Forms: 1–3 bár, 3–7 bor, 4–7 boor, boore, bore, 5–7 boare, 7– boar. Also 3 Lay. bær, ber; north. 4 bar, 4–6 bare, 6 baire, bayre. [Known only in W.Ger.: OE. bár = OS. bêr (-swîn), MDu. and Du. beer; OHG., MHG. bêr, mod.G. bär, on OTeut. type *bairo-z. Ulterior etymology unknown; cf. Russ. borovŭ Boar.]
1. The male of the swine, whether wild or tame (but uncastrated).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., viii. 27. Aper, bar.
c. 1121. O. E. Chron., an. 1086. He forbead þa heortas swylce eac þa baras.
a. 1300. Havelok, 1989. Was neuere bor þat so fauht so he fauht þanne.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 55. For my boles & my borez arn bayted & slayne.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 294. Noyther bere, ne bor ne other best wilde.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. lxxxvii. (1495), 836. The wylde male swyne ben callyd Boores.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XIII. iii. 21. As quhen that the fomy bayr hes bet With his thunderand awfull tuskis gret.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 121. Let them be bores and sowes all, and no hogges.
1607. Shaks., Timon, V. i. 168. Who like a Bore too sauage, doth root vp His Countries peace.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 625. The bristled Rage Of Boars.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch-Bk., II. 114. The old ceremony of serving up the boar’s head on Christmas day.
b. The flesh of the animal.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 489, in Babees Bk. (1868), 147. Venesoun bake, of boor or othur venure.
1878. Morley, Diderot, II. 9. Savoury morsels of venison or boar.
c. spec. Wild Boar: usual name of the wild species (Sus Scrofa) found in the forests of Europe, Asia and Africa.
c. 1205. Lay., 16094. Þat beoð a wilde bar [c. 1275 bor].
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 280. Þe wilde bor ne mei nout buwen him.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6523. As wode as a wild bore.
1595. Duncan, Append. Etymol. (E. D. S.), Verres, porcus non castratus, a baire; aper, a wilde baire.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1138. Bristles … that ridge the back Of chaf’d wild boars.
1863. Lyell, Antiq. Man, 23. The tame pig … had replaced the wild boar as a common article of food.
d. fig. (or heraldically) applied to persons.
1297. R. Glouc., 133. Cornewailes bor … þat was Kyng Arthure.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., IV. v. 2. In the stye of the most deadly Bore, My Sonne George Stanley is frankt vp in hold.
1651. Proc. in Parl., No. 122. The Wild Boare of Antichristianity.
2. Comb., as boar-dog, -hound, -hunt, -hunting, -pig, -skin; † boar-cat, a male cat, a tom-cat; boar’s-ears (a corruption of bear’s ears), a plant = AURICULA 3; boar’s-foot, a plant, Helleborus viridis (cf. bear’s-foot); † boar-frank (see quot.); boar-seg (dial.) = boar-stag; boar-spear, a spear used in boar-hunting; † boar-staff (= boar-spear); boar-stag (dial.), a castrated boar; boar-thistle, (?) a corruption of bur thistle, common name of Carduus lanceolatus, the Spear Thistle, also of C. arvensis.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 87. The males will kill the young ones, if they come at them like as the *Bore cats.
1797. Brydges, Homer Travestie, II. 293. Scratch and bite and tear and kick Like two boar-cats hung ’cross a stick.
1792. Osbaldiston, Brit. Sportsm., 431. All dogs whatsoever, even from the terrible *Boar-dog to the little Flora, are all one in the first creation.
1880. Harting, Ext. Brit. Anim., I. 96. In olden times the enclosure in which the Boars used to be fattened was termed a *‘Boar-frank.’
1884. Lady Brassey, in Gd. Words, May, 316/1. Close by her was an enormous *boarhound.
1843. Mrs. H. Gray, Tour Sepul. Etruria, iv. 193. There are friezes representing *boar-hunts.
1768. Hamilton, in Phil. Trans., LIX. 20. His Sicilian Majesty takes the diversion of *boar-hunting.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. iv. 250. Thou whorson little tydie Bartholmew *Bore-pigge.
1747. Scheme Equip. Men of War, 36. A strong, fat, well-grown Boar Pig.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2114/4. A large black *Boar Skin, lined with new Canvas.
1465. Marg. Paston, Lett., 503, II. 189. Imprimis, a peyr briggandyrs, a salet, a *boresper.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXV. ix. 552 k. Nicomenes thrust him through with his borespeare [venabulo].
1816. Scott, Antiq., xviii. 123. Snatching his boar-spear from the wall … Martin Waldeck set forth.
1579. North, Plutarch, 400. Perswading them to use the pyke and shielde, in steade of their litle target, speare, or *borestaffe.
1714. Let., in Phil. Trans., XXIX. 64. A Thistle call’d the *Boar-Thistle; very short and prickly.
