Obs. Forms: 4 layour, 4–5 liour(e, lyour(e, lyre, 5 lere, 5–6 lyer(e, 6–8 leer(e, 7 leir, 8–9 lear. [a. OF. lieure, lyeure, liure:—L. ligātūra-m (see LIGATURE).]
1. Tape; binding for the edges of a fabric.
1382–3. Durh. MS. Sacr. Roll. In lyour empt. pro le Redill’ pro magno altari, ijd.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 178/1. Frenge, or lyoure, tenia. Ibid., 306/2. Lyowre, to bynde wythe precyows clothys, ligatorium, redimiculum.
1485. Churchw. Acc. St. Dunstan’s, Canterbury, For lere and ryngys to the same bockeram vd.
1503. Privy Purse Exp. Eliz. York (Nicholas, 1830), 91. Item for viij lb. of blewe lyere at xijd. the lb. viijs.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 79. I meane so to mortifie my selfe, that in steede of silkes, I wil weare sackcloth: for Owches and Bracelletes, Leere and Caddys.
1736. J. Lewis, I. of Tenet, Gloss. (E.D.S.), Leere, tape.
2. Cookery. A thickening for sauces, soups, etc.; a thickened sauce.
c. 1390[?]. Form of Cury (1780), 24. Make a layour of brede and blode and lay it þerwith.
c. 1430. Two Cookery-bks., 33. Take Water and let boyle, and draw a lyer þer-to of Brede, of þe cromys, with wyne y-now.
1658. Sir T. Mayerne, Archimag. Anglo-Gall., xxviii. 29. Then make a Leer or Sawce for it.
1750. E. Smith, Compl. Housew. (ed. 14), 35. When ’tis baked, put in a lear of gravy with a little white wine.
1837. Disraeli, Venetia, I. iv. One of those rich sauces of claret, anchovy, and sweet herbs,… which was technically termed a Lear.
Hence Learing vbl. sb. (in quots. liring, lyring), binding with tape.
1480. Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (Nicholas, 1830), 126. Liour for liring and lowping of the same arras.
1512. Househ. Bk. Earl Northumb. (1770), 326. For Lyring Sewing and Jouning or Stuf.
