† ˈerendrake Obs.
Forms: 1 ǽrendwreca, érendwrica, érendwreca, ǽrendraca, ǽryndraca, 2 erndraca, ærndrache, 3 erndrake, ærendrake, (herindrak), 2–3 erendrake.
[OE. ǽrendwreca (= ON. eyrindreki), f. ǽrende errand + wrecan to tell. The form -raca perhaps represents a different ablaut-grade of the same root.]
A messenger, ambassador.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter lxvii[i]. 32 Cumað erendwrecan of ægyptum. c 890 K. ælfred Bæda v. xxi, Sende he ærendracan. c 900 Bede Glosses 10 Legatis, erendwrica. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xiv. 32 He sent ærynd-racan [c 1160 Hatton erendraken] and bitt sibbe. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 231 Þa sende se King his aerndraches of fif ceðen to alle his underþeoden. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 31 On holie erndrake brohte þe holie godspelle fram heuene. c 1205 Lay. 660 Heo nomen ænne ærendrake [c 1275 herindrak]. |