Birds of Prey; especially the Nest, which Falcons make choice of to hatch their Young in. |
▪ III. † aire, v. Obs.
Forms: 5 eyer, 7 eyre, ayre.
[f. prec. n. Cf. to nest.]
trans. and intr. To build an aerie, to breed as a falcon.
| 1472 J. Paston in Lett. 708 III. 68 To cast hyr in to some wood, wher as I wyll have hyr to eyer. 1616 [See prec.] 1652 Ashmole Theatr. Chem. Brit. xxxvi. 220, I was eyred and bred in swete Paradyce. |