Also 5–6 leure, 6–7 lewre, 7 luer, lewer. [a. OF. leurre, loerre, loire = Pr. loire, cogn. w. It. logoro bait; prob. of Teut. origin; cf. MHG. luoder, mod. G. luder bait.]
1. An apparatus used by falconers, to recall their hawks, constructed of a bunch of feathers, to which is attached a long cord or thong, and from the interstices of which, during its training, the hawk is fed. Hawk of the lure: see HAWK sb.1 1.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 317/2. Lure for hawkys, lurale.
1530. Palsgr., 239/1. Leure for a hauke, levrre.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 146. Fasten a pullet unto your leure and goe apart.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 1027. As Faulcons to the lure, away she flies.
1615. Latham, Falconry (1633), Words of Art expl., Lver is that whereto Faulconers call their young Hawkes by casting it vp in the aire, being made of feathers and leather in such wise that in the motion it looks not vnlike a fowle.
1660. Act 12 Chas. II., c. 4. Rates Inwards … Lewers for Hawkes the peece js. iiiid.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Tracts, 116. Though they [old Falconers] used Hoods, we have no clear description of them, and little account of their Lures.
c. 1704. Prior, Henry & Emma, 110. When Emma hawks: With her of tarsels and of lures he talks.
1814. Cary, Dante, Inf., XVII. 123. As falcon, that hath long been on the wing, But lure nor bird hath seen.
1834. Spectator, 1 Nov., 1036. The Duke of St. Albans has manned eight hawks, and their training with leash and crease and lure is now in actual progress.
1881. Macm. Mag., XLV. 39. First the hawk … is ‘called off’ to a piece of food held in the hand; next to a ‘lure.’
b. The act or function of training the hawk to come to the lure. rare.
1615. Latham (title), Falconry; or the Faulcons Lure, and Cure.
c. Phrases. To alight on the lure, to bring, call, come, stoop to (the or one’s) lure, etc. Often fig.
† Also at one’s lure (fig.): at one’s command, under one’s control; so † to gain to one’s lure.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Friar’s T., 42. This false theef,… Hadde alway bawdes redy to his hond, As any hauk to lure in Engelond. Ibid., Manciple’s Prol., 72. Another day be wole perauenture Reclayme thee, and brynge thee to lure.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 11. Bot yit hire liketh noght alyhte Upon no lure which I caste.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, V. xxxiv. (1554), 141 b. After this … Came Jugurtha yt manly man to lure.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., xxxiv. (Percy Soc.), 171. She promised … To love you best … Though that Disdayne brought her to her lure.
1582. T. Watson, Centurie of Love, xlvii. In time the Bull is brought to weare the yoake, In time all haggred Haukes will stoope the Lures.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xi. 151. As much as thou canst, thou makest all things stoope to thy lure.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 52. I leaue to tell how she doth poison cure,… What canckars hard and wolfes be at her lure.
1611. Markham, Country Content., I. v. (1668), 30. After your Hawks are manned, you shall bring them to the Lure by easie degrees.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 10. I teach my haggard and unreclaimed Reason to stoope unto the lure of Faith.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, I. 30. This mayd Antonina, by much soothing … at last gained to her lure.
1664. Butler, Hud., II. iii. 614. The Rosycrucian way’s more sure To bring the Devil to the Lure.
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, II. III. 186. He brought the Venetian to his Luer.
1688. [see LURE v. 2].
1742. Somerville, Field Sports, 14. A docile Slave, Tam’d to the Lure, and careful to attend Her Master’s Voice.
1819. Shelley, Peter Bell, VII. ii. A friend of ours—a poet: fewer Have fluttered tamer to the lure Than he.
1865. Swinburne, Poems & Ball., Gard. Proserpine, 76. Time stoops to no man’s lure.
2. Her. A conventional representation of a hawk’s lure, consisting of two birds’ wings with the points directed downwards, and joined above by a ring attached to a cord. In lure: see quot. 1828–40.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 132 b. The fielde is de Azure, two winges iointly en Lewre de argent.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, VI. i. (1660), 384. Three pair of Wings joyned in lewer.
1828–40. Berry, Encycl. Her., I. Lure,… Wings conjoined with their tips turned downwards … are said to be in Lure.
1868. Cussans, Her. (1883), 117.
1883. N. & Q., 23 June, 484/2. Northern California … Argent, on a bend gules, cotised sable, three pairs of wings conjoined in lure of the field [etc.].
3. (orig. fig.) Something that allures, entices or tempts.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1371, Hypsip. Thou madest thyn recleyimyng and thyn luris To ladyes.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 4140. He þat dispendith out of mesure Shal tast a-none pouertes bitternesse; ffoole largesse is ther-to a verray lure.
1528. Lyndesay, Dreme, 278. Off Lychorye thay wer the verray luris.
1635. R. Bolton, Comf. Affl. Consc., 276. To hold out … as a prize and Lure, the freenesse of Gods immeasurable mercy.
1671. Milton, P. R., II. 194. How many have with a smile made small account Of beauty and her lures.
1747. Smollett, Regicide, I. i. (1777), 6. Remained unshaken by the enchanting lure Which vain ambition spread before his eye.
1815. Shelley, Alastor, 294. Silent death exposed, Faithless perhaps as sleep, a shadowy lure.
a. 1832. Mackintosh, Rev. 1688, Wks. 1846, II. 89. Whether the succession was actually held out to her as a lure or not, at least there was an intention … to prefer her to the Princess of Orange.
1902. Contemp. Rev., Sept., 359. He is mighty hard on those who dare to tempt fortune and follow its lure.
4. A means of alluring animals to be captured; in Angling a more general term than bait, which strictly denotes only something that fishes can eat.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Lure,… Bait.
1859. Mark Lemon, Christm. Hamper (1860), 86. The barber … whose bow-windowed shop … is full of lures for fish.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, v. (1880), 158. His line, guiltless of a lure, is extended on the surface of the water.
1878. Stevenson, Inland Voy., 44. The kind of fish for which they set their lures.
1900. Blackw. Mag., Sept., 340/2. The aim of the angler should be to present them with something … different … from the lures with which they may have become familiar.
¶ b. Erroneously used for: A trap or snare (fig.).
1463. G. Ashby, Prisoner’s Refl., 269, Poems (E.E.T.S.), 9. Was ther euyr lord so gret and so sure,… That may not fall in the snare and in the lure Of trouble.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills (1872), IV. 269. And treacherously thou hast betrayed, Unto thy Lure a gentle Heart.
1870. Disraeli, Lothair, xlii. The Colonel fell into the lure only through his carelessness.
1872. Browning, Fifine, iii. At wink of eve be sure They love to steal a march, nor lightly risk the lure.
5. The cry of a falconer recalling his hawk: fig. any alluring cry.
1653. Milton, Hirelings (1659), 132. By that lure or loubel may be toald from parish to parish all the town over.
1811. W. R. Spencer, Poems, 199. Oh! where’s thy guiding lure,—a mother’s voice.
6. attrib., as lure-bait, -bird, -fish, -owl.
1777. Hoole, Comenius’ Vis. World (ed. 12), 68. He allureth birds, by the chirping of lure-birds.
1869. Browning, Ring & Bk., VII. 678. You are a coquette, A lure-owl posturing to attract birds.
1876. G. B. Goode, Anim. Resources U.S., 41. Lure-fish used in taking Mackinaw trout.
1883. Fisheries Exhib. Catal., 195. Case of lure-baits and ornamented hooks from Alaska.
