Also 6 bandurion, 6–7 -dora. [ad. Sp. or Pg.; the Romanic forms show much phonetic perversion: Sp. bandu·rria, bando·la, Pg. bandurra, Fr. mandore, formerly mandole, It. mando·la, pando·ra, pandu·ra; all repr. L. pandūra, pandūrium, a. Gr. πανδοῦρα, πανδυρίς, a musical instrument. Hence also, by further corruption, BANJO.] A musical instrument resembling a guitar or lute, with three, four or six wire strings, used as a bass to the cittern.

1

1566.  Gascoigne, Jocasta (1848), 133. A dolefull and straunge noyse of violles, Cythren, Bandurion.

2

1591.  Percivall, Span. Dict., Vihuela, a bandore.

3

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 146. A Bandora, Orpharion, or Cittern, which have likewise Wire-strings.

4

1689.  Shadwell, Bury-Fair, III. Wks. 1720, IV. 161. The best musick in England … shawm and bandore.

5

1883.  J. Hawthorne, in Harper’s Mag., Nov., 933/2. I would lightly touch the strings of my bandore.

6

  attrib.  1607.  Heywood, Fayre Mayde Exch., Wks. 1874, II. 20. What’s her haire? faith two Bandora wiars.

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