▪ I. † skere, a. and adv. Obs.
Forms: 3–4 sker (4 scker), 3–5 skere, 4 skeer, 5 Sc. skeyr.
[a. ON. skǽrr (Norw. skjær, Da. skær, Sw. skär) bright, clean, pure: cf. ME. scēre, schēre sheer a.]
A. adj.
1. Pure, purified; cleansed or free from sin or guilt.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 350 Whoa is þeonne skerre, & more ut of þe worlde þen beoð pilegrimes? c 1275 Sinners beware 28 in O.E. Misc. 73 Makie we us clene and skere Þat we englene ivere Mawe beon o buten ende. c 1330 Amis & Amil. 843 Darstow into bataile go, Al quite and skere you make? c 1395 Plowman's Tale 987 Of the bishop he hath powere To soyle men..; His absolucion may make hem skere. |
b. Const. of sin, etc.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 424/140 Ich am her In mi purgatorie, forte ich beo of mine sunnes scker. 13.. Ibid. (MS. Bodl. 779) in Herrig Archiv LXXXII. 311/238 [Christ] was bore of þe mayde þat was of sinne skere. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 203 He schulde be skeer of his synnes. |
2. Free from injury, harm, or molestation; unhurt, unmolested; also const. of. Freq. in quit and skere.
| a 1225 Juliana 50 We schulen sechen efter wrake..þat ne schulen ha beon sker of ure weorre. c 1275 Passion of Our Lord 372 At eure Muchele feste euervyche yere Schal ich þere gywene kyng lete gon al skere. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7936 Þe kyng þankede God þo, þat so quit & sker had lat hym go. a 1400 Lybeaus Disc. 297 For love of swete Jhesus, Now let us passe skere. |
3. Destitute, devoid, of something.
| c 1250 Doomsday 78 in O.E. Misc. 166 Goð awariede gostes, feondes ifere, In-to berninde fur; of blisse ȝe beoþ skere. |
4. Skere Thursday, = Skire Thursday. Sc.
Cf. Norw. skjær-, Da. skær-, Sw. skärtorsdag.
| 1498 Acc. Lord High Treas. Scot. I. 384 To serue the pur men of thair siluir on Skeyr Thurisday at the seruice. 1498 in Rec. Old Aberdeen (1899) 15 Nundinas..in Cena Domini ante Pascha vulgariter nuncupata Skeyrthurisday. |
B. adv. Quite; entirely; altogether.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 867 Al ich forsake her, & cweðe ham al sker up. c 1275 Moral Ode 159 in O.E. Misc. 63 He myhte helle fur..schonye, And lete sker al þes worldes weole. a 1400 Lybeaus Disc. 1914 Maboun..To-karf that sworde..A twynne quyt and skere. |
▪ II. † skere, v. Obs.
Also 3 skeren, 4 skeri, -y, sckere, skiere.
[Related to prec.: cf. MSw. and Sw. skära, MDa. skiære, to cleanse, purify, clear (a person), etc.]
1. trans. To free (a person) from blame or accusation; to acquit (one) of a penalty or charge; to clear, exculpate.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 308 Ȝif þu wreiest þe wel her, God wule unwreien þe þer, and skeren mid alle. c 1275 Fragm. Song 7 in O.E. Misc. 101 He vs skere of þe tyþing, þat sunfule schulle an-vnderfon. c 1400 Launfal 795 They seyden..Hyt was long on the quene, and not on Launfal, Therof they gonne hym skere. |
2. refl. To clear (oneself) of a charge, etc.
| a 1250 Owl & Night. 1302 Bute hit of wicchecrafte were þar of þu wrecche most þe skere. 13.. K. Alis. 3995 (Laud MS.), Of traisoun me wil I skere. c 1320 Pol. Songs (Camden) 156 Of scathe y wol me skere. c 1425 Seven Sages (P.) 3398 Bot thou may the fayrer skere Of that thyn sone haves tolde here. |
b. Without construction, or with clause.
| c 1275 Lutel soth Sermun 85 (Jesus Coll. MS.), Euer heo wule hire skere ne com hire no mon neyh. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 99 He tormentede þare-fore manie Men þat ne miȝten heom nouȝt skere. 13.. K. Alis. 3998 (Laud MS.), Antiochus seide, ‘þou ne miȝth þe skere’. |
c. To defend or save (oneself).
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 58 In this wise himself he skiereth, So that he hath the wordes weyved And thurgh his Ere is noght deceived. Ibid. 175 Sche lieveth noght al that sche hiereth, And thus fulofte hirself sche skiereth. |
Hence † ˈskering vbl. n. Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6885 Ac ȝif..heo hire skeringe do after mi lokinge. a 1400 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 6958 To do my penaunce [MS. a. sckeringe]. |
▪ III. skere
obs. f. scare.