a. and adv. Obs. Forms: adj. 1 ǽrra (m.), ǽrre (f. and n.), 2 ærra, (2 erra, 3 earre, eror, errure, 4 erore); adv. 1 ǽror, -ur, (3 ærer, erur, arer, -ure), 4–6 Sc. erar(e, (4 errar), 5 erer, (6 earar). [The OE. adj. ǽrra corresponds to OHG. êriro, Goth. airiza:—OTeut. *airizon-, f. *airiz adv.: see ERE. The OE. adv. ǽror is a new formation after the analogy of advb. comparatives in -or (:—OTeut. -ôz); the OE. ǽr (:—*airiz), owing to the loss of the suffix, not being distinctly shown by its form to be a comparative. Cf. OHG. êror of similar formation.]

1

  A.  adj. Former.

2

c. 888.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxv. § 6. Þonne forlyst he eall his ærran god.

3

a. 1000.  Elene, 305 (Gr.). Se þe of deaðe sylf woruld awehte … in þæt ærre lif.

4

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 95. Þe þet on þam erran [MS. ercan] to-cume liðegedde þan sunfullen to þere godnesse.

5

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 7. Hire latere were … lesse haueð þen hauede ear hire earre.

6

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 324. Of þe kunde he was of Denemarch, of þe eror wyf y bore.

7

a. 1300.  Relig. Songs (Percy Soc.), v. 79. Of alle hire errure freond nu nafdh heo non.

8

c. 1305.  St. Kenelm, 290, in E. E. P. (1862), 55. & for þe erore miracle of þe toun þe whatlokere þerto hi come.

9

c. 1380.  Sir Otuel, 46. Otuwel thoute on errore deede.

10

  B.  adv.

11

  1.  Before, formerly, at a former time.

12

Beowulf, 810. Se þe fela æror, modes myrðe manna cynne fyrene ʓefremede.

13

a. 1000.  Cross, 108 (Gr.). Swa he him ærur her on þyssum lænum life ʓeearnað.

14

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 183. Uncuðe men fon to þe aihte þe arure his waren.

15

c. 1205.  Lay., 17459. Mærlin heom gon ræren alse heo stoden ærer.

16

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1736. Al swo hit was erur bi-speke.

17

14[?].  Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 221. And of þat erer was his Nou shal he hauen mys.

18

  2.  Sooner, rather, in preference; also with than.

19

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 458. Thai war sum tyme erar may then les.

20

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., VII. Prol. 32. Swa erare will I now ches me To be reprowyd of sympilnes, Ðan blame to thole of wnkyndnes.

21

1513–75.  Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 93. Erar to hasert the samyn vpoun the chance of battell, than continwallie to be in feir of thair life.

22

1552.  Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 30. He chesit earar to thoile ane cruel deid.

23

1560.  Rolland, Crt. Venus, I. 527. He wald preuaill the erar I assure.

24