† gorce Obs.
Also 5 gorte, 7 gors, 8 goss.
[f. AF. gortz, pl. of gort (also OF. gord, gourt, mod.Fr. dial. gour, gourd):—L. gurgit-em, gurges, whirlpool. The form gorce was taken later for sing. and a pl. formed from it. See also gore n.4]
a. A whirlpool. b. (See quot. 1706.)
| [1350 Act 25 Edw. III, Stat. iv. c. 4 Pur ce que Communes passages de neefs & batelx en les grantz rivers dEngleterre si sont sovent foitz destourbez par le lever de gortz. 1472 Act 12 Edw. IV, c. 7 Ascuns..gorces,..molyns, mille⁓dammez, etc.] 1480 Caxton Ovid's Met. xiv. i, A lytil gorte..wherin Sylla bayned her accustomably whan she hade hete. 1628 Coke On Litt. 5 b, A deep pit of water, a gors or gulf. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Gorce,..any stop in a River, such as Wears, Mills, Stakes, etc. which hinder the free Passage of Ships or Boats. 1741 Viner Abridgm. XVI. 23 Nusance..lies for levying of a Goss to intercept the Course of Fish coming from the Sea. [1891 North in Times 13 May 3/5 The construction of such a gort..was an act of ownership.] |