Now dial. Forms: 4–5 spere, 6 sper, 7 speare, 9 spear, 5, 7– speer, 6, 9 speere. [? a. MLG. speer, sper spar-work.] A fixed screen for warding off an air-draught; a wooden partition near the door or by the fire-place; a chimney-post.

1

1379.  Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 131. In factura unius spere de Estlandbord’ in Scakar Hostill. cum ligaturis ferreis et clavis.

2

1419.  Mem. Ripon (Surtees), III. 145. Pro dobyng ij sperys j mesuagii in Bondgate pro ij dies.

3

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 468/2. Spere, or scuw,… scrineum, ventifuga.

4

a. 1470.  H. Parker, Dives & Pauper (W. de W., 1496), IV. iv. 1641. He was put out of the chambre & layde hym behynde the spere at the halle dore.

5

1530.  Palsgr., 274/1. Speere in a hall, buffet.

6

1538.  in Gage, Hist. & Antiq. Hengrave (1822), 42. Item, ye said hall to have ij coberds; one benethe, at the sper, wt a tremor; and another, at the hygher table’s inde, wtout a tremor.

7

a. 1600.  Heir of Linne, 80, in Percy’s MS. (1867), I. 78. When that he came to Iohn of the Scales, vpp at the speere he looked then.

8

1674.  Ray, N. C. Words, 44. The Speer. Chesh. The Chimney post.

9

1820.  Wilbraham, Chesh. Gloss., 62. Speer, the chimney post on each side of the fire-place.

10

1886.  B. Brierley, Cast upon World, i. 9. The first object to be seen after the door was closed was a pinched face at the edge of the ‘speer.’

11