Obs. (a. AF. *eure, = OF. uevre, euvre, evre (13th cent.; F. œuvre):—L. opera OPERA sb.]
I. In ure: 1. a. In or into use, practice, or performance. Often with vbs., as bring, come, have, and esp. put (freq. c. 1510–c. 1630). Also rarely with into.
(a) c. 1420. Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 1448. Whom folowyd Dethe, whych wold nat tary Hys feruent power there to put in vre.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 215. And elder than oon yeer, no grayn in vre Thou putte, in drede hit die.
c. 1500. Medwall, Nature (Brandl), 815. He hath shewed me a praty whyle [= wile], If I may put yt in vre.
1522. More, De Quat. Noviss., Wks. 76/2. Yt this only lesson wel learned & busily putte in vre, must nedes leade vs to heauen.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vi. 1031. Even as a Surgeon … before in ure he put His violent Engins on the vicious member.
1627. Hakewill, Apol. (1630), 287. Would God men would be pleas’d to put this course in ure.
1681. New News fr. Bedlam, Postscr. You have put his jealous Pen in Ure.
1702. R. L’Estrange, Josephus, Antiq., XVI. i. 444. That was the Course therefore, they resolved to put in Ure.
(b) 1563. Shute, Archit., F i. They maye be practised and brought in vre to diuers vses.
1581. Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., I. (1586), 26 b. Perchaunce they haue brought in ure both publikelie and priuatlie vices far more pernitious than this.
a. 1604. Hanmer, Chron. Ireland (1633), 175. If hee dyed seised during that time, his wife shall not be indowed of the same land as came late in ure.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 97. Martiall discipline he required most sharply, bringing again into ure and execution certaine … chastisements.
(c) c. 1475. Partenay, 3722. My goddoughter I may calle hir in vre.
1494. in Househ. Ord. (1790), 112. The sitting of all Dukes, Earles, and Barons sonnes…, such things hathe beene well had in ure.
c. 1530. Remedy of Love, xxiii. But this am I sure, Moche lyke thyng I haue had in vre.
a. 1542. Wyatt, Poet. Wks. (1913), I. 11. Trouth is tryed where craft is in ure.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 57. What thing a man in tender age hath most in vre.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist., 128. Neither had it any agreement with that which is in vre among vs.
1613. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. v. The staires of rugged stone, seldome in ure.
b. With dependent infinitive.
a. 1530. Heywood, Love (Brandl), 33. No tonge can attayne to put in vre Her to discryue.
1575. Gascoigne, Glasse of Govt., II. vi. Greate the paines which teachers put in ure, To trade them still, in verteous qualities.
1598. Marston, Sco. Villanie, II. (1599), 175. [To] dare put in ure To make Jehoua but a couverture To shade ranck filth.
c. With reference to statutes, etc.: In or into effect, force, or operation. Chiefly with vbs., esp. put.
1454–5. in Bolton, Stat. Irel. (1621), 23. All the Statutes … against Escheators shall be put in ure, and be of force.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 505. To the entente that they shulde see ye sayde proclamacyon put in vre.
1539. St. Papers Hen. VIII., I. 597. My letters to the said Depute shall not nede to be put in ure.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., I. xviii. 165. Ye statute of Northampton … is now … put in vre for the punishment of Forcible Entries.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 420. They ment to bring … S. Edwards lawes and liberties againe In ure.
1614. Bacon, Draft of King’s Speech, Wks. 1869, V. 30. His Majesty could wish the ancient statutes were put in ure.
c. 1670. Hobbes, Dial. Com. Laws (1681), 141. That the Diocesan hath Jurisdiction of Heresie, and that so it was put in ure in all Queen Elizabeths reign.
1701. Atterbury, Add. to 1st Ed. Rights Convocation, 48. They would not Enact, put in Ure, Promulge, or Execute any New Canons.
1711. G. Hickes, Two Treat. Chr. Priesth. (ed. 3), II. 79. Without any retrospection to old Principles, the King’s Ecclesiastical Supremacy in Virtue of these Laws, was put in Ure.
d. In remembrance or recollection. Only to have … in ure.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 347. The peple … sayethe … Gurmunde … to have made those dyches, hauenge not Turgesius in vre or in remembraunce.
c. 1450. Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls), VIII. 452. The kynge havynge not in ure of the seide promisse.
e. In or into a state of prevalence or existence. Chiefly with vbs., as come, draw, put.
1470. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. I. 134. Towchinge the tyme whene the Mariage shalbe put in ure.
1477. Paston Lett., III. 191. For th’enconvenyence that I have knowe let in ur in case lyke, and yit enduryth in Kente.
a. 1547. Surrey, in Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 15. Like as when, rough winter spent, The pleasant spring straight draweth in vre.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Luke xxii. 167 b. What thyng Petur did, the same would the other disciples also haue dooen, if lyke necessitee had cum in vre.
1549. Proctor, Fall of late Arrian, R iij b. Touchynge the dispensacion of the flesh, and the misterye nowe in force and vre, Christ shalbe subiected vnto the father.
1638. Farley, Emblems, H 3. This waxen torch is able to endure The winds, when Æolus puts them in ure.
2. Of persons, their faculties, etc.: In or into the regular exercise or practice of a particular pursuit. Usu. with verbs, as fall, put, and chiefly (esp. c. 1580–c. 1685) keep.
(a) c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 1173. Y haue shewed the, & brought þe in vre, to know þe Curtesie of court.
1513. More, Rich. III. (1883), 18. Himself had bene al his dayes in ure therwith.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 217. To put his people in vre, that thei might bee the more ready to fight.
1571. Campion, Hist. Irel., II. i. (1633), 69. Sundry times came Lacy to quicken his labourers, full glad to see them fall in ure with any such exercise.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., 42. Till they have brought their hande in ure with the shape and fashion of the Letters.
1677. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., s.v., To put himself in ure, s’accoûtumer.
(b) 1539. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (Parker Soc.), 416. I pray you, keep your hand in ure.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades, 84. Hee … by the Crosse doth keepe our patience in vre.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xxiv. 351. To keepe in vre and exercise, the skill and valour of her English.
1627. Bp. Hall, Epist., III. viii. 329. To keepe the heart in vre with God is the highest taske of a Christian. Ibid. (1627), Art. Divine Medit., xxxi. The minde is by turnes depressed and lifted vp:… which order doth best hold it in vre, and just temper.
1690. W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., 254. He lies to keep his tongue in ure.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, 92. Keeping his hand in Ure with somewhat of Greater Value.
II. 3. Out of ure: a. Out of use; disused; obsolete.
1553. Brende, Q. Curtius, Q vi. Oure naturall toungue throughe the conversation of straunge nacions is gone out of ure.
1567. Jewel, Def. Apol. Ch. Eng., V. v. § 1. 524. Al these thinges are woorne nowe out of vre, and nighe deade.
a. 1600. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., VII. xiv. § 2. The mention of contrary orders worn so many ages since quite and clean out of ure.
b. Out of practice. rare–1.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Simulation (Arb.), 509. Which … maketh him practise Simulation in other things, lest his Hand should be out of vre.
III. 4. Custom or habit on the part of persons; wont to do something, rare.
c. 1425. Cast. Persev., 3629, in Macro Plays, 185. Þe vij dedis of mercy, who-so hadde vre to Fylle.
1506. Kalender of Sheph., A iv b. I Nouembre wyll not abyde behynde, To shewe my kyndly worthynes and vre.
1556. Abp. Parker, Ps. cvii. 316. Ryght oft is hys vre by loue to allure.
1557. F. Seager, Sch. Virt., 716, in Babees Bk. (1868), 344. And sure it is taken by custome and vre, whyle yonge you be there is helpe and cure.
c. 1600. Sylvester, Miracle of Peace, xxv. Or (if you cannot leave your wonted ure) Leave (at the least) all mutinous alarmes.
5. Sc. Work; labor, rare–1
a. 1510. Douglas, K. Hart, I. 2. King Hart, into his cumlie castell strang Closit about with craft and meikill vre.
