† serr, v. Obs.
Also serre.
[ad. F. serrer = It. serrare (used intr. to close up the ranks):—pop. L. *serrāre, for class. L. serāre, f. sera lock, bolt.]
refl., pass., and intr. To press close together; esp. to serry the ranks, form a serried company.
| 1562 J. Shute tr. Cambini's Turk. Wars 31 b, The Christians serred them selues and charged them. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 33 Let vs, serred together, forcibly breake into the riuer. 1623 Bingham Xenophon 18 His Troope of 600 Horse close serred. 1626 Bacon Sylva §82 The more grosse of the Tangible Parts doe contract and serre themselues together. 1683 Sir J. Turner Pallas Armata 22 They were oblig'd to serr together as close as they could. Ibid. 43 Some Tribunes..found the Gauls serr'd together in a Testudo. 1747 Carte Hist. Eng. I. 88 His own men were..hardly able though serred together to stand the shock. |