Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 6 lerrie, 7 lirrie, -y, lurrie, 7–8 lurrey, 7, 9 dial. lerry, 9 dial. larry, lorry, 7– lurry. (Shortened from LIRIPOOP: cf. quots. c. 1580, 1589.]
1. Something said by rote; a lesson, set speech, ‘patter’; fig. a cant formula. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1580. Jefferie, Bugbears, V. vii. 28, in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr. (1897), 50. But I sent the knaves packinge I taught then [sic] thier lerrie & thier poop to for thier knacking.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1590), 16. Why haue you not taught some of those Puppes their lerrie?
1602. Middleton, Blurt, III. iii. F. Wee’ll hencefoorth neuer goe to a cunning woman, since men can teach vs our lerrie.
1625. Heylin, Microcosmus, I. (ed. 2), 197. Hauing learned her lirrie of that Frier-monger, she composed an order of Religious Virgins.
1641. Milton, Reform., 3. Then was the Priest set to con his motions, and his Postures, his Liturgies, and his Lurries.
1651. Biggs, New Disp., ¶ 60. Hear and learn the Galenicall Lurrey.
1669. Bp. Hopkins, Serm., 1 Pet. ii. 12 (1685), 63. They had not learnt that lirry, that the saints are the only Lords of the world.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, V. 220. He … begins his Lurrey.
1744–50. W. Ellis, Mod. Husbandm., VI. xvii. 101. Almost every shepherd … will … very likely plead: Such a Man tried a Thing, and it did no Good; [etc.] This is the common Lirry.
1887. Kentish Gloss., Lerry, the ‘part’ which has to be learnt by a mummer who goes round championing. Lorry, Lurry, jingling rhyme; spoken by mummers and others.
2. A confusion of voices; babel, hubbub, outcry. Obs. exc. dial. (Cf. LARRY sb.1)
c. 1649. Bp. Guthry, Mem. (1702), 126. Notwithstanding the Lurry which had been express’d upon the first hearing of it, yet when the Convention of Estates assembled … not so much as one Man in all the City was heard to speak against it.
1690. Andros Tracts, II. 57. The Lerry, Dinn, and Vociferations, which these Addressers make here.
1710–1. Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 4 March. When this parliament lurry is over, I will endeavour to steal away. Ibid. (1724), Drapier’s Lett., vi. Wks. 1761, III. 111. Finding the whole town in a lurry, with bells, bonfires, and illuminations.
1776. J. Adams, Wks., 1854, IX. 421. The election … was carried on, amidst all this lurry, with the utmost decency and order.
3. A confused assemblage (of persons) or mass (of things). Obs. exc. dial.
1607. R. C[arew], trans. Estienne’s World of Wonders, 135. And is the lurry of lawyers quite worn out? Ibid., 187. Such a lurry and rable of poore farthing Friers.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 464. In lieu whereof Antichrist brings in an heap and lurry of Superstitious Opinions, Rites and Ordinances.
18[?]. T. C. Peter, MS. Coll. Cornish Wds. (E. D. D.). Thare ware sum lurry o’ peepul theeare.
† 4. Looseness (of the bowels). [Cf. lurry adj., ‘of cows, suffering from looseness’ (Wiltsh. Gloss.).]
1689. T. Plunket, Char. Gd. Commander, 13. Such a lerry did possess his breech.
