shiren.

/ʃʌɪə/

Forms: Old English–Middle English scír, (Old English sciir, scýr, scíre, Middle English sir, ? scur, Middle English ssire), Middle English–1600s schire, Middle English–1600s schyre, (Middle English schere, shir, shyr, sher, chyer), Middle English–1500s schyr, (Middle English–1600s sheere), Middle English–1800s shyre, (1500s schier, schyir, scyre, shyere, sheyre, 1500s–1600s sh(i)ere, shyer, sheire, 1600s, 1800s dialect sheer), Middle English– shire.

Etymology: Old English scír strong feminine = Old High German scîra care, official charge (only in two glosses, scirono negotiorum, scira habat procurat).The Germanic form may have been either *skīrō or *skīzō. It has been suggested that *skīzō may represent a pre-Germanic *skeisā-, related to Old Italic *koisā- in Latin cūra care ( < coira), Pælignian coisatens ‘curaverunt’. The Old English word occurs once (a1030) with weak declension, in the compound gerefsciran ‘villicationis’ ( Rule St. Benet ed. Logeman, p. 107).

†1. (Old English only.) Official charge; administrative office (e.g. that of a steward, bishop, governor etc.).

ΚΠ

c725 Corpus Gloss. 692 Dispensatio, scir.

c725 Corpus Gloss. 1625 Procuratio, sciir.

c893 tr. Orosius Hist. vi. xxxi. 286 Þæt him leofre wæs se cristendom to beganne þonne his scira to habbanne.

a1100 Gerefa in Anglia (1886) 9 259 Hede se ðe scire healde þæt he friðige and forðige ælce be ðam ðe hit selest sy.

†2. A province or district under the rule of a governor; the see of a bishop, the province of an archbishop, or the like; in wider sense, a country, region, district. Obsolete.In the later examples transferred from sense 3.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > territory under a governor or official > [noun]

shirec893

provincea1382

diocesea1513

government1554

exarchate1570

ethnarchy1602

exarchy1656

governorate1884

negeri1958

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > a land or country > part of country or district > [noun]

endc893

shirec893

estrec1275

sidec1325

bounds1340

provincea1382

partc1400

landmark1550

tract1553

canton1601

neighbourhood1652

district1712

section1785

circumscription1831

location1833

block1840

strip1873

society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > clerical superior > bishop > [noun] > see of

bishopricc890

shirec893

richeOE

bishopstoolc1065

siege1297

bishop-see1330

diocesec1330

seata1387

see?a1400

eveschiec1475

bishopwick1570

chair1615

parish1709

episcopate1807

c893 tr. Orosius Hist. i. i. 19 Ohthere sæde þæt sio scir hatte Halgoland þe he on bude.

11.. Fragm. Ælfric's Gloss. (1838) 3 Provincia vel pagus, scur.

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 248 Hu hebisenchte sodome & gomorr..þe nomecuðe bureȝes. al an muche schire dun into helle grunde.

1338 R. Mannyng Chron. (1725) 299 The bisshop of Canterbire þerof payed was he, For him and alle his schire [Langtoft: pur ly et sa province] þis gift gaf fulle fre.

a1400 Octovian 227 The folk þo com fram eche a schyre Ryȝt ynto Rome.

c1440 Chester Plays (E.E.T.S.) 386 Goe, echon, to dyvers contray, and preach to Shyre and Citty The fayth.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) viii. l. 946 All Mydlam land thai brynt wp in a fyr, Brak parkis doun, distroyit all the schyr.

1574 A. Golding tr. A. Marlorat Catholike Expos. Reuelation 19 Thyatira..is a Citie of Lydia which is a shyre of Asia the lesse.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. xi. sig. K8^v As two broad Beacons, sett in open fieldes, Send forth their flames far of to euery shyre.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. v. xxix. 107 A third Seignorie or Shire there is that goeth to Apamia.

1615 G. Wither Shepherds Hunting v. G 2 b Art not thou hee, that but this other yeere Scard'st all the Wolues and Foxes in the sheere?

1824 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. 57 407 The dame..Was in all Britany the fairest woman, Though 'tis a shire renown'd for handsome ladies.

a. spec. In Old English times, an administrative district, consisting of a number of smaller districts (‘hundreds’ or ‘wapentakes’), united for purposes of local government, and ruled jointly by an ealdorman and a sheriff, who presided in the shire-moot n. Under Norman rule, the division of England into shires was continued, the Anglo-Norman counté, Anglo-Latin comitatus, being adopted as the equivalent of the English term. At the present day shire is rare in official use, but is current as a literary synonym for county (chiefly restricted to those counties that have names ending in -shire). The counties of Wales, and most of those of Scotland, have -shire as the ending of their name, but the word is now rarely employed in speaking of them. The counties of Ireland were often called shires in the 16–17th centuries, but the use is now obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > administrative divisions in Britain > shire or county

shire?a1000

county?a1400

vice-county1859

shire county1972

society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > administrative divisions in Britain > shire or county > county in Scotland

shire?a1000

England.

?a1000 Laws Æthelstan, Lond. x. (Liebermann) 181 Ðæt ælc gerefa name þæt wedd on his agenre scire.

c1290 St. Kenelm 23 in S. Eng. Leg. 346 Þe schire of gloucestre.

1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 62 Viue & þritti ssiren hii made in engelonde.

c1386 G. Chaucer Friar's Tale 103 If that thee happe to comen in oure shire Al shal be thyn right as thou wolt desire.

1414 Rolls of Parl. IV. 57/1 In the shyre of Cambrigge.

1430 Cov. Leet-bk. 129 xls. to the collectours of the shire in money and in Costes.

1473 J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 8 Thei gadred alle the comons of the schyre.

1549 J. Cheke Hurt of Sedicion sig. D3^v Howe manye suffer iniurie when one hundred of a Shiere is spoyled.

1598 J. Stow Suruay of London 305 Then harde by the Barre is one other lane called Shyre lane, because it deuideth the Citie from the Shire.

1600 T. Dekker Shomakers Holiday sig. B^v Those companies Mustred in London, and the shires about.

1764 Oxf. Sausage 41 The next we heard that in a neighb'ring Shire, That Day to Church he lead a blushing Bride.

1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. ii. 189 The cry of agricultural distress rose from every shire in the kingdom.

1855 N. Hawthorne Jrnl. 30 July in Eng. Notebks. (1997) I. iii. 280 Lancaster..with taller houses than in the middle shires of England.

1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad xxxvii. 53 As through the wild green hills of Wyre The train ran, changing sky and shire.

Scotland.1529 Stirling Burgh Rec. (1887) I. 37 Na flescher within burgh, na within the schier, that bringis ony flecht to the said burgh to sell [etc.].1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xiii. 99 Ȝe wer ay callit for ȝour tyrannie Strypis of the Schyre.c1650 J. Spalding Memorialls Trubles Scotl. & Eng. (1851) II. 386 The schires of Kincardin, Elgyne, and Forress.Ireland.c1535 Finglas Breviat in W. Harris Hibernica (1757) 46 The Gentles of the Shires of Myeth and Dublyn.1542 Irish Act 34 Hen. VIII (1621) c. 1. 238 Forasmuch as the Shire of Methe is great and large in circuit... The said Sherife of the said Shire for the time being.1600 in 10th Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1885) App. v. 458 The counties and shyers of the province.1612 J. Davies Discouerie Causes Ireland 256 Next, in reducing the vnreformed partes of Vlster into seauen shires; namely, Ardmagh, Monahan, Tirone, Coleraine, Deuegall [sic], Fermannagh, & Cauan.1626 E. C. S. Govt. Ireland under Perrot 41 The Counties thus made in Vlster, were these, Ardmagh, Monahan, Tyrone [etc.]... These circuites thus deuided and setled into Shieres, the Deputy..appointed..Iustices of the Peace.

b. Put for: The inhabitants of the shire.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabitant > inhabitant according to environment > inhabitant of a district or parish > [noun] > collectively

shirea1122

parishc1300

sidec1325

commona1382

community1426

township1443

vicinage1647

county1651

countryside1669

sucken1872

a1122 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) ann. 1010 Ne furðon nan scir nolde oðre gelæstan æt nyxtan.

1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xi. 94 You have more brains than half the shire.

†c. A shire-court. (Cf. shire-moot n.) Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] > court of shire or part of shire

hundredc1000

shire?c1225

wapentakea1500

shire-moot1614

wapentake court1658

hundred-court1671

hundred-mote1839

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 228 Hit nis naut igodes curt. ase iþe schire.

1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 11068 Ac sir willam ssire huld in a monenday.

c1400 Gamelyn 715 Gamelyn came redy to þe next shire.

c1450 Godstow Reg. 169 He made þys relese & quite clayme in þe shyre of wynchestur.

1461 J. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 98 I wold a new dede and letter of atorn[e] were mad owth..and that the ded ber date nowh and þat it be selid at þe next shire.

c1503 tr. Magna Carta in R. Arnold Chron. f. lxxxiiij/1 No shire from hensforth shalbe holden in our reame but from moneth to moneth.

†d. to be quit from shire and hundred: to be exempted from taxation levied by the shire and hundred. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > tax > taxation > [verb (intransitive)] > be exempt from

to be quit from shire and hundred1293

1293 Rolls of Parl. I. 115/1 Sint liberi et quieti ab omni Scotto, Geldo et de..Tallag', Lestagiis, Stallagiis, Schiris, Hundr' Warda, Wardepeny, Hauerpeny, Hundredespeny.

c1450 Godstow Reg. 670 And [that their] fre tenauntis ought ther to be quyet fro shire and hundred.

†e. Proverb. (See hundred n. and adj. 5c) Obsolete.

f. A rural administrative district in some states of Australia. Frequently attributive.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > in Australia

shire-land1852

shire1909

1909 Brierley & Irish Crown Lands Acts New S. Wales (ed. 2) (advt.) Ordinances for Municipalities or Shires.

1947 K. Tennant Lost Haven iii. 58 A man with any push would form a progress association and devil the shire council about the roads.

1977 Bulletin (Sydney) 22 Jan. 46/2 The town also has a shire community centre.

†4. A city or town with its liberties to which has been granted a jurisdiction independent of that of the historical shire in which it is situated. Obsolete.Since the 16th cent. the term has been superseded by county n.¹ 2b. Cf. corporate adj., adv., and n..

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town or city > [noun] > with adjoining territory

shire1433

county?1449

shire-borough1898

1433 Rolls of Parl. IV. 425/2 In every Citee or Burgh in this your seide Roialme..beyng a Shire incorporate.

1463–5 Rolls of Parl.: Edward IV (Electronic ed.) Parl. Apr. 1463 §8. m. 2 Every persone nowe inhabitaunt within any cite..beyng a shire corporat, not beyng freman, nor of the corporacion of the same.

1485 in Cov. Leet Bk. 524 Henry by the grace of God Kyng of Englond and of Fraunce and lord of Irland to oure trusty and wel-beloued the Maire and Justices of our peas within the shire of oure Citie of Couentre..greting.

5. As the terminal element in names of counties (as Berkshire, Derbyshire) and of certain other districts (as Hallamshire, Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire, Norhamshire, Hexhamshire) which have from early times been regarded as separate unities. Pronounced /-ʃə(r)/; in dialects often /-ʃɪə(r)/.

ΚΠ

a1122 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) ann. 1064 Mid Snotingham scire & Deorbi scire & Lincolna scire.

c1155 in J. T. Fowler Chartularium Abbathiæ de Novo Monasterio (1878) 45 Bellingtonesir.

1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. ii. 77 Bette þe Budul of Bokynghames schire.

c1450 Godstow Reg. 637 To here & to ende diuerse transgressions harmis greuis & excessis in wilton sher.

1463–4 Rolls of Parl. V. 503/1 The growyng of the Shires called Alderton Shire, and Richemond Shire, oonly except.

1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 261 The whole shire is expressly named Hantscyre.

1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 2. ⁋1 The first of our Society is a Gentleman of Worcestershire.

1894 R. O. Heslop Northumberland Words (at cited word) Norhamshire, Islandshire, and Bedlingtonshire, are detached portions of the patrimony of Saint Cuthbert.

6. the Shires n.

a. A term applied to other parts of England by the inhabitants of East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, Essex, and Surrey; also gen. applied to those counties the names of which end in -shire. Also = shire county n. at Compounds 2.Usually pronounced /ʃɪəz/, being a re-stressed form of the unstressed ending /-ʃɪə(r)/.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > named regions of earth > Europe > British Isles > England > [noun] > districts of England

wealdOE

Oxon.c1439

the Stannaries1455

Midland1555

Home Counties1695

Islandshire1705

lakes1774

file1775

potteries1795

the Shires1796

Tyneside1824

lakeland1829

Lake District1835

lake country1842

Wessex1868

Shakespeare country1900

Geordieland1901

cherry country1902

1796 S. Pegge Anonymiana (1809) 160 The Inhabitants of Kent, to express a person's coming from a great distance..will say, he comes a great way off, out of the shires.

a1825 R. Forby Vocab. E. Anglia (1830) Sheres, pl., a general name for all the counties in England, but Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex.

1865 W. White Eastern Eng. II. 204 Which do ye like best, master. Essex or the sheres?

1909 A. Morrison Green Ginger 154 ‘It do seem to me’, he said, ‘as you'd do better in the shires; I count you make a poor trade in Essex’.

1977 Daily Tel. 14 Mar. 2/7 In the shires Labour are defending a rump of seven non-Metropolitan counties they still hold out of 39: Cleveland, Derbyshire, Durham, [etc.].

b. Fox-hunting. As the name of a hunting ‘country’: see quot. 1910.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > hunting > hunting area > [noun]

fieldOE

forest1297

seta1425

chasea1440

hunting-fieldc1680

hunting-ground1721

flying county1856

hunt1857

moor1860

the Shires1860

driving moor1873

beat1875

killing ground1877

flying country1883

killing field1915

1860 G. J. Whyte-Melville Market Harborough v. 51 ‘Excuse me, sir: take the liberty of asking whereabouts you generally hunt’. ‘Hunt?’ repeated the customer. ‘Oh! Leicestershire—Northamptonshire—all about there’... A cloud gathered on the foreman's brow. ‘The Shires!’ he rejoined, with a perplexed air; ‘that increases our difficulties very much indeed’.

1887 Field 12 Nov. 731/2 The fleetest pack [of hounds] in all the Shires.

1910 A. E. T. Watson in Encycl. Brit. XIII. 948/2 The ‘Shires’ is a recognized term, but is nevertheless somewhat vague. The three counties included in the expression are Leicestershire, Rutlandshire and Northamptonshire. Several packs which hunt within these limits are not supposed, however, to belong to the ‘Shires’, whereas a district of the Belvoir country is in Lincolnshire, and to hunt with the Belvoir is certainly understood to be hunting in the ‘Shires’.

7. Short for Shire horse n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > horse defined by breed > [noun] > shire horse

Shire horse1875

shire1877

1877 W. Gilbey in Field 24 Feb. 225/1 A discussion arose as to the best agricultural stallion to select for use in the district—a ‘Clydesdale’ or a ‘Shire’.

1901 Q. Rev. Jan. 7 The Shire, as a distinct breed was not in existence.

Compounds

C1. General attributive.

shire-administration n.

ΚΠ

1874 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. I. vi. 160 A uniform shire-administration.

shire-system n.

ΚΠ

1874 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. I. v. 117 The general institution of a shire-system for all England.

b. (In sense 6.)

shire-bred adj.

ΚΠ

1881 Daily News 24 Feb. 3/1 In the hope of stimulating the production of shire-bred horses.

shire-fattened adj.

ΚΠ

1886 P. Robinson Valley Teetotum Trees 18 Our own shire-fattened kine.

c. (In sense 7.)

shire-breed n.

ΚΠ

1877 Field 17 Mar. 323/2 Good English mares of the ‘shire’ breed.

shire-class n.

C2. Special combinations. Also shire-ground n., Shire horse n., shire-land n., shireman n., shire-moot n., shirewick n.

shire-bishop n. Old English and Historical the bishop of a shire.

ΘΚΠ

society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > clerical superior > bishop > [noun]

bishopc897

patriarcheOE

bispa1300

ordinarya1325

ordinar?1403

father1418

discretion1421

pontificalc1440

diocesanc1450

rocheter1559

monseigneur1561

pope1563

bite-sheep1570

presul1577

rochet1581

diocesser1606

lawn sleevesc1640

episcopant1641

Right Reverend1681

diocesian1686

lawn-man1795

diocesiarch1805

bish1875

shire-bishop1880

a1023 Wulfstan xxxvi. (1883) 173 Bete þæt, swa se scir~bisceop and eal scirwitan..deman.

1880 W. H. Jones Dioc. Hist. Salisb. 51 We must therefore suppose that occasionally shire-bishops may have been appointed.

shire-borough n. (see sense 4).

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town or city > [noun] > with adjoining territory

shire1433

county?1449

shire-borough1898

1898 F. W. Maitland Township & Borough 10 One ancient shire-borough, I mean Nottingham.

† shire-clerk n. Obsolete (see quot. 1706).

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > one who administers justice > an officer of the court > [noun] > registrar or clerk > clerk of sheriff court

shire-clerk1495

sheriff clerk1564

sheriff's clerk1564

1495 Act 11 Hen. VII c. 15 §1 Shirefs Undershirefs Shire Clerkis or any other officers.

1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Shire-Clerk, an Under-Sheriff; sometimes it is taken for a Clerk in the County-Court, or Deputy to the Under-Sheriff.

shire county n. a non-metropolitan county of the U.K., as instituted by the local government reorganization of 1974.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > administrative divisions in Britain > shire or county

shire?a1000

county?a1400

vice-county1859

shire county1972

1972 Times 21 Sept. 4/2 The AMC received no guidance whether metropolitan county councils would want to be grouped with ‘shire’ counties or with district councils.

1977 Daily Tel. 25 Apr. 6/8 Britain's great conurbations and the shire counties are preparing for a..tussle.

† shire-court n. Obsolete = county court n.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] > court of shire or part of shire > held periodically

sizea1300

shire-court1376

county?1387

assizec1405

view of frankpledge1495

county courtc1520

quarter sessions1538

1376 Rolls of Parl. II. 348/2 Une novele Court appelle Shire-court a Arundell.

1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII c. 24 The Shyre Courte for that Shyre shalbe holden & kepte one tyme at Chichestre aforseid, and the next tyme at the borowe of Lewes.

1542–3 Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII c. 26 §58 The Countie or Shyre Courte of the Countie of Radnor.

† shire-day n. Obsolete the day upon which a meeting of the shire was appointed to be held.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > types of deliberative or legislative assembly > [noun] > English > day of

shire-day1482

1482 W. Caxton Policron. viii. xxi, in Higden (Rolls) VIII. 565 Also at Bedford on a shyreday were eyghten men murthred withoute stroke by fallynge doune of a steyr.

shire-hall n. = county hall n. at county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > local government body > [noun] > local government offices > county hall

county hall1670

shire-house1759

shire-hall1796

1796 E. Inchbald Nature & Art (1820) xl. 135 The prisoners are demanded at the shire-hall.

?1881 Census Eng. & Wales: Instr. Clerks classifying Occupations & Ages (?1885) 30 Shire Hall Keeper.

† shire-house n. Obsolete = county hall n. at county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > local government body > [noun] > local government offices > county hall

county hall1670

shire-house1759

shire-hall1796

1759 B. Martin Nat. Hist. Eng. II. 53 The Guild-hall, the Wool~hall, and the Shire-house.

shire-jury n. Historical the members of a shire-court.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > one who administers justice > jury > [noun] > of a shire court

shire-jury1822

1822 Edinb. Rev. 36 330 The Shire-jury was considered as constituting the ‘County’ or County Court.

† shire-knight n. Obsolete = Knight of the Shire at knight n. 4c.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social class > nobility > rank > knight > [noun] > member of Parliament for a county

knight1399

shire-knight1399

1399 W. Langland Richard Redeles iv. 32 And whanne it drowe to þe day of þe dede-doynge, Þat souereynes were semblid and þe schire-knyȝtis,..þey begynne to declare Þe cause of her comynge.

shire-member n. a representative of a shire in Parliament.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > English or British parliament > [noun] > Member of Parliament > other types of member

burgessc1425

private member1606

recruiter1648

university member1774

unofficial member1822

labour member1871

Labour-Liberal1890

service member1890

front-bencher1907

back-bencher1910

shire-member1910

1910 W. L. Mathieson Awakening Scot. i. 8 Shire members and burgh members had united to form a House of Commons.

shire-oak n. an oak tree marking the boundary of a shire or a meeting place for a shire-court.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > oak and allies > [noun] > boundary oak

shire-oak1751

the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > edge, border, or margin > boundary > [noun] > land-boundary > boundary mark > tree

mere-thornOE

mere tree1585

holy oak1648

shire-oak1751

1751 S. Whatley England's Gazetteer at Worksop Certain oaks, called Shire-Oaks.

1879 J. R. Green Readings Eng. Hist. xxiii. 115 During the last half-hour the suiters had been gathering round the shire-oak.

shire-reeve n. etymologizing form of sheriff n.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > office > holder of office > magistrate > chief magistrate of a district > [noun] > sheriff or high sheriff

shiremanc1020

sheriffc1034

viscount1387

shire-reeve14..

high sheriff1450

14.. Langland's P. Pl. C. iv. 78 Boþe shire-reues and sergauntes.

1576 W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent 350 Our Magistrat nowe called a Sherif, or (to speake more truely, Shyrereue).

1765 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. I. Introd. §4. 112 The sheriff, shrieve, or shire-reeve.

1863 H. Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. iii. ix. 726 These reeves received in counties the appellation of shire-reeves.

shire-stone n. a stone serving as a boundary-mark of a shire (also in three-shire, four-shire-stone).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > edge, border, or margin > boundary > [noun] > land-boundary > boundary mark > stone

hoar-stone847

honeeOE

merestoneOE

markstoneOE

march stone1519

shire-stone1536

dool-stone1580

bound-stone1602

witter stone1615

metestone1617

bounder-stone1635

bourne-stone1837

1536 in J. Anderson Cal. Laing Charters (1899) 108 Fra the said croce lineallie east..to the schearstane; fra the scheirsteane lineallie eist [etc.].

1677 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Oxford-shire Map sig. B4^v Four shire stone..three shire stones.

1751 S. Whatley England's Gazetteer at Morton in Marsh About one m. from hence, are the 4 shire-stones.

1825 Gentleman's Mag. June 516 Upon Wreynose Hill are placed the Shire-stones.

shire-town n. (a) the chief town of a shire, a county-town, see county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7; also transferred; (b) U.S. = county seat n. at county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town > [noun] > chief town of county or district

shire-town1459

city1526

county town1626

bailiwick-town1675

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town > [noun] > chief town of county or district > in U.S.

shire-town1648

1459 Rolls of Parl. V. 368/1 Make open Proclamation in the Shire Toune of the same Shire or Shires.

1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke ii. f. lxxiiij^v Every man went in to his awne shyre toune, there to be taxed.

1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 396 Then Ouse saluteth Buckingham the Shire towne.

1648 in N. Bouton Provinc. Papers New-Hampsh. (1867) I. 189 The Court doth think fitt that the shire town of Norfolke be referred to further consideration.

1708 J. Chamberlayne Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia (ed. 22) i. i. iii. 10 The Shire-Town is Derby.

1717 S. Sewall Diary 13 Jan. (1882) III. 132 Cambridge is the Shire-Town for Middlesex.

1857 M. H. Perley Hand-bk. New Brunswick 55 The shire town is Richibucto.

1881 Cent. Mag. Dec. 251/1 It was the central town in the county, and yet not the shire-town.

1969 Bangor (Maine) Daily News 10 July 1/5 (caption) This particular sign in Whiting..has omitted an ‘a’ from the shiretown of Washington County.

† shire-wyte n. Obsolete ? a tax paid to a Sheriff for holding a shire-court.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > local or municipal taxes or dues > [noun] > payments levied by sheriff

hundred-penny1189

sheriff's tooth1298

shire-wyte1425

sheriff gloves1528

sheriff fee1603

1425 in W. Kennett Parochial Antiq. (1695) 573 Et in solutis pro quadam pensione vocata Schire~wyte annuatim iv. sol.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

shireadj.

/ʃʌɪə/

Forms: Old English scír, Middle English scir, sir, Middle English shir, Middle English schir, Middle English scire, scirre, schirre, ( schyire), Middle English schyr, Middle English–1500s schire, schyre, Middle English–1700s shyre, Middle English–1800s shire.

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Common Germanic: Old English scír = Old Frisian skîre , Old Saxon skîr , skîri (Middle Low German schîre ; hence Middle High German schîre , schîr , modern German schier ), Old Norse skír-r clear, bright, pure (Swedish skir ), skýrir manifest, Gothic skeir-s clear < Germanic *skīro- , *skīrjo- , < root *skῑ- to shine: see shine v. (Related by ablaut to sheer adj. See also skire adj., skere adj.)

Obsolete exc. dialect.

†1. Bright, shining. Obsolete.In Old English also figurative illustrious, noble. In Middle English alliterative verse sometimes a vague epithet of praise (= beautiful, fine, ‘sheen’).

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adjective] > bright

shininga900

lighteOE

lightlyOE

sheenOE

torhtOE

shirea1000

steepa1000

shimmeringc1000

brightOE

strongOE

clear1297

fair?a1300

bright-shininga1387

merrya1393

skirea1400

lucident14..

shimc1400

staringc1400

luculentc1420

splendent1474

illuminousc1485

lucentc1500

bloominga1522

sheer1565

prelucent1568

faculent1575

splendant1578

lucid1591

neat1591

shine1596

translucent1596

well-lighted1606

nitid1615

lucible1623

dilucid1653

translucid1657

hard1660

OE Beowulf 979 Ðær abidan sceal maga mane fah miclan domes, hu him scir Metod scrifan wille.

a1000 Boeth. Metr. xxx. 9 Þeah hio [the sun] sie scir & beorht.

a1300 Havelok 588 She saw þer-inne a lith ful shir.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3848 Longe a-buten munt seyr, Folgede hem ðat skie scir.

a1400–50 Wars Alex. 2454 Schalkis scott in-to shipis all in shire mailes.

c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 317 Þe blod schot for scham in-to his schyre face & lere.

1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. biiii To se that his schire weid be sicker of assay.

c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 2373 In a shadow of shene tres & of shyre floures.

†2. Of liquids, crystal, etc.: Clear, translucent.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > transparency or translucence > [adjective]

shireOE

brightOE

through-shineOE

cleanc1040

cleara1400

transparent1413

crystalc1425

crystallinec1425

crystal-clear?a1439

pure1481

perspicuatea1500

beryl1508

through-shining1526

diaphane1561

thorough-seeable1562

pellucid1563

sheer1565

translucent1568

liquid1590

tralucent?1592

perspicuous1599

thorough light1601

diaphanic1614

diaphanous1614

perspicable1615

translucid1615

diaphanal1616

lucid1620

diaphaned1626

transpicuous1638

perlucid1647

dioptrical1760

dioptric1801

unconcealing1804

see-through1851

pellucent1886

pool-clear1924

OE Crist III 1282 Beoð þa syngan flæsc scandum þurwaden swa þæt scire glæs, þæt mon yþæst mæg eall þurhwlitan.

c1000 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 163/33 Limpidus, scir.

1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 6934 Als fyssches lyfes in water schyre.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 9936 Midward þe heist ture..springes of scire water o welle.

a1400 Stockh. Med. MS. i. 119 in Anglia XVIII. 298 Hony, good & schyre.

c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 447/1 Schyre, as water and oþer lycure, perspicuus, clarus.

a1450 Ratis Raving i. 1492 Scho berys with hire lycor schyr That slokins syne as vatter fyre.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iii. viii. 48 The sesonable air pipis vp fair and schire.

1776 D. Herd Anc. & Mod. Sc. Songs (ed. 2) II. Gloss. s.v. We call..clear liquor shire.

†3. Pure, unmixed. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > state or quality of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded > [adjective]

shirec888

unmengedeOE

mereeOE

perfecta1393

unmeddleda1425

impermixta1475

unmingled1545

unpermixedc1545

sincere1546

unintermixed1595

immixt1622

untinct1646

single-fold1651

meracious1657

beaten1670

simple1818

pure1831

straight1856

c888 Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. xv Nalles scir win hi ne druncan.

OE Beowulf 496 Þegn..se þe on handa bær hroden ealowæge, scencte scir wered.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15383 Forr siþþenn iss all þeȝȝre spell. Shir atterr. & shir galle. Till alle þa þatt herrcnenn itt.

a1340 R. Rolle Cant. in Psalter Psalter 516 Þat þa drynke þe shyrest blode of grape [L. sanguinem uvae meracissimum].

a1400–50 Wars Alex. 113 He shapis him of shire wax litill schipis many.

†4. Morally or spiritually clean; pure. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > virtue > purity > [adjective]

cleanlyc888

unwemmedc950

clean971

lightOE

whiteOE

unfiledc1200

shire?c1225

sheenc1275

wemlessc1275

undefouled13..

undefoileda1325

purec1330

unbleckedc1380

unfouledc1380

clear1382

impollutec1384

unblemishedc1400

undefiledc1400

unspottedc1400

virginc1400

spotless?a1430

immaculate1441

uncorruptc1450

unpollushed1490

intemeratea1492

incorrupted1529

unmaculate1535

impolluted1548

crystallinec1550

incorrupt1550

uncorrupted1565

undistained1565

unstained1573

entire1587

taintless1590

untainted1590

stainless1599

unsmirched1604

intemerated1608

indepravate1609

chastea1616

uncurseda1628

undishonested1631

untaint1638

Adamical1649

sincere1649

undebaucheda1656

unaccurseda1674

amiantal1674

unsoiled1699

unpolluted1732

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 181 O muchel is þe michte of schir & clene bone.

c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 6 Þeos riwle is chearite of schir heorte & cleane inwit.

a1300 Cursor Mundi 26200 Scrift sal mak þi saul scirre.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 518 Metodius, ali martyr, Adde in his herte sig[ð]he sir.

a1400 Rel. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 56 When Goddis seruandes hase depely thoghte with schire herte on Gode.

a. Complete, perfect, utter; = sheer adj. 8. Also (with a negative), mere, bare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adjective] > utter or absolute

shirea1225

purec1300

properc1380

plainc1395

cleana1400

fine?a1400

entirec1400

veryc1400

starka1425

utterc1430

utterlyc1440

merec1443

absolute1531

outright1532

cleara1535

bloodyc1540

unproachable1544

flat1553

downright1577

sheer1583

right-down?1586

single1590

peremptory1601

perfecta1616

downa1625

implicit1625

every way1628

blank1637

out-and-outa1642

errant1644

inaccessional1651

thorough-paced1651

even down1654

dead1660

double-dyed1667

through stitch1681

through-stitched1682

total1702

thoroughgoing1719

thorough-sped1730

regular1740

plumb1748

hollow1751

unextenuated1765

unmitigated1783

stick, stock, stone dead1796

positive1802

rank1809

heart-whole1823

skire1825

solid1830

fair1835

teetotal1840

bodacious1845

raw1856

literal1857

resounding1873

roaring1884

all out1893

fucking1893

pink1896

twenty-four carat1900

grand slam1915

stone1928

diabolical1933

fricking1937

righteous1940

fecking1952

raving1954

a1225 Leg. Kath. 1286 Nere hit schendlac inoh, & schir scheome, to alle þæt ȝelpeð of lare?

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3580 He..dede ðat claf melten in fir, And stired it al to dust sir.

1513 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid viii. Prol. 78 This cuntre is full of Caynis kyne, And sic schyr schrewis.

c1520 J. Skelton Elynour Rummyng 466 They be wretchockes thou hast brought, They are shyre shakyng nought!

1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus Comedye of Acolastus ii. iii. sig. Lj I wyll not gyue the sole .i. pure or shyre hope, but the thing.

1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge 69 As if the outside of the earth were a shire flat or level.

1710 T. Ruddiman in G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneis (new ed.) Gloss. at Schire Scot. we say, a skire fool, a shire knave, i.e. purus putus nebulo.

c1730 A. Ramsay Grub-St. 5 He's naething but a shire daft lick.

1836 M. Mackintosh Cottager's Daughter 59 He was a shire and worthless smaik.

b. (See quot. 1825.)

ΚΠ

1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. Shire, Shyre, used in the sense of strait, or S. scrimp; as, shire measure, that sort of measurement which allows not a hair-breadth beyond what mere justice demands.

6. Thin; tenuous, not dense; sparse, scanty. Of beer: Weak, ‘small’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > constitution of matter > lack of density > [adjective]

thin849

subtilea1393

airya1398

subtlea1398

rarea1400

shirec1400

finea1425

solutec1440

intenuate1471

slender1528

ethereal1590

tenuous1597

spare1602

unsolid1611

unsolute1612

tenuious1634

etherical1656

airlike1821

wire-drawn1876

the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > in very small numbers

shirec1400

rare1555

sporadic1813

one-one1832

the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > beer > [adjective] > qualities

strengthful1584

shire1721

deadish1742

entire1742

foxed1743

maltless1828

quarred1871

cocktail1888

fretty1897

light-struck1908

skunked1970

cask-conditioned1975

c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xxii. 101 Þe men of þat land has schyre [Cotton text (1839) 207 thynne] berdes with few hares in þam.

1495 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (de Worde) xix. cxxx. sig. nniii/1 The more sadde a body is the more heuy it is: and the more shyre [a1398 BL Add. schere] & thynne the more lyght it is founde.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iv. v. 188 He vanist far away..in the schyre air [L. in tenuem..auram].

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 323/2 Shyre nat thycke, delie.

1547 W. Salesbury Dict. Eng. & Welshe Teneu, Thynne, shyre.

1599 A. Hume Hymnes sig. D2^v My haires are schyre and gray.

1721 A. Ramsay To Ld. Dalhousie 34 He had rather live on cakes, And shyrest swats.

1776 D. Herd Anc. & Mod. Sc. Songs (ed. 2) II. Gloss. s.v. We call thin cloth..shire.

1879 G. F. Jackson Shropshire Word-bk. Shire, thin; scanty: said of crops.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

† shirev.¹

Forms: Old English scíran, scýran, Middle English sciren, schire, shire, sire.

Etymology: Old English scíran = Middle Low German, modern Low German schiren to make clear, clarify (whence German dialect schieren ), Old Norse skíra to purify, clear (from a charge), Gothic gaskeirjan to interpret, < Germanic *skīro- : see shire adj.

Obsolete.

1. transitive. To declare, make known; to tell, utter.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > speak, say, or utter [verb (transitive)] > make known

shirec897

i-kenc1000

cryc1300

declarec1340

out-tella1382

commona1387

ascryc1400

commune1423

ventilate?1530

forespeak1546

outcry1567

oyez1599

vent1832

c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care xxviii. 198 Ac gif hie ðonne eallunga forberan ne mægen..ðæt hie hit ne sciren.

OE Beowulf 1939 Þæt hit sceadenmæl scyran moste, cwealmbealu cyðan.

a1250 Owl & Nightingale 1532 Wan he comeþ ham eft to his wiue, ne dar heo noȝt a word i-schire.]

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8395 Nes þer nan swa hæh mon þat durste word sciren.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2036 Ðe wite is hise, ðe rigt is hire; God al-migtin ðe soðe shire.

2. To enlighten, purify (the mind or heart).

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > virtue > purity > make pure [verb (transitive)]

cleansec897

shire?c1225

clengea1300

purge1340

purec1350

purifya1393

whitena1400

sprinkle1526

refine1594

simplify1609

sublime1613

purgate1795

revirginize1852

bleach1868

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 281 Luue þeschireð & brichteð þe heorte.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 327 For is fruit sired mannes mood To witen boðen iwel and good.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online June 2021).

shirev.²

/ʃʌɪər/

Etymology: < shire n.

transitive. To divide (a country) into shires.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > divide into administrative areas [verb (transitive)]

cantonize1608

canton1619

district1792

shire1810

to map out1860

1810 W. Davies Gen. View Agric. N. Wales i. 2 It [North Wales] was shired by Henry the Eighth into six counties.

1867 Cal. State Papers Ireland 1574–85, 170 The Brenny and Annaly shired.

1885 R. Bagwell Ireland under Tudors I. 60 Ulster and Connaught were not shired.

1904 Edinb. Rev. July 215 When..he [Davies] effected the final shiring of Ulster.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online September 2018).

† shireadv.

Etymology: Old English scíre, < shire adj.

Obsolete.

1. Brightly; clearly.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adverb] > brightly

brighteOE

lightOE

shireOE

fairOE

brightlyOE

sheen?c1225

shirelyc1230

sheenly1340

clearlya1375

shininglyc1384

clearc1385

cleana1400

shrillc1400

enclerea1440

lucidentlyc1508

sheerly1508

splendently1576

shiny1596

nitently1657

OE Andreas (1932) 835 Oðþæt dryhten forlet dægcandelle scire scinan.

a1300 Havelok 916 [Ich kan] kindlen ful wel a fyr, And maken it to brennan shir.

c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 956 Hir brest & hir bryȝt þrote bare displayed, Schon schyrer þen snawe.

1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. bv The sone in the sky wes schynyng so schir.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid ii. v. 14 Quhen the taknyng or the bail of fire Rais fro the kingis schip, wpbirnyng schire.

2. With main force, mightily; sheer or straight down.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > vertical position > [adverb] > almost or sheer

shireOE

sheer1829

sheerlya1894

the world > space > direction > specific directions > [adverb] > in downward direction

adowneOE

netherwardsOE

shireOE

netherOE

netherwardOE

downOE

adownwardOE

downwardslOE

downwardc1225

downhilla1398

alowc1450

downwith1488

downside1664

dahn1849

the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > [adverb] > with violence or force > with full or main force or violence

shireOE

amain1550

OE Crist III 1141 Scire burstan muras ond stanas monge æfter foldan.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3045 O morgen al swilc time, al sir Ðunder and hail and leuenes fir Cam wel vnghere.

c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 506 Schyre schedeȝ þe rayn in schowreȝ ful warme.

a1513 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen in Poems (1998) I. 41 Kemmit war thair clier hair and curiouslie sched, Attour thair schulderis doun schyre, schyning full bricht.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

n.c725

adj.c888

v.¹c897

v.²1810

adv.OE

单词	shire
释义	shiren. /ʃʌɪə/ Forms: Old English–Middle English scír, (Old English sciir, scýr, scíre, Middle English sir, ? scur, Middle English ssire), Middle English–1600s schire, Middle English–1600s schyre, (Middle English schere, shir, shyr, sher, chyer), Middle English–1500s schyr, (Middle English–1600s sheere), Middle English–1800s shyre, (1500s schier, schyir, scyre, shyere, sheyre, 1500s–1600s sh(i)ere, shyer, sheire, 1600s, 1800s dialect sheer), Middle English– shire. Etymology: Old English scír strong feminine = Old High German scîra care, official charge (only in two glosses, scirono negotiorum, scira habat procurat).The Germanic form may have been either skīrō or skīzō. It has been suggested that skīzō may represent a pre-Germanic skeisā-, related to Old Italic koisā- in Latin cūra* care ( < coira), Pælignian coisatens ‘curaverunt’. The Old English word occurs once (a1030) with weak declension, in the compound gerefsciran ‘villicationis’ ( Rule St. Benet ed. Logeman, p. 107). †1. (Old English only.) Official charge; administrative office (e.g. that of a steward, bishop, governor etc.). ΚΠ c725 Corpus Gloss. 692 Dispensatio, scir. c725 Corpus Gloss. 1625 Procuratio, sciir. c893 tr. Orosius Hist. vi. xxxi. 286 Þæt him leofre wæs se cristendom to beganne þonne his scira to habbanne. a1100 Gerefa in Anglia (1886) 9 259 Hede se ðe scire healde þæt he friðige and forðige ælce be ðam ðe hit selest sy. †2. A province or district under the rule of a governor; the see of a bishop, the province of an archbishop, or the like; in wider sense, a country, region, district. Obsolete.In the later examples transferred from sense 3. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > territory under a governor or official > [noun] shirec893 provincea1382 diocesea1513 government1554 exarchate1570 ethnarchy1602 exarchy1656 governorate1884 negeri1958 society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > a land or country > part of country or district > [noun] endc893 shirec893 estrec1275 sidec1325 bounds1340 provincea1382 partc1400 landmark1550 tract1553 canton1601 neighbourhood1652 district1712 section1785 circumscription1831 location1833 block1840 strip1873 society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > clerical superior > bishop > [noun] > see of bishopricc890 shirec893 richeOE bishopstoolc1065 siege1297 bishop-see1330 diocesec1330 seata1387 see?a1400 eveschiec1475 bishopwick1570 chair1615 parish1709 episcopate1807 c893 tr. Orosius Hist. i. i. 19 Ohthere sæde þæt sio scir hatte Halgoland þe he on bude. 11.. Fragm. Ælfric's Gloss. (1838) 3 Provincia vel pagus, scur. ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 248 Hu hebisenchte sodome & gomorr..þe nomecuðe bureȝes. al an muche schire dun into helle grunde. 1338 R. Mannyng Chron. (1725) 299 The bisshop of Canterbire þerof payed was he, For him and alle his schire [Langtoft: pur ly et sa province] þis gift gaf fulle fre. a1400 Octovian 227 The folk þo com fram eche a schyre Ryȝt ynto Rome. c1440 Chester Plays (E.E.T.S.) 386 Goe, echon, to dyvers contray, and preach to Shyre and Citty The fayth. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) viii. l. 946 All Mydlam land thai brynt wp in a fyr, Brak parkis doun, distroyit all the schyr. 1574 A. Golding tr. A. Marlorat Catholike Expos. Reuelation 19 Thyatira..is a Citie of Lydia which is a shyre of Asia the lesse. 1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. xi. sig. K8^v As two broad Beacons, sett in open fieldes, Send forth their flames far of to euery shyre. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. v. xxix. 107 A third Seignorie or Shire there is that goeth to Apamia. 1615 G. Wither Shepherds Hunting v. G 2 b Art not thou hee, that but this other yeere Scard'st all the Wolues and Foxes in the sheere? 1824 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. 57 407 The dame..Was in all Britany the fairest woman, Though 'tis a shire renown'd for handsome ladies. 3. a. spec. In Old English times, an administrative district, consisting of a number of smaller districts (‘hundreds’ or ‘wapentakes’), united for purposes of local government, and ruled jointly by an ealdorman and a sheriff, who presided in the shire-moot n. Under Norman rule, the division of England into shires was continued, the Anglo-Norman counté, Anglo-Latin comitatus, being adopted as the equivalent of the English term. At the present day shire is rare in official use, but is current as a literary synonym for county (chiefly restricted to those counties that have names ending in -shire). The counties of Wales, and most of those of Scotland, have -shire as the ending of their name, but the word is now rarely employed in speaking of them. The counties of Ireland were often called shires in the 16–17th centuries, but the use is now obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > administrative divisions in Britain > shire or county shire?a1000 county?a1400 vice-county1859 shire county1972 society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > administrative divisions in Britain > shire or county > county in Scotland shire?a1000 society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > administrative divisions in Britain > shire or county > county in Ireland shire?a1000 England. ?a1000 Laws Æthelstan, Lond. x. (Liebermann) 181 Ðæt ælc gerefa name þæt wedd on his agenre scire. c1290 St. Kenelm 23 in S. Eng. Leg. 346 Þe schire of gloucestre. 1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 62 Viue & þritti ssiren hii made in engelonde. c1386 G. Chaucer Friar's Tale 103 If that thee happe to comen in oure shire Al shal be thyn right as thou wolt desire. 1414 Rolls of Parl. IV. 57/1 In the shyre of Cambrigge. 1430 Cov. Leet-bk. 129 xls. to the collectours of the shire in money and in Costes. 1473 J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 8 Thei gadred alle the comons of the schyre. 1549 J. Cheke Hurt of Sedicion sig. D3^v Howe manye suffer iniurie when one hundred of a Shiere is spoyled. 1598 J. Stow Suruay of London 305 Then harde by the Barre is one other lane called Shyre lane, because it deuideth the Citie from the Shire. 1600 T. Dekker Shomakers Holiday sig. B^v Those companies Mustred in London, and the shires about. 1764 Oxf. Sausage 41 The next we heard that in a neighb'ring Shire, That Day to Church he lead a blushing Bride. 1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. ii. 189 The cry of agricultural distress rose from every shire in the kingdom. 1855 N. Hawthorne Jrnl. 30 July in Eng. Notebks. (1997) I. iii. 280 Lancaster..with taller houses than in the middle shires of England. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad xxxvii. 53 As through the wild green hills of Wyre The train ran, changing sky and shire. Scotland.1529 Stirling Burgh Rec. (1887) I. 37 Na flescher within burgh, na within the schier, that bringis ony flecht to the said burgh to sell [etc.].1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xiii. 99 Ȝe wer ay callit for ȝour tyrannie Strypis of the Schyre.c1650 J. Spalding Memorialls Trubles Scotl. & Eng. (1851) II. 386 The schires of Kincardin, Elgyne, and Forress.Ireland.c1535 Finglas Breviat in W. Harris Hibernica (1757) 46 The Gentles of the Shires of Myeth and Dublyn.1542 Irish Act 34 Hen. VIII (1621) c. 1. 238 Forasmuch as the Shire of Methe is great and large in circuit... The said Sherife of the said Shire for the time being.1600 in 10th Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1885) App. v. 458 The counties and shyers of the province.1612 J. Davies Discouerie Causes Ireland 256 Next, in reducing the vnreformed partes of Vlster into seauen shires; namely, Ardmagh, Monahan, Tirone, Coleraine, Deuegall [sic], Fermannagh, & Cauan.1626 E. C. S. Govt. Ireland under Perrot 41 The Counties thus made in Vlster, were these, Ardmagh, Monahan, Tyrone [etc.]... These circuites thus deuided and setled into Shieres, the Deputy..appointed..Iustices of the Peace. b. Put for: The inhabitants of the shire. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabitant > inhabitant according to environment > inhabitant of a district or parish > [noun] > collectively shirea1122 parishc1300 sidec1325 commona1382 community1426 township1443 vicinage1647 county1651 countryside1669 sucken1872 a1122 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) ann. 1010 Ne furðon nan scir nolde oðre gelæstan æt nyxtan. 1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xi. 94 You have more brains than half the shire. †c. A shire-court. (Cf. shire-moot n.) Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] > court of shire or part of shire hundredc1000 shire?c1225 wapentakea1500 shire-moot1614 wapentake court1658 hundred-court1671 hundred-mote1839 ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 228 Hit nis naut igodes curt. ase iþe schire. 1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 11068 Ac sir willam ssire huld in a monenday. c1400 Gamelyn 715 Gamelyn came redy to þe next shire. c1450 Godstow Reg. 169 He made þys relese & quite clayme in þe shyre of wynchestur. 1461 J. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 98 I wold a new dede and letter of atorn[e] were mad owth..and that the ded ber date nowh and þat it be selid at þe next shire. c1503 tr. Magna Carta in R. Arnold Chron. f. lxxxiiij/1 No shire from hensforth shalbe holden in our reame but from moneth to moneth. †d. to be quit from shire and hundred: to be exempted from taxation levied by the shire and hundred. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > tax > taxation > [verb (intransitive)] > be exempt from to be quit from shire and hundred1293 1293 Rolls of Parl. I. 115/1 Sint liberi et quieti ab omni Scotto, Geldo et de..Tallag', Lestagiis, Stallagiis, Schiris, Hundr' Warda, Wardepeny, Hauerpeny, Hundredespeny. c1450 Godstow Reg. 670 And [that their] fre tenauntis ought ther to be quyet fro shire and hundred. †e. Proverb. (See hundred n. and adj. 5c) Obsolete. f. A rural administrative district in some states of Australia. Frequently attributive. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > in Australia shire-land1852 shire1909 1909 Brierley & Irish Crown Lands Acts New S. Wales (ed. 2) (advt.) Ordinances for Municipalities or Shires. 1947 K. Tennant Lost Haven iii. 58 A man with any push would form a progress association and devil the shire council about the roads. 1977 Bulletin (Sydney) 22 Jan. 46/2 The town also has a shire community centre. †4. A city or town with its liberties to which has been granted a jurisdiction independent of that of the historical shire in which it is situated. Obsolete.Since the 16th cent. the term has been superseded by county n.¹ 2b. Cf. corporate adj., adv., and n.. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town or city > [noun] > with adjoining territory shire1433 county?1449 shire-borough1898 1433 Rolls of Parl. IV. 425/2 In every Citee or Burgh in this your seide Roialme..beyng a Shire incorporate. 1463–5 Rolls of Parl.: Edward IV (Electronic ed.) Parl. Apr. 1463 §8. m. 2 Every persone nowe inhabitaunt within any cite..beyng a shire corporat, not beyng freman, nor of the corporacion of the same. 1485 in Cov. Leet Bk. 524 Henry by the grace of God Kyng of Englond and of Fraunce and lord of Irland to oure trusty and wel-beloued the Maire and Justices of our peas within the shire of oure Citie of Couentre..greting. 5. As the terminal element in names of counties (as Berkshire, Derbyshire) and of certain other districts (as Hallamshire, Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire, Norhamshire, Hexhamshire) which have from early times been regarded as separate unities. Pronounced /-ʃə(r)/; in dialects often /-ʃɪə(r)/. ΚΠ a1122 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) ann. 1064 Mid Snotingham scire & Deorbi scire & Lincolna scire. c1155 in J. T. Fowler Chartularium Abbathiæ de Novo Monasterio (1878) 45 Bellingtonesir. 1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. ii. 77 Bette þe Budul of Bokynghames schire. c1450 Godstow Reg. 637 To here & to ende diuerse transgressions harmis greuis & excessis in wilton sher. 1463–4 Rolls of Parl. V. 503/1 The growyng of the Shires called Alderton Shire, and Richemond Shire, oonly except. 1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 261 The whole shire is expressly named Hantscyre. 1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 2. ⁋1 The first of our Society is a Gentleman of Worcestershire. 1894 R. O. Heslop Northumberland Words (at cited word) Norhamshire, Islandshire, and Bedlingtonshire, are detached portions of the patrimony of Saint Cuthbert. 6. the Shires n. a. A term applied to other parts of England by the inhabitants of East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, Essex, and Surrey; also gen. applied to those counties the names of which end in -shire. Also = shire county n. at Compounds 2.Usually pronounced /ʃɪəz/, being a re-stressed form of the unstressed ending /-ʃɪə(r)/. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > named regions of earth > Europe > British Isles > England > [noun] > districts of England wealdOE Oxon.c1439 the Stannaries1455 Midland1555 Home Counties1695 Islandshire1705 lakes1774 file1775 potteries1795 the Shires1796 Tyneside1824 lakeland1829 Lake District1835 lake country1842 Wessex1868 Shakespeare country1900 Geordieland1901 cherry country1902 1796 S. Pegge Anonymiana (1809) 160 The Inhabitants of Kent, to express a person's coming from a great distance..will say, he comes a great way off, out of the shires. a1825 R. Forby Vocab. E. Anglia (1830) Sheres, pl., a general name for all the counties in England, but Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. 1865 W. White Eastern Eng. II. 204 Which do ye like best, master. Essex or the sheres? 1909 A. Morrison Green Ginger 154 ‘It do seem to me’, he said, ‘as you'd do better in the shires; I count you make a poor trade in Essex’. 1977 Daily Tel. 14 Mar. 2/7 In the shires Labour are defending a rump of seven non-Metropolitan counties they still hold out of 39: Cleveland, Derbyshire, Durham, [etc.]. b. Fox-hunting. As the name of a hunting ‘country’: see quot. 1910. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > hunting > hunting area > [noun] fieldOE forest1297 seta1425 chasea1440 hunting-fieldc1680 hunting-ground1721 flying county1856 hunt1857 moor1860 the Shires1860 driving moor1873 beat1875 killing ground1877 flying country1883 killing field1915 1860 G. J. Whyte-Melville Market Harborough v. 51 ‘Excuse me, sir: take the liberty of asking whereabouts you generally hunt’. ‘Hunt?’ repeated the customer. ‘Oh! Leicestershire—Northamptonshire—all about there’... A cloud gathered on the foreman's brow. ‘The Shires!’ he rejoined, with a perplexed air; ‘that increases our difficulties very much indeed’. 1887 Field 12 Nov. 731/2 The fleetest pack [of hounds] in all the Shires. 1910 A. E. T. Watson in Encycl. Brit. XIII. 948/2 The ‘Shires’ is a recognized term, but is nevertheless somewhat vague. The three counties included in the expression are Leicestershire, Rutlandshire and Northamptonshire. Several packs which hunt within these limits are not supposed, however, to belong to the ‘Shires’, whereas a district of the Belvoir country is in Lincolnshire, and to hunt with the Belvoir is certainly understood to be hunting in the ‘Shires’. 7. Short for Shire horse n. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > horse defined by breed > [noun] > shire horse Shire horse1875 shire1877 1877 W. Gilbey in Field 24 Feb. 225/1 A discussion arose as to the best agricultural stallion to select for use in the district—a ‘Clydesdale’ or a ‘Shire’. 1901 Q. Rev. Jan. 7 The Shire, as a distinct breed was not in existence. Compounds C1. General attributive. a. shire-administration n. ΚΠ 1874 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. I. vi. 160 A uniform shire-administration. shire-system n. ΚΠ 1874 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. I. v. 117 The general institution of a shire-system for all England. b. (In sense 6.) shire-bred adj. ΚΠ 1881 Daily News 24 Feb. 3/1 In the hope of stimulating the production of shire-bred horses. shire-fattened adj. ΚΠ 1886 P. Robinson Valley Teetotum Trees 18 Our own shire-fattened kine. c. (In sense 7.) shire-breed n. ΚΠ 1877 Field 17 Mar. 323/2 Good English mares of the ‘shire’ breed. shire-class n. C2. Special combinations. Also shire-ground n., Shire horse n., shire-land n., shireman n., shire-moot n., shirewick n. shire-bishop n. Old English and Historical the bishop of a shire. ΘΚΠ society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > clerical superior > bishop > [noun] bishopc897 patriarcheOE bispa1300 ordinarya1325 ordinar?1403 father1418 discretion1421 pontificalc1440 diocesanc1450 rocheter1559 monseigneur1561 pope1563 bite-sheep1570 presul1577 rochet1581 diocesser1606 lawn sleevesc1640 episcopant1641 Right Reverend1681 diocesian1686 lawn-man1795 diocesiarch1805 bish1875 shire-bishop1880 a1023 Wulfstan xxxvi. (1883) 173 Bete þæt, swa se scir~bisceop and eal scirwitan..deman. 1880 W. H. Jones Dioc. Hist. Salisb. 51 We must therefore suppose that occasionally shire-bishops may have been appointed. shire-borough n. (see sense 4). ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town or city > [noun] > with adjoining territory shire1433 county?1449 shire-borough1898 1898 F. W. Maitland Township & Borough 10 One ancient shire-borough, I mean Nottingham. † shire-clerk n. Obsolete (see quot. 1706). ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > one who administers justice > an officer of the court > [noun] > registrar or clerk > clerk of sheriff court shire-clerk1495 sheriff clerk1564 sheriff's clerk1564 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII c. 15 §1 Shirefs Undershirefs Shire Clerkis or any other officers. 1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Shire-Clerk, an Under-Sheriff; sometimes it is taken for a Clerk in the County-Court, or Deputy to the Under-Sheriff. shire county n. a non-metropolitan county of the U.K., as instituted by the local government reorganization of 1974. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > administrative divisions in Britain > shire or county shire?a1000 county?a1400 vice-county1859 shire county1972 1972 Times 21 Sept. 4/2 The AMC received no guidance whether metropolitan county councils would want to be grouped with ‘shire’ counties or with district councils. 1977 Daily Tel. 25 Apr. 6/8 Britain's great conurbations and the shire counties are preparing for a..tussle. † shire-court n. Obsolete = county court n. ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] > court of shire or part of shire > held periodically sizea1300 shire-court1376 county?1387 assizec1405 view of frankpledge1495 county courtc1520 quarter sessions1538 1376 Rolls of Parl. II. 348/2 Une novele Court appelle Shire-court a Arundell. 1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII c. 24 The Shyre Courte for that Shyre shalbe holden & kepte one tyme at Chichestre aforseid, and the next tyme at the borowe of Lewes. 1542–3 Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII c. 26 §58 The Countie or Shyre Courte of the Countie of Radnor. † shire-day n. Obsolete the day upon which a meeting of the shire was appointed to be held. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > types of deliberative or legislative assembly > [noun] > English > day of shire-day1482 1482 W. Caxton Policron. viii. xxi, in Higden (Rolls) VIII. 565 Also at Bedford on a shyreday were eyghten men murthred withoute stroke by fallynge doune of a steyr. shire-hall n. = county hall n. at county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > local government body > [noun] > local government offices > county hall county hall1670 shire-house1759 shire-hall1796 1796 E. Inchbald Nature & Art (1820) xl. 135 The prisoners are demanded at the shire-hall. ?1881 Census Eng. & Wales: Instr. Clerks classifying Occupations & Ages (?1885) 30 Shire Hall Keeper. † shire-house n. Obsolete = county hall n. at county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > local government body > [noun] > local government offices > county hall county hall1670 shire-house1759 shire-hall1796 1759 B. Martin Nat. Hist. Eng. II. 53 The Guild-hall, the Wool~hall, and the Shire-house. shire-jury n. Historical the members of a shire-court. ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > one who administers justice > jury > [noun] > of a shire court shire-jury1822 1822 Edinb. Rev. 36 330 The Shire-jury was considered as constituting the ‘County’ or County Court. † shire-knight n. Obsolete = Knight of the Shire at knight n. 4c. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social class > nobility > rank > knight > [noun] > member of Parliament for a county knight1399 shire-knight1399 1399 W. Langland Richard Redeles iv. 32 And whanne it drowe to þe day of þe dede-doynge, Þat souereynes were semblid and þe schire-knyȝtis,..þey begynne to declare Þe cause of her comynge. shire-member n. a representative of a shire in Parliament. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > English or British parliament > [noun] > Member of Parliament > other types of member burgessc1425 private member1606 recruiter1648 university member1774 unofficial member1822 labour member1871 Labour-Liberal1890 service member1890 front-bencher1907 back-bencher1910 shire-member1910 1910 W. L. Mathieson Awakening Scot. i. 8 Shire members and burgh members had united to form a House of Commons. shire-oak n. an oak tree marking the boundary of a shire or a meeting place for a shire-court. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > oak and allies > [noun] > boundary oak shire-oak1751 the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > edge, border, or margin > boundary > [noun] > land-boundary > boundary mark > tree mere-thornOE mere tree1585 holy oak1648 shire-oak1751 1751 S. Whatley England's Gazetteer at Worksop Certain oaks, called Shire-Oaks. 1879 J. R. Green Readings Eng. Hist. xxiii. 115 During the last half-hour the suiters had been gathering round the shire-oak. shire-reeve n. etymologizing form of sheriff n. ΘΚΠ society > authority > office > holder of office > magistrate > chief magistrate of a district > [noun] > sheriff or high sheriff shiremanc1020 sheriffc1034 viscount1387 shire-reeve14.. high sheriff1450 14.. Langland's P. Pl. C. iv. 78 Boþe shire-reues and sergauntes. 1576 W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent 350 Our Magistrat nowe called a Sherif, or (to speake more truely, Shyrereue). 1765 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. I. Introd. §4. 112 The sheriff, shrieve, or shire-reeve. 1863 H. Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. iii. ix. 726 These reeves received in counties the appellation of shire-reeves. shire-stone n. a stone serving as a boundary-mark of a shire (also in three-shire, four-shire-stone). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > edge, border, or margin > boundary > [noun] > land-boundary > boundary mark > stone hoar-stone847 honeeOE merestoneOE markstoneOE march stone1519 shire-stone1536 dool-stone1580 bound-stone1602 witter stone1615 metestone1617 bounder-stone1635 bourne-stone1837 1536 in J. Anderson Cal. Laing Charters (1899) 108 Fra the said croce lineallie east..to the schearstane; fra the scheirsteane lineallie eist [etc.]. 1677 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Oxford-shire Map sig. B4^v Four shire stone..three shire stones. 1751 S. Whatley England's Gazetteer at Morton in Marsh About one m. from hence, are the 4 shire-stones. 1825 Gentleman's Mag. June 516 Upon Wreynose Hill are placed the Shire-stones. shire-town n. (a) the chief town of a shire, a county-town, see county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7; also transferred; (b) U.S. = county seat n. at county n.¹ and adj. Compounds 7. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town > [noun] > chief town of county or district shire-town1459 city1526 county town1626 bailiwick-town1675 society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > town > [noun] > chief town of county or district > in U.S. shire-town1648 1459 Rolls of Parl. V. 368/1 Make open Proclamation in the Shire Toune of the same Shire or Shires. 1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke ii. f. lxxiiij^v Every man went in to his awne shyre toune, there to be taxed. 1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 396 Then Ouse saluteth Buckingham the Shire towne. 1648 in N. Bouton Provinc. Papers New-Hampsh. (1867) I. 189 The Court doth think fitt that the shire town of Norfolke be referred to further consideration. 1708 J. Chamberlayne Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia (ed. 22) i. i. iii. 10 The Shire-Town is Derby. 1717 S. Sewall Diary 13 Jan. (1882) III. 132 Cambridge is the Shire-Town for Middlesex. 1857 M. H. Perley Hand-bk. New Brunswick 55 The shire town is Richibucto. 1881 Cent. Mag. Dec. 251/1 It was the central town in the county, and yet not the shire-town. 1969 Bangor (Maine) Daily News 10 July 1/5 (caption) This particular sign in Whiting..has omitted an ‘a’ from the shiretown of Washington County. † shire-wyte n. Obsolete ? a tax paid to a Sheriff for holding a shire-court. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > local or municipal taxes or dues > [noun] > payments levied by sheriff hundred-penny1189 sheriff's tooth1298 shire-wyte1425 sheriff gloves1528 sheriff fee1603 1425 in W. Kennett Parochial Antiq. (1695) 573 Et in solutis pro quadam pensione vocata Schire~wyte annuatim iv. sol. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2021). shireadj. /ʃʌɪə/ Forms: Old English scír, Middle English scir, sir, Middle English shir, Middle English schir, Middle English scire, scirre, schirre, ( schyire), Middle English schyr, Middle English–1500s schire, schyre, Middle English–1700s shyre, Middle English–1800s shire. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Common Germanic: Old English scír = Old Frisian skîre , Old Saxon skîr , skîri (Middle Low German schîre ; hence Middle High German schîre , schîr , modern German schier ), Old Norse skír-r clear, bright, pure (Swedish skir ), skýrir manifest, Gothic skeir-s clear < Germanic skīro- , skīrjo- , < root skῑ- to shine: see shine v. (Related by ablaut to sheer adj. See also skire adj., skere adj.) Obsolete* exc. dialect. †1. Bright, shining. Obsolete.In Old English also figurative illustrious, noble. In Middle English alliterative verse sometimes a vague epithet of praise (= beautiful, fine, ‘sheen’). ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adjective] > bright shininga900 lighteOE lightlyOE sheenOE torhtOE shirea1000 steepa1000 shimmeringc1000 brightOE strongOE clear1297 fair?a1300 bright-shininga1387 merrya1393 skirea1400 lucident14.. shimc1400 staringc1400 luculentc1420 splendent1474 illuminousc1485 lucentc1500 bloominga1522 sheer1565 prelucent1568 faculent1575 splendant1578 lucid1591 neat1591 shine1596 translucent1596 well-lighted1606 nitid1615 lucible1623 dilucid1653 translucid1657 hard1660 OE Beowulf 979 Ðær abidan sceal maga mane fah miclan domes, hu him scir Metod scrifan wille. a1000 Boeth. Metr. xxx. 9 Þeah hio [the sun] sie scir & beorht. a1300 Havelok 588 She saw þer-inne a lith ful shir. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3848 Longe a-buten munt seyr, Folgede hem ðat skie scir. a1400–50 Wars Alex. 2454 Schalkis scott in-to shipis all in shire mailes. c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 317 Þe blod schot for scham in-to his schyre face & lere. 1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. biiii To se that his schire weid be sicker of assay. c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 2373 In a shadow of shene tres & of shyre floures. †2. Of liquids, crystal, etc.: Clear, translucent. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > transparency or translucence > [adjective] shireOE brightOE through-shineOE cleanc1040 cleara1400 transparent1413 crystalc1425 crystallinec1425 crystal-clear?a1439 pure1481 perspicuatea1500 beryl1508 through-shining1526 diaphane1561 thorough-seeable1562 pellucid1563 sheer1565 translucent1568 liquid1590 tralucent?1592 perspicuous1599 thorough light1601 diaphanic1614 diaphanous1614 perspicable1615 translucid1615 diaphanal1616 lucid1620 diaphaned1626 transpicuous1638 perlucid1647 dioptrical1760 dioptric1801 unconcealing1804 see-through1851 pellucent1886 pool-clear1924 OE Crist III 1282 Beoð þa syngan flæsc scandum þurwaden swa þæt scire glæs, þæt mon yþæst mæg eall þurhwlitan. c1000 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 163/33 Limpidus, scir. 1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 6934 Als fyssches lyfes in water schyre. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 9936 Midward þe heist ture..springes of scire water o welle. a1400 Stockh. Med. MS. i. 119 in Anglia XVIII. 298 Hony, good & schyre. c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 447/1 Schyre, as water and oþer lycure, perspicuus, clarus. a1450 Ratis Raving i. 1492 Scho berys with hire lycor schyr That slokins syne as vatter fyre. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iii. viii. 48 The sesonable air pipis vp fair and schire. 1776 D. Herd Anc. & Mod. Sc. Songs (ed. 2) II. Gloss. s.v. We call..clear liquor shire. †3. Pure, unmixed. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > state or quality of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded > [adjective] shirec888 unmengedeOE mereeOE perfecta1393 unmeddleda1425 impermixta1475 unmingled1545 unpermixedc1545 sincere1546 unintermixed1595 immixt1622 untinct1646 single-fold1651 meracious1657 beaten1670 simple1818 pure1831 straight1856 c888 Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. xv Nalles scir win hi ne druncan. OE Beowulf 496 Þegn..se þe on handa bær hroden ealowæge, scencte scir wered. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15383 Forr siþþenn iss all þeȝȝre spell. Shir atterr. & shir galle. Till alle þa þatt herrcnenn itt. a1340 R. Rolle Cant. in Psalter Psalter 516 Þat þa drynke þe shyrest blode of grape [L. sanguinem uvae meracissimum]. a1400–50 Wars Alex. 113 He shapis him of shire wax litill schipis many. †4. Morally or spiritually clean; pure. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > morality > virtue > purity > [adjective] cleanlyc888 unwemmedc950 clean971 lightOE whiteOE unfiledc1200 shire?c1225 sheenc1275 wemlessc1275 undefouled13.. undefoileda1325 purec1330 unbleckedc1380 unfouledc1380 clear1382 impollutec1384 unblemishedc1400 undefiledc1400 unspottedc1400 virginc1400 spotless?a1430 immaculate1441 uncorruptc1450 unpollushed1490 intemeratea1492 incorrupted1529 unmaculate1535 impolluted1548 crystallinec1550 incorrupt1550 uncorrupted1565 undistained1565 unstained1573 entire1587 taintless1590 untainted1590 stainless1599 unsmirched1604 intemerated1608 indepravate1609 chastea1616 uncurseda1628 undishonested1631 untaint1638 Adamical1649 sincere1649 undebaucheda1656 unaccurseda1674 amiantal1674 unsoiled1699 unpolluted1732 ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 181 O muchel is þe michte of schir & clene bone. c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 6 Þeos riwle is chearite of schir heorte & cleane inwit. a1300 Cursor Mundi 26200 Scrift sal mak þi saul scirre. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 518 Metodius, ali martyr, Adde in his herte sig[ð]he sir. a1400 Rel. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 56 When Goddis seruandes hase depely thoghte with schire herte on Gode. 5. a. Complete, perfect, utter; = sheer adj. 8. Also (with a negative), mere, bare. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adjective] > utter or absolute shirea1225 purec1300 properc1380 plainc1395 cleana1400 fine?a1400 entirec1400 veryc1400 starka1425 utterc1430 utterlyc1440 merec1443 absolute1531 outright1532 cleara1535 bloodyc1540 unproachable1544 flat1553 downright1577 sheer1583 right-down?1586 single1590 peremptory1601 perfecta1616 downa1625 implicit1625 every way1628 blank1637 out-and-outa1642 errant1644 inaccessional1651 thorough-paced1651 even down1654 dead1660 double-dyed1667 through stitch1681 through-stitched1682 total1702 thoroughgoing1719 thorough-sped1730 regular1740 plumb1748 hollow1751 unextenuated1765 unmitigated1783 stick, stock, stone dead1796 positive1802 rank1809 heart-whole1823 skire1825 solid1830 fair1835 teetotal1840 bodacious1845 raw1856 literal1857 resounding1873 roaring1884 all out1893 fucking1893 pink1896 twenty-four carat1900 grand slam1915 stone1928 diabolical1933 fricking1937 righteous1940 fecking1952 raving1954 a1225 Leg. Kath. 1286 Nere hit schendlac inoh, & schir scheome, to alle þæt ȝelpeð of lare? a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3580 He..dede ðat claf melten in fir, And stired it al to dust sir. 1513 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid viii. Prol. 78 This cuntre is full of Caynis kyne, And sic schyr schrewis. c1520 J. Skelton Elynour Rummyng 466 They be wretchockes thou hast brought, They are shyre shakyng nought! 1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus Comedye of Acolastus ii. iii. sig. Lj I wyll not gyue the sole .i. pure or shyre hope, but the thing. 1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge 69 As if the outside of the earth were a shire flat or level. 1710 T. Ruddiman in G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneis (new ed.) Gloss. at Schire Scot. we say, a skire fool, a shire knave, i.e. purus putus nebulo. c1730 A. Ramsay Grub-St. 5 He's naething but a shire daft lick. 1836 M. Mackintosh Cottager's Daughter 59 He was a shire and worthless smaik. b. (See quot. 1825.) ΚΠ 1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. Shire, Shyre, used in the sense of strait, or S. scrimp; as, shire measure, that sort of measurement which allows not a hair-breadth beyond what mere justice demands. 6. Thin; tenuous, not dense; sparse, scanty. Of beer: Weak, ‘small’. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > constitution of matter > lack of density > [adjective] thin849 subtilea1393 airya1398 subtlea1398 rarea1400 shirec1400 finea1425 solutec1440 intenuate1471 slender1528 ethereal1590 tenuous1597 spare1602 unsolid1611 unsolute1612 tenuious1634 etherical1656 airlike1821 wire-drawn1876 the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > in very small numbers shirec1400 rare1555 sporadic1813 one-one1832 the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > beer > [adjective] > qualities strengthful1584 shire1721 deadish1742 entire1742 foxed1743 maltless1828 quarred1871 cocktail1888 fretty1897 light-struck1908 skunked1970 cask-conditioned1975 c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xxii. 101 Þe men of þat land has schyre [Cotton text (1839) 207 thynne] berdes with few hares in þam. 1495 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (de Worde) xix. cxxx. sig. nniii/1 The more sadde a body is the more heuy it is: and the more shyre [a1398 BL Add. schere] & thynne the more lyght it is founde. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iv. v. 188 He vanist far away..in the schyre air [L. in tenuem..auram]. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 323/2 Shyre nat thycke, delie. 1547 W. Salesbury Dict. Eng. & Welshe Teneu, Thynne, shyre. 1599 A. Hume Hymnes sig. D2^v My haires are schyre and gray. 1721 A. Ramsay To Ld. Dalhousie 34 He had rather live on cakes, And shyrest swats. 1776 D. Herd Anc. & Mod. Sc. Songs (ed. 2) II. Gloss. s.v. We call thin cloth..shire. 1879 G. F. Jackson Shropshire Word-bk. Shire, thin; scanty: said of crops. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2021). † shirev.¹ Forms: Old English scíran, scýran, Middle English sciren, schire, shire, sire. Etymology: Old English scíran = Middle Low German, modern Low German schiren to make clear, clarify (whence German dialect schieren ), Old Norse skíra to purify, clear (from a charge), Gothic gaskeirjan to interpret, < Germanic skīro- : see shire adj. Obsolete. 1. transitive. To declare, make known; to tell, utter. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > speak, say, or utter [verb (transitive)] > make known shirec897 i-kenc1000 cryc1300 declarec1340 out-tella1382 commona1387 ascryc1400 commune1423 ventilate?1530 forespeak1546 outcry1567 oyez1599 vent1832 c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care* xxviii. 198 Ac gif hie ðonne eallunga forberan ne mægen..ðæt hie hit ne sciren. OE Beowulf 1939 Þæt hit sceadenmæl scyran moste, cwealmbealu cyðan. a1250 Owl & Nightingale 1532 Wan he comeþ ham eft to his wiue, ne dar heo noȝt a word i-schire.] c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8395 Nes þer nan swa hæh mon þat durste word sciren. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2036 Ðe wite is hise, ðe rigt is hire; God al-migtin ðe soðe shire. 2. To enlighten, purify (the mind or heart). ΘΚΠ society > morality > virtue > purity > make pure [verb (transitive)] cleansec897 shire?c1225 clengea1300 purge1340 purec1350 purifya1393 whitena1400 sprinkle1526 refine1594 simplify1609 sublime1613 purgate1795 revirginize1852 bleach1868 ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 281 Luue þeschireð & brichteð þe heorte. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 327 For is fruit sired mannes mood To witen boðen iwel and good. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online June 2021). shirev.² /ʃʌɪər/ Etymology: < shire n. transitive. To divide (a country) into shires. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > divide into administrative areas [verb (transitive)] cantonize1608 canton1619 district1792 shire1810 to map out1860 1810 W. Davies Gen. View Agric. N. Wales i. 2 It [North Wales] was shired by Henry the Eighth into six counties. 1867 Cal. State Papers Ireland 1574–85, 170 The Brenny and Annaly shired. 1885 R. Bagwell Ireland under Tudors I. 60 Ulster and Connaught were not shired. 1904 Edinb. Rev. July 215 When..he [Davies] effected the final shiring of Ulster. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online September 2018). † shireadv. Etymology: Old English scíre, < shire adj. Obsolete. 1. Brightly; clearly. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adverb] > brightly brighteOE lightOE shireOE fairOE brightlyOE sheen?c1225 shirelyc1230 sheenly1340 clearlya1375 shininglyc1384 clearc1385 cleana1400 shrillc1400 enclerea1440 lucidentlyc1508 sheerly1508 splendently1576 shiny1596 nitently1657 OE Andreas (1932) 835 Oðþæt dryhten forlet dægcandelle scire scinan. a1300 Havelok 916 [Ich kan] kindlen ful wel a fyr, And maken it to brennan shir. c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 956 Hir brest & hir bryȝt þrote bare displayed, Schon schyrer þen snawe. 1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. bv The sone in the sky wes schynyng so schir. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid ii. v. 14 Quhen the taknyng or the bail of fire Rais fro the kingis schip, wpbirnyng schire. 2. With main force, mightily; sheer or straight down. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > vertical position > [adverb] > almost or sheer shireOE sheer1829 sheerlya1894 the world > space > direction > specific directions > [adverb] > in downward direction adowneOE netherwardsOE shireOE netherOE netherOE netherwardOE downOE adownwardOE downwardslOE downwardc1225 downhilla1398 alowc1450 downwith1488 downside1664 dahn1849 the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > [adverb] > with violence or force > with full or main force or violence shireOE amain1550 OE Crist III 1141 Scire burstan muras ond stanas monge æfter foldan. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3045 O morgen al swilc time, al sir Ðunder and hail and leuenes fir Cam wel vnghere. c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 506 Schyre schedeȝ þe rayn in schowreȝ ful warme. a1513 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen in Poems (1998) I. 41 Kemmit war thair clier hair and curiouslie sched, Attour thair schulderis doun schyre, schyning full bricht. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < n.c725adj.c888v.¹c897v.²1810adv.OE
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shiren.

Compounds

shireadj.

† shirev.1

shirev.2

† shireadv.

† shirev.¹

shirev.²