Obs. Forms: 4 burdoure, bourdeoure, bordiour, 4–9 bourdour, 5 bordere, -youre, bowrder, 6 bourder, Sc. burdour, 6–7 boorder, 7 boarder. [ME. bourd(e)our, a. AFr. bourd(e)our, = OF. bordeor, f. border, bourder to BOURD v.1] A jester, a joker, a buffoon; a mocker.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 204. A knyght a bourdour kyng R. hade.
c. 1375. ? Barbour, St. Ninian, 890. His menstrale … þat ves gud mane & gud burdoure.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 44. Bordyoure, or pleyare [1499 bordere], joculator.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, C i. He is but a bourdour and a deceyuer of ladyes.
1552. Huloet, Bourder or rayler, whiche doth counterfayte those whome he mocketh. Bourder, or scoffer.
1606. J. Davies, 2nd Husb. for Overburie’s Wife (1877), 12. Yet boord no Buffons that are boorders broad.
[1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., III. ii. 142. Strolling companies, composed of minstrels … bourdours or jesters, and other performers.]
