Forms: 4–5 ewere, 5–6 euer, ewar, (5 ewear, ewyr, hure, yore), 6 eure, (ower, ure, yower), 6–7 ewre, 7 eawer, eawr, 5– ewer. [ad. AF. *ewiere, parallel with OF. aiguiere (mod. aiguière), eviere (17th c. in Cotgr.), repr. Lat. type *aquāria, f. aqua water; cf. prec.]

1

  1.  ‘A pitcher with a wide spout, used to bring water for washing the hands’ (W.). In mod. use the trade name for a bedroom water-jug.

2

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1457. Þer wer bassynes ful bryȝt of brende golde clere, Enaumaylde with azer & eweres of sute.

3

14[?].  MS. Cantab. Ff. i. 6, lf. 58 (Halliw.). Yore [= ewer].

4

1413.  Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, V. xi. (1483), 103. This sygne is Aquarius with his ewer.

5

1494.  Fabyan, VII. 345. He gaue to Ye abbot … a basyn with an ewyr of syluer.

6

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, XIII. ix. 17. As quhow the crystall eweris [ed. 1710 eueris] to thair handis The watir gave.

7

1574.  Gifts to Queen, in Nichols, Progr. Q. Eliz., I. 413. A very smale fountayne of golde with ower in it, enamuled.

8

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 73. The holding vp aloft a siluer Ewre, after washing.

9

1725.  Pope, Odyss., I. 179. The golden ewer a maid obsequious brings.

10

1815.  Scott, Guy M., xxiv. Ailie … at that instant entered with basin and ewer.

11

  2.  Comb., as ewer-wise.

12

1599.  Minsheu, Dial. in Sp. & Eng., 11/2. This pot made ewer wise.

13