† hagher, a. Obs.
Also 3 (Orm.) haȝherr, haher, hawur, 3–4 haȝer, 4 hauer.
[app. a. ON. hag-r handy, skilful; but the retention of the inflexional -r of nom. sing. masc. is quite anomalous.]
Skilful, clever, dexterous; apt, fit.
| c 1200 Ormin 13471 Forrþi þatt Sannt Anndrew wass Rihht god and haȝherr hunnte. a 1225 Ancr. R. 52 A ful hawur [v.r. haher, haȝer] smið. a 1327 Sat. Consistory Crts. in Pol. Songs (Camd.) 155 Be he never in hyrt so hauer of honde. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 352 Non haȝer er of wylle. |
b. Skilfully wrought.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1738 Þe haȝer stones Trased aboute hir tressour, be twenty in clusteres. |
Hence haȝ(h)erleȝȝc [cf. ON. hagleik-r], dexterity. hagherliche, haȝ(h)erlike adv. [cf. ON. hagliga], skilfully, aptly, fitly.
| c 1200 Ormin 4906 To rosenn off þin haȝherrleȝȝc. Ibid. 6672 Tatt wass haȝherrlike don. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 18 He is..honeste in his hous-hold & hagherlych serued. |