† ˈestre Obs.
Also 3 eastre, 4 ester(e, hestre, 5 esture, estyr.
[a. OF. estre being, condition (in pl. = sense 2), orig. a subst. use of estre (mod.F. être) to be. In sense 2 b this was in Fr. already confused with another word, = Pr. estra fem., of unknown etymology.]
1. Condition of being, way of life, position, circumstances; also, a state of things.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 5467 To wite of Alisaundres estre..Grete wille had Porus the kyng. c 1314 Guy Warw. (A.) 4563 Siker þou be þat al mi pine & alle mine estris ichil telle þe. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 94 He told him of alle þe estere, þat him mette þat nyght. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 272 What shall I telle unto Silvestre Or of your name or of your estre. a 1400 Sir Perc. 1559 Thay..talked and tolde Off othir estres fulle olde. |
2. concr. a. A place; places generally; hence the parts about a country; localities, a region; also an estate, dominions.
| c 1205 Lay. 3583 Leir is an is londe, icume ouer sæ streme to isen is eastress. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 10586 So long he [Tumna] leuede yn þat estre Þat for hys name he hyȝt Tuncestre. c 1330 ― Chron. (1810) 891 To Wales is William schaken, estres to spie. Ibid. 145 He bouht Two maners tille his estre. Ibid. 212 Jon regned in þis estre kyng auhten ȝere. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas. iii. v. (1554) 74 a, He gan espie thestres of the place. c 1440 Bone Flor. 293 He toke hym come To spere the estyrs of Rome. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxiii. 221 The noble baron of stafford priked hir hors vp and doune by the hylles for to kepe the estres [ed. 1520 estrees] of the countrey. |
b. Chiefly pl. Apartments, dwellings, quarters; the inner rooms in a house, divisions or alleys in a garden, etc.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 296 Brouhte o brune alle hire huses [v.r. eastres.] a 1300 Cursor M. 2252 (Cott.) His esters sal we see ful suyth. c 1300 K. Alis. 7611 Y wol sende hire lovedrewry, And hire hestris eke aspye. c 1330 Arth. & Mer. 816 At hir dore and hir fenester Hadde y blisced and ech ester. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1768 Ȝede a grom of grece in þe gardyn to pleie to bi-hold þe estres & þe herberes so faire. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1711 Lucrece, The husbonde knew the estris wel & fyn. c 1400 Beryn 556 For thow knowest better then I, al the estris of this house, go vp thy selff and spy. c 1400 Rom. Rose 1448, I wente..Aboute the place; it was not left, Tyl I hadde all the gardyn bene In the estres that men might sene. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xix. vii, Pleaseth it yow to see the estures [printed by Caxton eftures] of this castel. 1775 in Ash. |
3. App. used for: Fruit, produce.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter lxiv [lxv.] 11 Fele falde his estres in þe land [Vulg. multiplica genimina ejus (sc. terræ)]. |