Now only Hist. Forms: 5 terrere, 5–9 terrar, 6 tarrar, terrour, -ore, 7 terreer, 7–8 terrer, 6– terrier. [a. OF. terrier (13–15th c. in Godef., Compl.) rent-roll, subst. use of terrier adj. (cf. F. registre terrier (15th c.) = med.L. terrārius liber):—med.L. terrārius, f. terra land. Thence med.L. terrērium rent-roll (Du Cange).] A register of landed property, formerly including lists of vassals and tenants, with particulars of their holdings, services, and rents; a rent-roll; in later use, a book in which the lands of a private person, or of a corporation civil or ecclesiastical, are described by their site, boundaries, acreage, etc. Also, in extended application, an inventory of property or goods.
1477. Paston Lett., III. 206. Increse the rente, and make a new terrar and rentall.
1492. Bury Wills (Camden), 78. I wyll that … the terrere wyth that oon partye of thys indentur be putte and kepte in the hutche of the Gyldehalle.
1527. Luton Trin. Guild (1906), 192. A terrore of ye land yt was Thomas Colemakers.
1569. Nottingham Rec., IV. 136. A tarrar of alle the landes and medowes … belongeng to the towne.
1584. N. Riding Rec. (1894), 231. An auncient and true terrour … declaringe the limits [etc.].
1594. West, 2nd Pt. Symbol., Chancerie, § 87. The deedes, evidences, muniments, terriers.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., III. viii. § 17. Some Diocesses in this Terreer were exactly done, and remain fairly legible at this day.
1670. Blount, Law Dict., Terrar … is a Book, Survey, or Land-Roll, wherein the several Lands … are described; containing the quantity of Acres, boundaries, Tenants names, and such like.
a. 1695. Wood, Life (O.H.S.), I. 398. That there was no terrier taken of the goods he had, which were bought at the college charg.
1707. E. Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Eng., II. ix. (ed. 22), 129. The Churchwardens, whose Office is to see … that there be an exact Terrier of the Glebe-Land.
1879. Times, 22 Sept. The dimensions of each plot by number are preserved in the official parish terrier.
b. transf. and fig.
a. 1640. Jackson, Creed, XI. xxii. § 5. Some … give a more particular terrar or distinct map of this heavenly life or kingdom.
1646. Owen, Country Ess., Wks. 1851, VIII. 55. What bounds, what terriers are to be assigned to the one or to the other.
a. 1649. R. Holdsworth, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. cxix. 111. The holy terrier of the Celestial Canaan.
