Forms: α. 6 esquiry(e, 7 escuirie, 8 escurie. β. 6 equirrie, 7 equerie, 7–9 equery, 7– equerry. γ. aphet. 6–8 query, -rry, quiry, -rry. [ad. F. écurie, earlier escurie (also escuierie, by erroneous association with escuyer ESQUIRE), med.L. scūria stable, f. OHG. scûr shed, shelter (whence sciura, MHG. schiure, mod.G. scheuer barn). The surviving Eng. form is due to an erroneous idea of some connection with L. equus horse; the accentuation on the first syll., favored by most Dicts. of the present century, is due to the same cause.]
† 1. The stables belonging to a royal or princely household; the body of officers in charge of the stables. Obs.
α. 1552. Huloet, Esquirye, equitium.
1595. in Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot. (1677), VI. 413. His Majesties house and Esquiry and Stable.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 84. The keeping of an escuirie or stable of horses.
β. 1600. Gowrie Conspir., in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 190/1. His hienes being now come downe by the equerie.
a. 1691. Boyle, Wks., VI. 354 (R.). Sir R. P., that is, (in the ear) Sir Robert Pye of the equerry.
1731. In Bailey, vol. II.
1800. Coleridge, Piccolom., I. ix. There is brought to me from your equerry A splendid … hunting dress.
γ. 1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xxiv. (1632), 1183. He hauing familiar acquaintance in the Quirry.
1633. Ford, Love’s Sacr., I. ii. There’s not a groom o’ the query could have match’d The jolly riding man.
1719. Glossogr. Angl. Nova s.v. Querry, A Gentleman of the Querry.
2. [Short for ‘gentleman of the equerry,’ ‘groom of the equerry’; cf. AF. esquire de qurye, OF. escuyer d’escuyrie.] † a. A groom (obs.). b. An officer in the service of a royal or other exalted personage, charged with the care of the horses, At the English Court, an officer of the royal household, charged with the duty of occasional attendance on the sovereign.
α. 1708. Chamberlain, State Gt. Brit., I. II. xii. (1743), 100. The constable hath also the power of escuries & pages.
β. 1591. Horsey, Trav. (1857), 197. At Yeraslaue another equirrie of the stable mett him.
1679–88. Secr. Serv. Money Chas. & Jas. (1851), 151. In repayring of his house as one of the equerys.
1708. Lond. Gaz., No. 4464/4. One Equery, two Pages of Honour, and the Gentleman Usher in waiting, in Her Majesty’s Leading Coach.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), III. 255. Attended … by the Roman emperors … as if they were equerries or grooms of the holy see.
1813. Examiner, 2 May, 280/2. His Royal Highness … left Carlton House … accompanied by Captain Portier, his Equery.
1839. trans. Lamartine’s Trav. East, 41/1. The equerry of Lady Stanhope, who is at the same time her physician.
1865. Maffei, Brigand Life, II. 18. The equerries and militia of the barons.
γ. [1526. Househ. Ord., 172. The Master of the Horse … to have sitting with him at his table the Esquires de Qurye and the Avenor.] Ibid., 206. The Master of the Horses doe appoint all such Querries, Officers, and Keepers as [etc.].
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vii. (1641), 61/2. As skilfull Quirry, that commands the Stable Of some great Prince.
[1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. ix. (1632), 17. A Gentleman … serving the King in place of one of the Quiers of his Quierie.]
1608. Bp. Hall, Epist., I. vi. 58. Francesco del Campo (one of the Arch-Dukes Quiryes).
1693. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), III. 165. Mr. Charles Turner … querrie to King James.
1736. Eliza Stanley, trans. Hist. Prince Titi, 14. The Querry, or Riding-Master … violently beat down a poor ancient Woman into a very miry Place.
Hence Equerryship, the office or position of an equerry.
β. 1787. Miss Burney, Diary (1842), III. 426. Her husband’s Equerryship.
1882. Standard, 13 Nov., 5/3. Colonel M‘Neill has held for the last eight years an Equerryship to the Queen.
γ. 1611. Cotgr., Escuyrie, a Querry ship.
1681. Blount, Glossogr., Querryship.
