▪ I. lear1 Now Sc. and north. dial.
(lɪə(r))
Also 5–7 lere, 6 leare, 6–7 leer(e, 9 leir.
[f. lere v.; but in mod.Sc. use prob. a mere graphic variant of lair, lare: see lore.]
Instruction, learning; in early use † a piece of instruction, a lesson; † also, a doctrine, religion.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 3759 For many leres may þe limpe slik as þou noȝt wenes! c 1440 Sir Gowther 231 Y will to Rome er than y reste, To leve up another lere. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 521 The knightis þat were wise of lere. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. May 262 He, that had wel ycond his lere. 1586 J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie 22 And teach our Gentiles vertuous lere. 1594 Lyly Moth. Bomb. ii. v, He learn'd his leere of my sonne. 1647 H. More Song of Soul ii. i. i. xix, Queen of Philosophie and virtuous lear! 1652 Stapylton tr. Herodian 37 So well his leere he couth. 1720 Ramsay Edinburgh's Salut. vi, Classic lear and letters belle. 1837 R. Nicoll Poems (1842) 95 He gaed to the school, an' he took to the lear. 1882 Stevenson Merry Men ii. Wks. 1895 VIII. 126 Your heid [is] dozened wi' carnal leir. |
b. Comb. lear-father, a master in learning; see also quot. 1855.
| 1533 Gau Richt Vay 15 Elders techours and leirfaders. 1702 C. Leslie Reply to ‘Anguis Flagellatus’ Theol. Wks. 1721 II. 612 The Man who was call'd G. Fox's Lear-Father. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Lay-father or Lear-father, a person whose conduct has influenced others; an exemplar. |
▪ II. † lear2 Obs.
Forms: 4 layour, 4–5 liour(e, lyour(e, lyre, 5 lere, 5–6 lyer(e, 6–8 leer(e, 7 leir, 8–9 lear.
[a. OF. lieure, lyeure, liure:—L. ligātūra-m (see ligature).]
1. Tape; binding for the edges of a fabric.
| 1382–3 Durh. MS. Sacr. Roll. In lyour empt. pro le Redill' pro magno altari, ijd. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 178/1 Frenge, or lyoure, tenia. Ibid. 306/2 Lyowre, to bynde wythe precyows clothys, ligatorium, redimiculum. 1485 Churchw. Acc. St. Dunstan's, Canterbury, For lere and ryngys to the same bockeram vd. 1503 Privy Purse Exp. Eliz. York (Nicholas 1830) 91 Item for viij lb. of blewe lyere at xijd. the lb. viijs. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 79, I meane so to mortifie my selfe, that in steede of silkes, I wil weare sackcloth: for Owches and Bracelletes, Leere and Caddys. 1736 J. Lewis I. of Tenet Gloss. (E.D.S.), Leere, tape. |
2. Cookery. A thickening for sauces, soups, etc.; a thickened sauce.
| ? c 1390 Form of Cury (1780) 24 Make a layour of brede and blode and lay it þerwith. c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 33 Take Water and let boyle, and draw a lyer þer-to of Brede, of þe cromys, with wyne y-now. 1658 Sir T. T. de Mayerne Archimag. Anglo-Gall. xxviii. 29 Then make a Leer or Sawce for it. 1750 E. Smith Compl. Housew. (ed. 14) 35 When 'tis baked, put in a lear of gravy with a little white wine. 1837 Disraeli Venetia i. iv, One of those rich sauces of claret, anchovy, and sweet herbs,..which was technically termed a Lear. |
Hence ˈlearing vbl. n. (in quots. liring, lyring), binding with tape.
| 1480 Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV (Nicholas 1830) 126 Liour for liring and lowping of the same arras. 1512 Househ. Bk. Earl Northumb. (1770) 326 For Lyring Sewing and Jouning of Stuf. |
▪ III. lear3
(lɪə(r))
Also 7 leere.
[Perh. a developed use of lear, lair n.1 5; cf. quot. 1623 there.]
Colour (of sheep or cattle), due to the nature of the soil.
| 1601 Holland Pliny xxxi. ii. II. 403 In some places there is no other thing bred or growing but brown & duskish, insomuch as not only the cattell is all of that leere, but also the corn upon the ground. 1616 Surfl. & Markham Country Farm i. xxv. 117 Now for the leares of sheepe, you shall vnderstand that the browne hazell leare is of all other the best, the redd leare next to it [etc.]. 1883 Advt. Handbill, M―'s Fly, Lear, and Vermin Powder will prevent the Sheep from being struck by the Fly, at the same time producing a good Lear, which every farmer must allow is a great advantage. |
▪ IV. lear
obs. f. or var. of lair, leer, lere, liar.