Obs. Forms: 4 chivachee, -ie, 4–5 -ye, chyvachee, -ie, -ye, chiuache, cheuache, 5 chyvauche, 6 chevachey, (9 chevachie). [a. OF. chevauchie, chevalchié (mod.F. chevauchée):—Romanic type cavalcata a riding, f. pa. pple. of cavalcare:—late L. caballicāre to ride, f. caball-us horse. Chevachee is in its origin a doublet of CAVALCADE: see -ADE.]
An expedition on horseback; a raid, campaign.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1005. Þat chyuachee for to do.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 85. He hadde ben somtyme in chyvachie [v.r. chiuachye, chyuachie, chyuachye, cheualrie], In fflaundres, in Artoys, and Picardie. Ibid. (c. 1386), Manciple’s Prol., 50. Down his hors him cast … This was a faire chyuachee [v.r. chiuache, cheuache] of a coke.
c. 1450. Merlin, 145. And thus was the chyuachie so privily kept.
1592. Wyrley, Armorie, 150.
| But in their cheuachey a venture did befall | |
| That was at Parris talkt with ioy of all. |
[1843. G. P. R. James, Forest Days (1847), 34. He … had distinguished himself in many of the expeditions, or chevauchées.
1875. J. Veitch, Tweed, 139. Four knights his peers Rode, famed in chevachee.]
