ere

See also Ere, ēre, -ere, -eré, 'ere, and erè

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English ere, from Old English ǣr. (adverb, conjunction, & preposition), from Proto-Germanic *airiz comparative of Proto-Germanic *airi (“early”), from Proto-Indo-European *áyeri (“day, morning”) (compare Avestan 𐬀𐬫𐬀𐬭 (ayar, “day”), Gk. ἠέριος (ēérios, “at daybreak”), see also era). The adverb erstwhile retains the Old English superlative ǣrest (“earliest”).

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ɛː/
• Rhymes: -ɛə(r)

Alternative forms

• yer [15th-16th c.]

Adverb

ere (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) At an earlier time. [10th-17th c.]
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, John I:

     Thys is he of whome I spake, he that commeth after me, was before me be cause he was yer than I.

Preposition

ere

1. (poetic, archaic) Before; sooner than.
   • Bible, John iv. 49

     Sir, come down ere my child die.

   • Shakespeare

     Stirring ere the break of day.

   • Dryden

     Ere sails were spread new oceans to explore.

Translations

before, sooner than

• Italian: prima (it), dinanzi (it)
• Russian: до (ru) (dó), перед (ru) (péred), прежде чем (préžde čém)

Quotations

• For usage examples of this term, see the citations page.

Related terms

• erstwhile
• ere long

Etymology 2

Noun

ere (plural eres)

1. Obsolete form of ear..
   • 1533, R. Saltwood:

     As plesaunt to the ere as the blacke sanctus Of a sad sorte vpon a mery pyn.

Anagrams

• e'er

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Basque

Conjunction

ere

1. also

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Danish

Verb

ere

1. (obsolete) present plural form of være as in "Vi ere" (=we are) or "De ere" (=they are).

Usage notes

• Plural verbs were made optional in 1900.

Related terms

• er

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eːrə

Noun

ere f (plural eren)

1. honour

In ere houden. To keep in honour

Verb

ere

1. singular present subjunctive of eren

Anagrams

• eer, ree

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Italian

Noun

ere f

1. Plural form of era

Anagrams

• ree

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Spanish

Noun

ere f (plural eres)

1. Name of the letter r.

Synonyms

• erre (generic name for the letter r)

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Turkish

Noun

ere

1. dative singular form of er