† bonair(e, a. Obs.
Forms: 4–5 bonure, 4–6 boner(e, -aire, 5 -our, -ayr, -eyre, 6 bonnair, 6–7 bonayre, 4–7 bonair.
[a. OF. bonnaire gentle, courteous, affable, shortened from debonnaire. The accent shifted in ME.]
1. Well-bred, gentle, courteous, kind, complaisant.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 6732 With wordes bonere, Heom answerith swithe faire. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B 733 Blessed be þow..so boner & þewed. c 1430 How Gd. Wijf tauȝte Dau. 103 in Babees Bk. (1868) 41 To bitter ne to bonour with hem þat þou ne be. 1460 Lybeaus Disc. 1727 Sche ys meke and boneyre. 1542 Sarum Manual 64 To be bonere and buxum in bedde and at the borde. 1600 Holland Livy iv. ii. 446 To have been..made more bonair and gratious. 1623 Cockeram i, Bonayre, gentle, milde. 1696 Phillips Bonair, see Debonair. |
2. quasi-adv. = bonairly.
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. i. xxix, The mariner spac bonair. c 1350 Will. Palerne 332 Bere þe boxumly & bonure. |