† ord Obs.
Also 2–4 hord, 3 ort, 4 oord, 4–5 word(e.
[OE. ord = OS. ord point (MLG. ord point, edge, corner, MDu. oort, ort, ord point, beginning, Du. oord place, country, oort quarter), OHG., MHG. ort point, edge, corner, beginning (Ger. ort point, edge, corner, place), ON. oddr point of a weapon, front, leader (Da. odd, od point, Sw, udd point, pick):—OTeut. *ozdo-z: cf. odd.]
1. A point, esp. of a weapon; hence, a pointed weapon, a spear.
(With first quot. cf. ON. oddr ok egg point and edge.)
| Beowulf 1549 Breost-net broden þæt ᵹe-bearh feore wið ord ond wið ecge. c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xl. 297 Ne ofstong he hiene no mid ðy speres orde. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 480 He..sette his swurdes ord toᵹeanes his innoðe, and feol him on uppon. c 1205 Lay. 20658 Turnden heo heore ordes, Strikeden & sloȝen. a 1300 Cursor M. 7770 (Cott.) Þan drogh saul self his suord And ran him-self a-pon the ord [Gott. hord]. Ibid. 10626 (Gött.) Hir witt, hir vertu, hir loue word, May na man write wid pennys ord [Fairf., Tr. point]. a 1400 Disp. Mary & Cross 149 in Leg. Rood (1871) 136 Þi fruit is prikked with speres ord. |
2. Point of origin, beginning; esp. in ord and end.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xlix. 385 Ᵹebid ðu..oð ðu wite ðæt ðin spræc hæbbe æᵹðer ᵹe ord ᵹe ende. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 220 Se leahter is ord and ende ælces yfeles. a 1200 Moral Ode 85 He is hord buten horde and ende buten ende. c 1200 Ormin 18620 Godess Sune ankennedd Wass aȝȝ occ aȝȝ wiþþutenn ord. a 1225 Juliana 24 Iesu crist godes sune þe is ort ant ende of al. c 1410 Chron. Eng. 174 in Ritson Metr. Rom. II. 277 Y schal telle, ord and ende, The rihte sothe. |