▪ I. harbour, harbor, n.1
(ˈhɑːbə(r))
Forms: α. 2 hereberȝe, herburȝe, -byrȝe, 3 herberȝe, 4 herboru, herbergh, -berw, -beruh, 4–5 herberwe, -berewe, -borewe, -borwe, -boruhe, -borouȝ, -borw, -burhe, -burgh(e, 4–6 herberow(e, -borow(e, 5 herbarwe, -barow, -barou, -bourgh, 5–6 herboroghe, -borough(e, 6 herberough, -bourough, -burrouh. β. 4 herbore, -bure, 4–5 -ber(e, 5–6 -bour(e. γ. 5 harburrow, 5–6 harbarow(e, -brough(e, 5–7 harborow(e, 6 harberowe, -bourgh, -borrow, -bourough, 6–7 harborough(e. δ. 5 harbar, 6–7 harboure, 6– harbor, harbour, (7 harber).
[Early ME. hereberȝ(e, herberȝ(e, corresp. to an OE. *herebeorᵹ, f. here army, host = -beorᵹ, -e protection, shelter, not recorded, but found in the cognate langs., OHG. hęre-, hęre-, herberga (MHG. and mod.G. herberge), OLG. hęriberga (MDu. herberghe, Du. herberg) all fem., ON. herbergi neuter (Sw. herberge). The ME. word has been assumed to be from Norse; but the phonology points rather to an OE. type (original, or perh. after the Norse). The subsequent history shows two lines of phonetic change, viz. the change of her- to har-, usual with er- before a consonant (as in bark, barrow, hart, marsh, and the pronunciation of clerk, sergeant, Berkshire, Hertford, etc.); and the weakening of the second element to -ber, -bor, -bour; the current harbour exhibits both of these changes. The late ME. form remains in place names, e.g. Market Harborough.
Harbour is now the standard spelling of both the noun and the verb in the U.K., while harbor prevails in the United States.]
1. Shelter, lodging, entertainment: sojourn, abode.
α c 1150 Homily (Kluge Leseb. 72) Na synderlice onoðren herbyrȝe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 69 Þe node habbeð ȝiuen heom red, Mid hereberȝe and mid fode. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1392 If ȝhe miȝte taken Herberȝe for hire frendes sake[n]. 1382 Wyclif Wisd. xviii. 4 Withoute hurting of good herberewe [1388 herbore]. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶957 Neede of cloþing and herberwe [v. rr. herborugh, harborowe, herboruhe]. c 1440 York Myst. xiv. 6 Graunt vs gode herborow þis nyght. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. ix, They..praid the lord of the castel of herburgh. 1530–1 Act 22 Hen. VIII, c. 12 If any personne..geue any herborowe moneye or lodgeynge to any beggers. 1553 Brende Q. Curtius D ij, That Alexander shoulde fynde no herborow [v.r. herberowe] there. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 166 Frendly voutsave him herburrouh. |
β 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6153 Of herber grete nede I had, Yhe herbed me with hert glad. 1388 Wyclif Ecclus. xxix. 31 To seke herbore [v.r. herberow] fro hous in to hous. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 2940 Whi wil thou her thi herber tane? 1538 Bale Brefe Com. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 207 Helpe alwayes the poore, with herbour, foode, and aparell. 1552 Ord. St. Bartholomew's E j b in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. xvi. 310 For the herboure and succour of the dere members of Christes body. 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 9 To take herbour. |
γ c 1410 Love Bonavent. Mirr. vi. (1510) C iv, She..asked harborowe in dyvers places. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 260 What crystyn man axithe harburrow here? 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Rom. 34 Lette them have harbroughe. 1571 Campion Hist. Irel. i. (1633) 62 Those cursed exactions of diet and harborow. 1598 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 115 Whoesoever..shall lodge or gyve harborough to any rouges. [Cf. Market Harborough.] |
δ 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xxv. 115 Whan I was a straunger and nedy of harboure. 1592 Nobody & Someb. in Simpson Sch. Shaks. (1878) II. 289 Nobody takes them in, provides them harbor. 1663 Dryden Wild Gallant iii. i, All I desire of you is but harbour for a minute. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 148 Our great Want..was Harbor and good Company. 1691 Ray Creation ii. (1704) 253 They serve for the Harbour..of various Animals. 1791 Cowper Odyss. ii. 397 Give harbour in thy breast on no acount To after-grudge or enmity. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles i. xxvi, To harbour safe, and friendly cheer, That gives us rightful claim. |
2. a. A place of shelter or sojourn; lodgings, quarters, resting-place; place of entertainment, inn; place of refuge, asylum.
Obs. exc. dial. cold harbour, a place of shelter from the weather for wayfarers, constructed by the wayside. Hence, a frequent name of a locality, and in comb.
Cold Harbour Lane.
α c 1300 Havelok 742 Þore were Of here herboru herborwed þere. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 406 Holicherche, þat he[r]berwe is and goddes hous to saue. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 765, I saugh nat this year so myrie a compaignye Atones in this herberwe [v. rr. herborowe, harborowe, herberw, herburhe] as is now. c 1450 Merlin 539 Thei fonde nether house ne herberowe. 1530 Palsgr. 230/2 Herboroghe, logis. a 1637 B. Jonson Discoveries Wks. (Rtldg.) 743/1 To have his arms set up in his last herborough. |
β 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 448 With-in his awen moder body, Whar his herber with-in was dight. c 1449 Pecock Repr. 523 Dyuerse Ostries or Herbouris for to logge the more multitude. |
γ ? c 1475 Sqr. lowe Degre 179 Yf ye may no harbroughe se, Than must ye lodge under a tre. 1530 Palsgr. 169 Herberge, an harborowe. 1579 Twyne Phisicke agst. Fort. i. v. 6 a, Thy harborow or Inne, or rather thy pryson. 1600 Holland Livy xxvi. xli. 616 That the legions from out of their winter harboroughs, should there meete together. |
δ 1483 Cath. Angl. 174/2 An Harbar, hospicium. 1570 Levins Manip. 222/36 Harboure, hospitium. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. I. 7 Fair harbour that them seems: so in they entred are. 1642 Rogers Naaman 462 They will capitulate for their honour to go out of their harbour, with their pikes traild..and in array. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 110 ¶2 Ivy and Elder-Bushes, the Harbours of several solitary Birds. 1868 Atkinson Cleveland Gloss., Harbour, shelter, lodging. |
† b. The ‘house’, mansion, or position of the sun or a planet in the zodiac.
Obs.c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 307 To ech of hem his tyme and his seson As thyr herberwe [v. rr. herborwe, harborowe, hebour] chaungeth lowe or heighe. |
c. The covert or place of retreat of wild animals.
1576 Fleming tr. Caius' Eng. Dogs in Arb. Garner III. 234 Terriers..driue them out of their hollow harbours. 1615 J. Stephens Satyr. Ess. 310 Hee dreames of..a Bucke lodged, or a Hart in harbor. 1622 T. Scott Belg. Pismire 74 They resort to those places as to their harboroughs or couerts. 1741 Compl. Fam. Piece ii. i. 289 When you intend to find out the Harbour or Layer of a Hart. 1884 Jefferies Red Deer vi. 103 The stag..When he has settled himself down he is said to be ‘in harbour’. |
d. fig.1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark iv. 35 Fynde any quietnesse, or sure harborowe. 1591 R. W. Tancred & Gismunda v. ii. in Hazl. Dodsley VII. 85 Ah, pleasant harborough of my heart's thought! 1674 Brevint Saul at Endor 268 These saving Harbers. 1805 Wordsw. Prelude i. 11 In what vale Shall be my harbour? |
3. a. A place of shelter for ships;
spec. where they may lie close to and sheltered by the shore or by works extended from it; a haven, a port.
α [c 1205 Lay. 28878 Sexisce men..seileden to londe, And herberȝe token..Bi-ȝeonde þere Humbre.] c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 403 To rekene wel his tydes His stremes..His herberwe and his moone, his lodemenage. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions Pref. 11 Thei..digged out herborowes, where their shippes might ride saulfe fro the storme. |
β 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda I j b, The Ports, Herbours, and Riuers, where he tooke in fresh water. |
γ a 1547 Surrey æneid iv. 53 Also the Sirtes, unfriendly harbroughe. 1555 Eden Decades 350 A byght or bay as thowgh it were a harbarowe. 1578 Bourne Invent. 11 They must cheyne their Hauen or harborrow. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. (1810) III. 121 They put into the foresayde Harborough. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. (1634) 302 A Harborow of great capacitie, being in former times but an open bay. |
δ 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. lxii. 126 b, Their harbour or hauen is verie good. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 119 They were not able to put into the Harbor. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 609 A Station safe for Ships, when Tempests roar, A silent Harbour, and a cover'd Shoar. 1802 Med. Jrnl. VIII. 23 Some of the men of war, then in the harbour. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) II. 178 Like a wreck that is drifting to harbour, I come to thee, Lady, at last. |
b. An airship shed or hangar.
1909 Chambers's Jrnl. Oct. 659/2 Work in connection with the other Zeppelin air-ships is so far advanced that as soon as the halls, or harbours, as they are called, are ready it will only be necessary to put the parts together. 1912 C. B. Hayward Pract. Aeronaut. 36 To the only two airship sheds or ‘harbors’ exceeding 400 feet in length..no less than nine had been added [in France]. |
c. (See
quot. 1948.)
1935 Jrnl. R. United Service Inst. Nov. 747 The aeroplane cannot hit a moving tank with a bomb, but when the tanks harbour, the aircraft will make every effort to locate and bomb them... The bombing of tanks in harbour will cause immediate dispersion. 1948 Partridge Forces' Slang 91 Harbour, halting place for the night for guns and tanks. Also a verb. |
4. Glass-making. A large shallow trough-like box with handles or wheels used for holding the mixed ingredients or ‘batch’ and conveying them to the pot for fusion.
1891 Sale Catal. Glass Wks. Stourbridge, Seven mixing harbours. 1897 Correspondent, Each harbour of separate mixture is placed around the furnace before each pot for the purpose of filling. |
5. attrib. and
Comb. (in sense 3), as
harbour-admiral,
harbour-bar,
harbour-buoy,
harbour-duty,
harbour-light,
harbour-room,
harbour-town, etc.;
harbour-due, a charge for the use of a harbour (usually in
pl.);
harbour-gasket,
-log,
-watch (see
quots.);
harbour-master, an officer who has charge of a harbour, and of the mooring of ships, etc. therein; hence
harbour-mastership;
harbour seal N. Amer., the common seal,
Phoca vitulina, found along the shores of northern oceans;
harbour-side;
harbour stow, furling in a body (
cf. furling vbl. n. 1); so
harbour-stowed a.;
harbourward adv., towards the harbour.
1829 Marryat F. Mildmay iv. The Gladiator, the flagship of the *harbour-admiral. |
1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. vi. xv, We drifted o'er the *Harbour-bar. 1864 Tennyson Sailor Boy 2 He rose at dawn and, fired with hope, Shot o'er the seething harbour-bar. |
1842 ― Audley Court 85 The bay was oily calm; the *harbour-buoy..With one green sparkle ever and anon Dipt by itself. |
1718 Bridlington Pier Act, All such tools, *harbour-dues, or other dues. 1863 Fawcett Pol. Econ. x. vii. (1876) 614 A harbour due is..paid for the accommodation obtained by shipping. |
1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., *Harbour-gaskets, broad, but short and well-blacked gaskets..for showing off a well-furled sail in port. |
1858 Merc. Marine Mag. V. 371 A *Harbour-Light will be established. |
1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., *Harbour-log, that part of the log-book which..relates only to transactions while the ship is in port. |
1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Maître de ports, an *harbour-master, or officer appointed to take care of a port. |
1884 G. Allen Philistia I. 37 The honourable sinecure of a *harbour-mastership. |
1847 Grote Greece ii. xliv. (1862) IV. 9 To provide *harbour-room at once safe and adequate. |
1766 J. Banks Diary Oct. in A. M. Lysaght Joseph Banks in Newfoundland & Labrador (1971) ii. 145 They [sc. the fishermen] divide them [sc. the seals] into five sorts which they call Square Phipper Hooded Seal Heart or houke Bedlamer and *harbour seal, which last stays in the Countrey all the year. 1832 J. M{supc}Gregor British America I. iii. 107 The harbour seal (phoca vitulina)..does not seem to be migratory. 1958 A. W. Cameron Canad. Mammals 55 Apart from the grey seal, the harbour seal is the only member of the tribe that ordinarily spends the summer in southern Canada. 1964 E. P. Walker et al. Mammals of World II. 1302 (caption) Hair or harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). |
1947 Crowther & Whiddington Science at War 180 Larger explosive charges can be used, and their effects registered by electrical recording on the *harbour-side. 1962 Daily Tel. 11 Aug. 14/5 It was then decided to take Coweslip, still low in the water, to the nearby harbourside home of Mr. B. A. L. 1969 Jane's Freight Containers 1968–69 56/2 D & F Harborside Terminal. |
1886 R. Brown Spunyarn & Spindrift xxv. 311 Every rope in its place and hauled taut, every sail neatly furled in a *harbour-stow. 1924 R. Clements Gipsy of Horn v. 98 A ‘harbour stow’ we gave them, rolling the canvas into a neat skin as though it were covered with a jacket and passing the gaskets at regular intervals like seizings. 1924 J. Masefield Sard Harker 24 She was in lovely order; yards squared, harbour-stowed. |
c 1611 Chapman Iliad ii. (R.), Halos *harbor-towne, that Neptune beats upon. |
1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., *Harbour-watch, a division or subdivision of the watch kept on night-duty, when the ship rides at single anchor. |
▪ II. † harbour, n.2 Obs. [A frequent spelling of arbour n.1 from 16th c., intermediate between the earlier herber, erber, and the present form.] a. A grass-plot, a green
= arbour 1.
b. A bower or retreat covered with climbing shrubs and plants.
a. 1505 Will of M. Huntyngdon (Somerset Ho.), My body to be buried in our lady Harbar of the Cathedrall Church of Hereford. [1573 Richmond. Wills (Surtees) 234 My bodye to be buried within y⊇ arbour on the north side off the churche of Richmonde.] 1804–20 Hereford Cath., Sexton's Bk. of Fees, For Ground in the Cathedral Lady Harbour, or Cloister, 4s. 6d. |
b. 1563 [see arbour 5.] 1593 G. Fletcher Licia, etc. xxvi. (Grosart) 107 Where loving Wood-bine, doth the Harbour binde. 1613 R. Cawdrey Table Alph. (ed. 3), Ombrage, shade, harbor, or bower to rest vnder. 1762 Gentl. Mag. 222 A gravel walk..with a covered harbour at each end of it. a 1790 Warton Poet. Wks. (1802) II. 194 An avenue so cool and dim Shall to an harbour, at the end, In spite of gout, entice a friend. |
Hence
ˈharboured ppl. a.,
= arboured.
1615 G. Sandys Trav. 136 We rid in shallow cradles, two on a Camell: harboured aboue, and couered with linnen. |
▪ III. harbour n.3 var. of
arbor n.11797 Monthly Mag. III. 222 Effected by a jagged wheel, fixed on the barrel harbour. |
▪ IV. harbour, harbor, v. (
ˈhɑːbə(r))
Forms: α. 2
herebureȝen,
herborȝen, 3
herber(e)ȝen,
hereborwen, 3–5
herberwen,
herborwen, 4
herberghen,
herborghen,
herbarwen,
herbweren, 4–5
herberghwen,
herberewen, 4–6
herberowe(n, 5
hereboroghe,
herburghe,
herberrowe, 5–6
herborowe, 6
herberoughe,
herbrough. β. 3–7
herber(e(n, 4–5
herbor, 5
herbar, 6
herbowr(e, γ. 4–6
harborough, 5
-bergh,
-berough,
-burrow,
-bourrow, 5–6
-borowe, 6
-barow,
-brough. δ. 5
harbur, 5–6
harber, 6
harbar, 6–
harbor,
harbour. See also
herbery,
harbry v.
[f. harbour n., in its various phonetic forms:—OE. type *herebeorᵹian, corresp. to ON. herbergja, -byrgja, to lodge, harbour; OHG. heribergôn, MHG., MDu., Ger., Du. herbergen intr. and trans. Cf. also herberge, early form of harbinge v., from OF. herberger (which was ultimately the same word).] I. trans. † 1. a. To provide a lodging or lodging-place for; to shelter from the weather or the night; to lodge, entertain.
Obs.α c 1150 Homily (Kluge Leseb. 73) Swa swa leofne gyst heo hire husede and innlice herebyreȝode. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 23 Þu..fedest wreche men and herebureȝest and scrudest. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 260/146 To hereborewi Miseise men. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 201 Cloþe..and herberwe hem. Ibid. 317 Þere he schal be hereberowid. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 236/1 Herberwyn [v.rr. herbergwyn, herborowen] or receyvyn to hereboroghe. 1530–1 Act 22 Hen. VIII, c. 12 To lodge and herberough any persone..of charitee or almes. 1540 Taverner Postils, Exhort. bef. Communion, We have not hymselfe now..to herbrough him. 1557 Jest Mylner Abingt. 157 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 106 Herberowe us to night. |
β a 1300 Cursor M. 15494 To spek o iesu þar he was herberd in þat tun. 1382 Wyclif Acts x. 32 Symound, that is named Petre; this is herborid in the hous of Symound coriour. c 1400 Isumbras 524 Bot mete ne drynke couthe he gete none, Ne house to herbere hyme inne. a 1510 Douglas King Hart ii. 264 Ȝe sall nocht herbere me and Eis at anes. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj., Stat. Robt. I 20 Na man be herbered or lodged in the houses or granges. |
γ c 1435 Torr. Portugal 262, I wold harburrow the full fayne. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 1252 To harbergh the nedy wagring. 1530 Palsgr. 579/1, I intende to harborowe folkes no more. 1565 Golding Ovid's Met. ii. (1593) 29 Tethis who doth harbrough me within her surges wide. 1587 Sivqila in Polimanteia (1881) Introd. 18 To al them that harborough such a guest. |
δ c 1440 Bone Flor. 1971 He harberde hym far therfro All behynde men..Hys sekenes was so felle. 1557 Ord. Hospitalls E ij, Those [children] that are harboured in the Howse. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. ii. iii. 102 She harbors you as her kinsman. |
fig. 1630 Prynne Anti-Armin. 1 Which would willingly harbour themselues, vnder the roofe..of the Church of England. 1671 Milton Samson 458 The anguish of my soul, that suffers not Mine eye to harbour sleep. |
b. absol. To show hospitality.
1534 Tindale Rom. xii. 13 Diligently to harboure [1535 Coverd. Be glad to harbarow. 1539 (Great Bible), Be readie to harboure.] |
† 2. To quarter (soldiers or retainers); to assign lodgings to, to billet;
refl. to take up quarters, encamp. Also
absol. Obs.c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 149 Nouþer cite ne burgh myght þei in herberd be. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1626 Alle þe genge of grece was gayli resseyued & herbarwed hastely. c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 427 in Babees Bk. 312 The marshalle shalle herber alle men in fere. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. cii. 83 They comen..in grete companyes and lodged and herburghed hem in the countrey al aboute where they wold. a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. 32 Within the kinges gates no man shall harborow or assigne but this chamberlayn or usher. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cclvi. 381 They..layde siege about Monsac, and harbored themselfe, as though they wolde nat go thence in a moneth. 1648 Gage West Ind. 90 [We] were..harboured in a green plot of ground resembling a meadow. |
3. a. To give shelter to, to shelter. Formerly often in a good sense: to keep in safety or security, to protect; now mostly dyslogistic, as to conceal or give covert to noxious animals or vermin; to give secret or clandestine entertainment to noxious persons or offenders against the laws.
α ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 491 The gardin was not daungerous To herberwe briddes many oon. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxii. 320 Ordeyne þe an hous, peers, to herberghen in thi cornes. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. cxxv. (1869) 66 This scauberk is cleped humilitee..in whiche thow shuldest thi swerd herberwe. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop i. xx, The swalowe..herberowed her in the plowgh mans hows. |
β 1420 Surtees Misc. (1888) 17 Yt lette noght William Selby to herber hys tymber apon the same walle. 1502 Arnolde Chron. 83 Yf any freman..suffer ony wares or marchaundises..to be kepte or herbowryd in his house. |
γ 1579 J. Stubbes Gaping Gulf, To harborough the persecuted Christians in your owne kingdome. |
δ c 1460 How Marchande dyd Wyfe betray 148 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 201 Y swere..Y wylle neuyr harbur the kyngys felone. 1472 Presentm. Juries in Surtees Misc. (1888) 25 Oone panyermaker..harbers suspect persones in his hous. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 180 Ignoraunt what lewdnes lurketh, and what heynousnesse is harboured in the deedes they go about. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. xviii. (1810) 193 Traitours, which harboured themselves in the bogs and woods. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea 106 note, I would have Captains to say that our ships shal harbour no such Sailors. 1700 S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 44 These Woods harbour vast numbers of Monkeys. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 131 ¶5 He wishes Sir Roger does not harbour a Jesuit in his House. 1759 tr. Duhamel's Husb. i. vi. (1762) 12 Dung harbours insects. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 641 After the conviction of the rebels whom she had harboured. 1851 Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib. 780 Cocoa-nut fibre..does not harbour vermin. Mod. Newsp. A tobacconist was fined {pstlg}100 for harboring smuggled tobacco. |
fig. 1650 T. Hubbert Pill Formality 15 It is a dangerous thing to harbor a Traytor within your brest. 1820 Scott Ivanhoe xxiv, What religion can it be that harbours such a villain? 1842 H. Rogers Ess. I. i. 33 Harbouring every vagrant story that may ask shelter in his pages. |
† b. Of a place, etc.: To afford accommodation or room for; to contain, hold.
Obs.1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 40 Bote þer nas halle ne hous þat miht herborwe þe peple. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. iii. (1495) 106 The mydle moder beclyppyth the brayne and herboryth and holdeth togyders the veynes of the brayne. c 1440 York Myst. xv. 125 It [a horn spoon] will herbar fourty pese. 1587 Golding De Mornay ix. 115 That there is but one God, and that The Ayre, The Heauen, the Sea, the Earth, and Hell..were harbered in his breast from all Eternitie. 1667 Boyle Orig. Formes & Qual., The specifick actions of a Body that harbours subordinate Forms. 1680 ― Produc. Chem. Princ. v. 240 The Aeriall particles, that are wont to be harboured in the Pores of that liquor. |
4. fig. To entertain within the breast; to cherish privately; to indulge. Now usually in reference to evil thoughts or designs.
1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. viii. 258 In þyn hole herte to herberghwen alle treuthe. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 337 O heart appointed even from thy creation to harbour kindenesse. 1583 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 17 Such festred rancoure doo Sayncts celestial harbour? 1601 F. Godwin Bps. of Eng. 353 The citizens..harboring their old grudge. 1602 Rowlands Tis Merrie when Gossips meete 20, I know that beauteous wenches are enclinde, To harbour hansome men within their minde. 1766 Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767) I. iii. 109 They will be tempted to harbour suspicions. 1781 Cowper Convers. 561 Hearts..that harbour at this hour That love of Christ and all its quickening power. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 70 He believed them to harbour the worst designs. 1850 W. Irving Goldsmith i. 28 It was impossible for him to harbour resentment. |
5. To shelter (a ship) in a haven or harbour.
1555 Eden Decades 2 Naturall hauens, of capacitie to harborowe greate nauies of shippes. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa ii. 232 A faire haven, where the ships of Alger are safely harboured. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. xii. lii, Harbour my fleshly bark safe in thy wounded side. 1693 Lond. Gaz. No. 2849/4 Directions..how to Harbour a Ship in the same with Safety. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid iv. 375, I..Harboured his vessels, saved from death his mariner band. |
6. To trace (a stag) to his ‘harbour’ or lair. Also
transf.1531 Elyot Gov. i. xviii, A few nombre of houndes, onely to harborowe, or rouse, the game. 1576 Turberv. Venerie 239 We herbor and unherbor a Harte, we lodge and rowse a Bucke. 1637 B. Jonson Sad Sheph. i. ii, Here's Little John hath harbord you a Deere. 1741 [see harbinger 4]. 1886 Wood in Gd. Words 690 A..tigress had been tracked..and at last ‘harboured’, as Stag-hunters say, in a small thicket. 1892 H. Hutchinson Fairway Isl. 6, I can harbour a stag against any man on Exmoor. |
II. intr. 7. To shelter oneself, lodge, take shelter; to encamp; later, often with some notion of lurking or concealment.
arch. or
Obs.c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 87 Ȝif he mai þer-inne herberȝen. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 10290 Lete hym herber yn hys hous. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. vi. 53 Wont to sleen hys gestes þat herburghden in hys hous. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 5251 Thar herborghede þe king & ys barouns, Wyþ-oute tentes oþer pauyllouns. c 1400 Rowland & O. 745 Vnder a Mountayne þey herberde þan Besyde a reuer. c 1450 Merlin 125 Ye sholde not fynde an house in to herberowe. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iv. vii. 79 Now for this Night, lets harbor here in Yorke. 1686 Plot Staffordsh. 448 Others say that the Robbers themselves harbour'd here. c 1750 Shenstone Econ. i. 52 Beneath one common roof Thou ne'er shalt harbour. 1805 Wordsw. Waggoner i. 59 Where the Dove and Olive-Bough Once hung, a Poet harbours now. 1807 Pike Sources Mississ. ii. (1810) 200, I was suspicious that possibly some party of Indians might be harboring round. |
fig. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn liv. 207 Neither sleepe nor quiet could harber in her head. 1569 J. Sandford tr. Agrippa's Van. Artes 105 b, But nowe this plague..doth not onely herberoughe emonge temporall men. 1590 Marlowe Edw. II, v. Wks. (Rtldg.) 214/1 Think not a thought so villanous Can harbour in a man of noble birth. 1655 tr. De Parc's Francion I. 33 [To] suffer such a thought to harbour in our minds. 1760 Law Spir. Prayer ii. 161 No vice can harbor in you. 1796 Hist. Ned Evans I. 266 If envy could have harboured in such a breast as Sophia's. |
8. Of an animal: To have its retreat or resort;
spec. said of a stag.
1599 H. Buttes Dyets drie Dinner M viij, It is a Seafish..It harboureth some time about the shore. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xiv. (1660) 166 You shall say that a Hart Harboureth. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 862 Penguin..cannot flie,..feeds on fish and grasse, and harbors in berries. 1650 Fuller Pisgah iii. ix. 338 Here the bellowing Harts are said to harbour..the belling Roes to bed. 1772–84 Cook Voy. (1790) V. 1680 The place where the turtle were known to harbour. 1869 Phillips Vesuv. iii. 46 In the woody parts wild boars frequently harboured. |
9. a. Of a ship (or its crew): To take shelter or come to anchor in a haven or harbour. Also
fig.1583 Stanyhurst æneis iii. (Arb.) 72 Wee saulflye dyd harbor in hauen. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iv. ii. 206 To show what coast thy sluggish crare Might easiliest harbour in. a 1642 Sir W. Monson Naval Tracts iii. (1704) 331/2 He might have Harbour'd in Falmouth. 1718 Sewall Diary 12 May (1882) III. 184 Wind was Contrary that was forc't to harbour at Marblehead. 1842 Browning Waring ii. ii. 2 We were sailing by Triest Where a day or two we harboured. |
b. Of tanks, military forces, etc.: to shelter; to halt for the night.
Cf. senses 7 and 9 a.
1935, 1948 [see harbour n.1 3 c]. 1956 W. Slim Defeat into Victory 498 That night our leading troops harboured two hundred and forty miles from Rangoon. |
Hence
ˈharboured,
ˈharbouring ppl. adjs.1388 Wyclif Wisd. v. 15 An herborid man of a dai, that passith forth. 1743 J. Davidson æneid viii. 267 Calling his vanquished Sons into his Azure Bosom and harbouring streams. 1833 Wordsw. Warning 44 Harboured ships, whose pride is on the sea. 1835 I. Taylor Spir. Despot. viii. 361 A harboured grudge and exasperation. |