ˈyever, a. Obs. exc. Sc.
Forms: 1 ᵹifre, ᵹyfre, ᵹifer-, 2 ȝifer, (Orm.) ȝiferr, 2–4 ȝiuer, 3 ȝifre, ȝiure, ȝefere, yuer, 5 ȝeuer, yeuer, ȝyuer, youre, 9 Sc. aiver.
[OE. ᵹ{iacu}fre, corresp. to ON. g{iacu}fr (found only in pl. witches, fiends), whence g{iacu}frliga savagely, in mod.Icel. exorbitantly, g{iacu}frligr in mod.Icel. immoderate, exorbitant. The Icel. form is represented by north. Engl. givour ‘greedy’, giverous (see yeverous).]
1. Greedy, covetous.
| Beowulf 1277 And his modor þa ᵹyt ᵹifre and galᵹmod ᵹegan wolde sorhfulne sið. c 888 ælfred Boeth. xxxv. §7 Tantulus se cyning ðe on ðisse worulde unᵹemetlice ᵹifre wæs. c 1205 Lay. 7337 Þu sulf ært swiðe gripel Þine gumen sunden ȝefere [c 1275 ȝifre]. a 1225 Ancr. R. 214 Þe ȝiure glutun is þes feondes manciple. |
2. Eager, quick, prompt.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 3955 Polidamas þe pert..was..Full ȝeuer and ȝepe, and a yong knight. c 1425 Engl. Conq. Irel. 114 Thys legat was youre [v.r. besy] aboute, pees to make betwene the kynge & Iohn. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 94 Forbye the body's clean an' aiver, Wi' little blust, he's doonright clever. |
Hence ˈyeverly adv., greedily; quickly; ˈyeverness, greediness, gluttony; eagerness, impetuosity.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xxxv. §7 Him ðær ðæt ilce yfel filᵹde ðære ᵹifernesse. c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. iii. ix. (1890) 178 Ongon ᵹiferlice þæt gærs etan. 971 Blickl. Hom. 25 Þurh heora ᵹifernesse & oferhyᵹde. a 1100 Aldhelm Gloss. i. 766 (Napier 22/1) Pertinaciter, i. insuperabiliter, ᵹyferlice. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 33 Hordomes and ȝifernesse and druncnesse. a 1225 Ancr. R. 240 Ne beo hit neuer so bitter, ne iueleð heo hit neuer: auh gulcheð in ȝiuerliche, & ne nimeð neuer ȝeme. Ibid. 286 Golnesse cumeð of ȝiuernesse & of flesches eise. c 1250 Lutel Soth Serm. 11 in O.E. Misc. 186 To ȝiuernesse and prude none neode he nedde. c 1400 Destr. Troy 543, I haue pittye of your person & your pert face, And ȝeuernes of ȝowthe. Ibid. 869, I am ferd lest þou..for ȝeuernes for-ȝete þat þe ȝeme shuld. Ibid. 13231 With-in a yere, full yeuerly, þat yepe was with child. |