▪ I. harper1
(ˈhɑːpə(r))
Forms: 1 harperi, hearpere, herpere, herperi, 3 harpare, 4–5 -or, -our, 5 -owre, -ure, herper, 6 harpar, 4– harper.
[OE. hearpere = MHG. harpfære, ON. harpari:—OTeut. type *harparjo-z, f. harpôn- harp n.1: see -er1. ME. had also the AFr. form harpour = F. harpeur, OF. harpeor, late L. harpātōr-em.]
1. a. One who harps or plays upon a harp.
| a 800 Leiden Gloss. 147 in Sweet O.E. Texts 115 Fidicen, harperi. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxx. §6 Ðæs hearperes wif. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 272 Menestral he was gode ynou, & harpare in eche poynte. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 880 As harporez harpen in her harpe, Þat nwe songe þay songen ful cler. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) v. viii. 99 The poete Orpheus was so swete an harpoure that the trees folowed him. 1483 Cath. Angl. 176/2 An Harper, citharedo. 1580 Nottingham Rec. IV. 194 Gevyn to the blynde harpar xijd. 1662 T. Crossman Hymn, ‘Jerusalem on high’, The Harpers..Harping on harps of gold. 1767 Percy Ess. Anc. Eng. Minstrels 7 Much greater honours seem to have been heaped upon the northern scalds..than appear to have been paid to the minstrels and harpers of the Anglo-Saxons. 1846 Grote Greece i. vii. (1862) II. 189 The Lesbian harper Terpander. 1883 Vigfusson & Powell Corpus Poeticum Boreale p. lv, In England an innovation appears, the harper who sits at the king's feet. 1912 W. M. Dixon Eng. Epic & Heroic Poetry 61 The braggart, the coward, the bard or harper, cunning with the glee-wood..all are there. |
b. Phr. have at (among) you, harpers: see quot. 1785.
| 1542 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 65 Haue among you blynd harpers (sayde I) The mo the merier. a 1625 Fletcher Mad Lover i. ii, He has a battalia now in's brains. He draws out; now Have at ye, Harpers! 1641 M. Parker (title) The Poet's Blind Man's Bough; or have among you, my Blind Harpers. 1785 Grose Dict. Vulg. Tongue s.v. Harp, Have among you, my blind harpers; an expression used in throwing or shooting at random among a crowd. |
† 2. Applied to various Irish coins current in the 16th and 17th c., bearing the figure of a harp; esp. the harp shillings, worth 9d. of English money. Obs. exc. Hist.
| 1598 E. Guilpin Skial. (1878) 40 Art thou yet to learne A harper from a shilling to discerne? 1607 Heywood Fayre Mayde Wks. 1874 II. 26 Your shilling prov'd but a harper. 1726–31 Tindal Rapin's Hist. Eng. xvii. (1743) II. 157 Elizabeth coined also Irish Money, namely, shillings called Harpers. 1839 W. J. Thoms Anecd. & Trad. 54. |
3. The harp-seal (Cent. Dict.).
▪ II. harper2
(also harpier), app. error for harpy.
| 1586 Marlowe 1st Pt. Tamburl. ii. vii, Now doth ghastly Death With greedy talents gripe my bleeding heart, And like a harpy [so 8vo; Qo. harper] tires upon my life. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. i. 3 Harpier cries, 'tis time, 'tis time. |