▪ I. † ˈperrie, ˈperry Obs. Chiefly poet.
Forms: α. 4–5 (6) perre, 4–5 perree, -ey, -eye, (4 perey, 5 pere, pirre, 6 pyrre). β. 4–5 perrye, -ie, 5–6 perry, (5 pery). γ. 5 pierrye, 6 pierrie, (9 pierie).
[a. OF. pierrie, pierie (Godefroy), syncopated form of pierrerie, OF. perrerie, f. pierre stone + -erie: see -ery 1.
The syncopated form is evidenced in 14–16th c. in Godef.; app. Anglo-Fr. must have had perrie (from perrerie, perr'rie, per'rie) as the source of 14th c. ME. perrie, perrye, whence later perry. In the forms perré (the earliest and most frequent in ME.), perree, perrey, -eye, the termination is not easy to account for. (? F. perré, -ée pa. pple. used sbst.; cf. Pr. peyrat:—L. petrātum.) The late 15th and 16th c. forms pierrye, pierrie followed later French.]
Precious stones or gems collectively; jewellery.
| α c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 10042 A riche corounal wiþ perre. c 1350 Will. Palerne 53 In gode cloþes of gold a-greþed ful riche Wiþ perrey and pellure pertelyche to þe riȝttes. 13.. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xxviii. 66 Heie perle, of al perey þe pris. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 12 Al þe precious perre þat in paradys wexeth [v. rr. perree, pere, perrie, perreye]. c 1386 Chaucer Monk's T. 315 She was al clad in perree [v. rr. perre, perrye, perry] and in gold. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 46 Ryche attyres of stonys and perre [rime be]. c 1450 Erle Tolous 327 Rychely sche was cladd, In golde and ryche perre [rime free]. [1555 Lydgate's Chron. Troy ii. xi. Gj/1 And all aboue reysed was a see, Ful curyously of stones and perre [so MS. c 1425]. 1558 ― Bochas viii. xxii. 14 b, With royal rubies, gold, stones, nor pyrre.] |
| β ? 1370 Robt. Cicyle 268 Alle was set with perrye [rime crystyanté]. 1386 Will Sir R. Grene (Somerset Ho.), Capucium de perry. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 143 For cloth of gold and for perrie, which him was wont to magnefie. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2461 Appayrellde with perrye and pretious stones. ? c 1475 Sqr. lowe Degre 719 Ye ware the pery on your head. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. iv. 93 Therfore horse, harnes, and perye, As falles for my dignitie, The tythe of yt I take of thee. c 1560 How a Merchande 51 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 198 He boghte hur perry to hur hedd Of saphers and of rubeys red. |
| γ 1481 Caxton Godeffroy xl. 78 As moche as two myghty men myght susteyne of pierrye. a 1541 Wyatt Faithful lover giveth his Mistress his heart Poems (1815) 152, I can⁓not give broaches nor rings,..Pierrie, nor pearl, orient and clear. [1880 Contemp. Rev. Mar. 421 All this fine pierie, The riches of the land and of the sea.] |
▪ II. perrie
obs. form of perry1, perry2, pirrie, a squall.