Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: 4–6 trappure, 5 trappor, -ere, trapure, -ur, -oure, -owre, -ere, 5–6 trappour(e, -ar, 5–7 traper, 5–9 trapper. [ad. OF. *trapeüre, *drapeüre, drapure (a. 1500 in Godef. ‘chevaulx couvers de drapures diverses’), also AF. drapeur (Stat. 7 Edw. IV in Godef.); = med.(Anglo-)L. trappātūra (a. 1450 in Du Cange): see TRAP sb.2, v.2 With later form cf. bordure, border, and -ER2 3.] A covering put over a horse or other beast of burden, made of metal or leather for purpose of defence, or of cloth for shelter and adornment; trapping; housing.
13[?]. Coer de L., 2262. Ten hundred stedes good and sure King Richard let array in trappure.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1641. The scheeldes brighte testeres, and trappures; Gold hewen helmes, hauberkes, Cote Armures.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxvi. 123. Þai hafe … trappour to þaire hors.
1459. in Paston Lett., I. 477. j. pece of skarlot for trappars for horsys.
1463. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 215. To John Wysnacke the same day,… ffor steynynge off my masterys traperys, iij. s. iiij. d.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. xvi. 58. The swerd … cut thorow the trappere of stele.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. v. 194. Thair brusit trappouris and patrellis reddy boun.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Rich. III., 25 b. His horse trapped in blue veluet … which trapper was borne by fotemen from the grounde.
1621. Quarles, Argalus & P. (1678), 114. The Trappers seem to hover Like wings … As the horse pranc’d.
1891. Athenæum, 23 May, 670/3. His opinion that the long-shanked spur was for use when the horse was covered with a trapper.
1902. Jrnl. Archæol. Inst., March, 74. A chain-mail trapper beneath the textile.
fig. 1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., xxvii. (Percy Soc.), 132. The good knight Trouth … betrapped fayre and gaye Wyth shyning trappers of curiositie.
1600. Sir W. Cornwallis, Ess., viii. F v. Al these blessings are the trapers of the furniture of Patience.
