Obs. [Etymol. uncertain. Though the sense approaches that of BORE sb.1, connection with that appears to be phonetically impossible. Mr. E. B. Poulton suggests that the general notion is that of ‘a roughness or scar, which looks artificial or as if resulting from accident—the look presented by an ear (beyond any other organ of special sense) in birds, and other animals which have not the external pinna possessed by mammals.’ This would connect it with the following word, or even with BUR sb.]
The external meatus of the ear, the opening leading to the tympanum.
(This is clear in quot. 1688, since hawks have nothing but an opening; so practically the cropt-eared dog in quot. 1677; quot. 1573 refers to the secretion of wax in the meatus of the ear, and (as was formerly supposed) in the parotid glands or ‘kernels of the ears’ (though it might be read as identifying the ‘burres’ with the ‘kirnels’). Dr. Johnson’s explanation ‘the lobe or lap of the ear’ was an unfortunate guess, servilely followed by later dictionaries.)
1573. Cooper, Thesaurus, Parotis … an impostume behinde the eares comming of a matter distilling from the heade into the burres or kirnels of the eares.
1677. Lond. Gaz., No. 1203/4. A Little White Shock Bitch … cropt ears … red above the burrs of her ears.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 237/1. Names of the parts of a Falcon—Of the Head … The Burrs, or Ear burs, are the Ears.
1730–6. Bailey, Burr … the round Knob of Horn next a Deer’s Head; also the Burr of the Ear. [Hence in Johnson.]
