‖ astre
[a. OF. astre, aistre (mod.F. âtre) ‘hearth,’ of unknown origin.
(See Brachet âtre, Littré âtre, êtres, Diez piastra. The med.L. astrum, in the same sense, is quoted by Du Cange only from English authors, as if formed on AF. astre.)]
A hearth, a home. Hence astrer (see quot.)
| [1292 Britton ii. xxxviii. §6 Chescun communer qi ad astre en mesme la vile.] ? a 1500 in Utterson Pop. Poetry II. 78 (Halliw.) Bad her take the pot..And set it aboove upon the astire. 1576 W. Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 507 Astre, that is to say, the stocke, harth, or chimney, for fire. 1686 Plot Staffordsh. 278 They have the privilege of the Astre, or herth for fire, in the Mansion house. 1865 Nichols Britton II. 155 note, An astrer..was a peasant householder, residing at the hearth or home where he was bred. 1882 Elton Orig. Eng. Hist. 191 [In] Montgomeryshire..Auster⁓land is that which had a house upon it in ancient times. |