Obs. Forms: 12 winʓeard, 2 winiærd, 3 winȝeard, -yard, -yherde, wynyarde, 4 wine-y(h)erd, wineierd, -yerd, wynȝard, -ȝord. [OE. wínʓeard = OS. wîngardo (Du. wijngaard), OHG. wîngart, ON. víngarðr, Goth. weinagards: see WINE sb.1 and YARD sb.1] = VINEYARD (lit. and fig.).
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxii. § 3. Ealle men witon þæt hit þær ne weaxð þe ma ðe ʓimmas weaxað on winʓeardum.
971. Blickl. Hom., 51. Ure hwæte, & ure winʓeardas, & ealle ure eorþan wæstmas.
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. He makede manie munekes & plantede winiærd.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 294. Þet beoð þe erest prokunges þet sturieð þe winȝeardes, þet beoð ure soulen.
c. 1250. Kent. Serm., in O. E. Misc., 34. Se winyard be-tockneþ þe seruise of ure lorde.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., xii. 41. Tho he the wynȝord whrohte.
1331. MS. Chapter Acts Lincoln, lf. 23 b. Quamdam placeam clausam quæ vocatur le Wineierd.
a. 1400. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 456/186. Mi deore wynȝard.