Obs. Forms: α. 5 verdeur, 5–7 verdour (6 Sc. wer-), 6 veerdour, Sc. verdeour; 5 Sc. wardur, 6 vardour, Sc. wardour(e. β. 5 Sc. wardor, 6–7 verdor, 7 verdore. [a. OF. verdour, verdor (13th c.; = Prov., Sp., Pg. verdor, It. verdore), later verdeur (mod.F. dial. vardeur), f. verd green: see -OR 1 and cf. VERDER1 and VERDURE.]

1

  1.  Fresh greenness (of vegetation); fig. fresh or flourishing condition.

2

1447.  Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 213. The verdour or grennesse & the redolence Of good fame.

3

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 156 b/2. The blessyd George was hygh in despysyng lowe thynges and therfore he had verdeur in hym self.

4

1610.  Guillim, Heraldry, III. vii. (1611), 106. He beareth Argent, three sterued branches,… this being mortified and vnuested of the verdour which sometime it had.

5

1646.  Quarles, Judgem. & Mercy, Wks. (Grosart), I. 87/1 (heading), The worldly man’s Verdour. Contrasting the prosperous condition of the worldly … man [etc.].

6

  b.  Taste, esp. fresh or pleasant taste; = VERDURE 4. Also fig.

7

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 154. And the vyne answered sayenge, I may not leaue my swetnes ard pleasaunt verdour, whiche so delyteth … bothe god & man.

8

1549.  Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Jas., II. 35. But every frute is lyke unto hys owne tree, and hathe the verdour of the juyce of hys owne rote.

9

1570–6.  Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 223. Those plantes which our auncestors had brought hither out of Normandie had lost their native verdour, whether you did eate their substance, or drink their iuice, which we call Cyder.

10

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. viii. § 5. We see in all other pleasures [than learning] there is sacietie; and after they bee used, their verdour departeth.

11

  2.  = VERDURE 3.

12

1480.  Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 118. Oon other [counterpoint] of greene verdours with trees; oon other of white verdour with a scripture.

13

1493.  Halyburton’s Ledger (1867), 10. A cuvaryng of wardur, cost 12s.

14

1531–2.  Rutland MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), IV. 271. For iiij peces of verdours for hanginges, vjli. xiijs. iiijd.

15

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 165 b. The newe banket chamber … was hanged with a costly verdor all new, the ground therof was all gold and the flowers were all of Sattyn silver.

16

1574.  Burgh Rec. Glasgow (1876), I. 32. Ane lettgant bed furneist witht Flandreis werdour, blancattis, scheittis, and coddis.

17

  attrib.  1488.  Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 157. A verdour bed to the Duk. Ibid. (1501), II. 31. vj elne cammas deliverit to Jame Dog to mend the verdeour clathis in Strivelin.

18

1532.  N. Country Wills (Surtees), 133. A covering of a bedde of verdour werke lyned with canvas.

19

  3.  = VERDURE 2.

20

1508.  Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 30. As new spynist rose, Arrayit ryallie about with mony rich wardour.

21

1587.  Holinshed, Chron. (ed. 2), III. 857/1. Vnder it antike images of gold inuironed with verdor of olifs cast in compasse.

22

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. vi. § 11. 30. Salomon became inabled … to compile a naturall Historie of all Verdor, from the Cedar vpon the Mountaine, to the mosse vppon the wall.

23

  4.  = VERDURE 1 b. rare–1.

24

1555.  Eden, Decades (Arb.), 266. There appeareth to the eye a certeyne verdour shynynge lyke the beames of the soonne.

25