Obs. Forms: 4 guiure, 5 gwyuer (gwuer), 4–5 wiuere, 5 wiver, 6–7 wiuer; 4–5 wyuere, 5–7 wyuer, 7 wyver. [a. OF. wyvre, wivre, guivre (F. guivre, givre), etc., varr. vivre serpent: see VIVER2.]
1. A viper. Also fig. and in fig. context.
13[?]. K. Alis., 5609 (Laud MS.). Addres, guiures, & dragouns, Wolden þis folk … Envenymen & abite.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 1010. Ialousye … þat wikkede wyuere.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, III. v. (Skeat), l. 34. Wherfore … ye ne ought … accompte thilke thing [sc. jealousy] among these other welked wivers and venomous serpentes, as envy, mistrust, and yvel speche.
c. 1400. Partonope, 7079. Now is he allone in þe wildernesse Amonge wyuerse and serpentes. Ibid., 7254. Maruk shewed hir grete lyons,… Dragons, Wyuers, and eke serpentes.
2. Her. = WYVERN 1.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1875), 41. A Wyuer is a kynde of serpent of good Bulke, not vnlyke vnto a dragon, of whose kinde he is, a thinge well knowen vnto the Heroldes, vsinge the same for armes, and crestes, & supporters. Ibid., 42. The erle of Kent bearethe a wiuer for his Creste and supporters; the erle of Penbroke, a wiuer vert for his Creste.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 293. A wiuer volant. Ibid., 294. A Wyuer being the Armes of Hugh Brent Esquire.
1678. Phillips (ed. 4), Wyver, the name of an Animal, little known otherwise than as it is depicted in Blazonry.
3. Wyver-fish, some chimerical fish. nonce-use.
1857. G. Meredith, Farina, ix. 153. Upon that he [sc. the Demon] shot out his wings, that were like the fins of the wyver-fish, sharpened in venomous points.
