sb. Obs. Also 3–4 alour, alur, 4 aler, 5 allure. [a. OFr. aleure, later alure, now allure, walk, gait, going; a place to walk in, a gallery; f. aller to go: see -URE.] A place to walk in, a gallery; esp. a. a walk or passage behind the parapets of a castle, or round the roof of a church; b. a covered passage, a cloister; c. rarely a walk in a garden, a passage between the seats in a church, an alley or ‘aisle.’
1297. R. Glouc., 192. Vpe þe alurs of þe castles þe ladyes þanne stode.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 7210. The touris to take, and the torellis, Vawtes, alouris.
c. 1314. Guy Warw., 85. At the alours thai defended hem.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Kings vii. 2. Foure aluris betwixe the cedre pilers [L. deambulacra; 1388 aleis]. Ibid. (1388), 2 Kings i. 2. Ocozie felde thorou the aleris of his soler [L. per cancellos cœnaculi sui; 1382 wyndowes].
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. xi. Freshe alures with lusty hye pynacles … That called were deambulatoryes. Ibid. (c. 1430), Stor. Thebes, 1267. In this gardyn … In the allures walking to and fro.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Alure or alurys of a towre or stepylle, Canal. [Test. Ebor. 197 In allura inter fontem et introitum chori.]
1776. T. Warton, Eng. Poetry (1840), II. xxiii. 300. The sides of every street were covered with fresh alures of marble, or cloisters.
1851. Turner, Dom. Archit., i. 8. And alures of stone were to be raised above the roof timbers.
