v. Obs. Forms: 1 lǽran, Kentish léran, 2–4 leren, 2–3 learen, 3 læren, Orm. lærenn, 3–4 lare(n, 3–6 lere, 3–5 ler, (4 lerin), 4–5 leere, 5 leryn, Sc. leyr, 5–9 Sc. leir, 5–8 lear(e. Also pa. pple. 3 i-læred, -learet, -lered, 4–5 y-lered. [OE. lǽran = OFris. léra, OS. lérian (Du. leeren), OHG. lêran (Ger. lehren), ON. lǽra:—OTeut. *laizjan (for which Goth. has laisjan), f. *laizâ LORE sb.]
1. trans. To teach; = LEARN v. 4. In various constructions: To give instruction to (a person); to teach (a person something, or to do something); to give instruction in (a science, art, etc.).
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., IV. iv. (1890), 272. He wæs sended Ongolþeode Godes word to bodienne & to læranne.
a. 1100. Gerefa, in Anglia (1886), IX. 260. Ac ic lære þæt he do swa ic ær cwæð.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 95. Ȝif þe halia gast ne learð þes monnes heorte.
c. 1200. Ormin, 18147. Sannt Johan Bapptisste comm to lærenn Þe follc to rihhtenn here lif.
c. 1205. Lay., 4312. Þeo alche dæie hine larden luðere craftes.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1053. Þu … lerdest hi to don schome And unriht of hire lichome.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1934. Constantin let also In ierusalem cherchen rere & wide aboute elles ware cristendom to lere.
c. 1320. R. Brunne, Medit., 13. Y wyl þe lere a medytacyon.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxx. (Theodora), 700. He … þe barne in with hyr tuke to lere.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 162. Hue … lereþ hem to lecherie þat louyeþ here ȝyftes.
a. 1400. Prymer, 97. The wey of thi riȝtwesnesses lere thou me.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 33. Prestes schal be dampned for wickidnes of þe peple, if þei lere hem not wan þei are vnkunnand.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 100. Þe kyng thotht to do lere him vpon sciences.
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1856. Of alle thre þou oghtist be wele leerid.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., 426. He is … tauȝt and leerid of an holi man.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, E j. Lystyn to yowre dame and she shall yow lere.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. Prol. 145. I sall leir the ane lessoun to leys all thi pane.
1556. Lauder, Tractate (1864), 151. And, now, geue that ȝe wald be leird To bruke and to Inioye the eird.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., VII. 37. Able to … leir thame to knawe thair dutie.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XII. xl. 221. I did thee leare A lore, repugnant to thy parents faith.
1832–52. Motherwell, in Whistle-Binkie (Sc. Songs), Ser. I. 42. ’Twas then we sat on ae laigh bink, To leir ilk ither lear.
b. To show the way to, lead, guide; to lead (the way).
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 400. To wite þe riȝt way Þe styes for to lere.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 343. Lere me to som man my Crede for to lerne.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 25. For Hengestes was þe first duke of hem, And into þis lond he dede hem lere.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 1753. Graith gydys can thaim leyr.
2. To inform; = LEARN v. 5. Const. rarely of; chiefly with sb. or clause as second obj.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 21494. Me war leuer yow for to lere Quar lijs your lauerd rode-tre.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, Prol. (1554), 7. In which processe, like as I am leared, He [etc.].
c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 1110. I wott welle ye are leryd, My lordys dowghter shalle be wed To a man off myght.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron., LXXIII. xxii. [Arthure] also gate, as Chronycles haue vs lered, Denmarke [etc.].
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., viii. 122. It is good that we enquyre if any the way can vs leere.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, III. ii. 156. Apollois ansueir speir, Beseiking him of succouris ws to leir.
a. 1643. W. Cartwright, Ordinary, IV. i. (1651), 60. Lere me whylk way he wended.
3. To learn, acquire knowledge of (something); to study, read (a book); to learn to do something. Also with clause as obj.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 328. And ȝingid him ðus ðis wilde der So ȝe hauen nu lered her.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 354. Nu wot adam sum-del o wo, Her-after sal he leren mo.
c. 1300. Havelok, 796. Y wile with þe gange, For to leren sum god to gete.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XI. 270. Thanne wrouȝte I unwisly with alle the wyt that I lere!
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vi. (Thomas), 398. Wyt is þat gerris þe fynd Ite, Þat þu lerit [nocht], & memore syne Is þat þu laris, þu nocht tyne, & vndirstandynge is [etc.].
c. 1400. Beryn, 790. Yf yee lust to lere Howe they were I-clepid.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxix. 132. All þe Iews … lerez for to speke Hebrew.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 1548. He bade him lere John evangelist.
1466. Burgh Rec. Peebles (1872), 155. Master Jhon Doby swld haiff all the skwll, owttakand thai that leyryt to syng.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxiii. 54. Thay … will at na man nurtir leyr.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 5. Ane scholar quhilk is to leir ony special science.
1567. Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.), 87. Leir him to dreid, and traist in till him syne.
1585. Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 37. Then ye your self, in teaching men shall leir The rule of liuing well.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 8. They haue leiret nocht to defend thair townes wt wallis.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, X. xxv. 184. On that sad booke his shame and losse he leared.
1719. Ramsay, Prol. to Orphan, 8. And lear—O mighty crimes!—to speak and act! Ibid. (1724), Some of Contents Evergr., v. The sons may leir, How their forbeirs were unacquaint with feir.
a. 1818. Macneill, Poems (1844), 124. ’Twas then my native strains ye leared.
4. absol. and intr. To acquire knowledge; to be informed; = LEARN 2, 3 c. Const. of, on, at.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1832. Þai wald noght lere on noe lare. Ibid., 19538. Þat he moght of his craftes lere.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxvi. (Baptista), 958. Or þir barnis herrod send twa to rome, to lere.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, II. 3. And listeneth of my dreme to lere.
14[?]. Parlt. Love, 3, in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 48. Now ȝee that wull of loue lere, I counsell yow þat ȝe cum nere.
c. 1425. Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 887. Lothe to Offende, and Louyng ay to Lere.
c. 1460. Urbanitatis, 1, in Babees Bk. Who-so wylle of nurtur lere, Herken to me & ȝe shalle here.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VII. 671. Lerand at scule in to thair tendyr age.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xli. 21. Be ȝe so wyiss that vderis at ȝow leir.
1552. Lyndesay, Monarche, 6326. Wald God, said I, ȝe did remane all ȝeir, That I mycht of ȝour heuinlye Lessonis leir.
1562. Winȝet, Cert. Tractates, Wks. 1888, I. 24. Childer of happy ingynis, mair able to leir than I wes to teche.
1721. Kelly, Scot. Prov., 13. As the old Cock crows, the young Cock lears.
