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Errand. World English Historical Dictionary

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Errand. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1897, rev. 2025. Errand Forms: 1–2 ærende, 3–5 ærnde, erende, ernde, errnde (Orm.), arunde, (3 earende, erinde, erd(e)ne), 4 arende, arnd, erned, 5 erunde, 4–6 erand(e, errande, (4 eraunt, -ond(e, herand(e, 5 -end, ardene, arend, eraunde, erdon, ernedde, erundi, herunde, heyrne, 6 haraunte, arande, arnede), 6–7 arrant(e, 7 arrand, -end, earrant, earande, 6–8 errant, (8 dial. arnt), 4– errand. [OE. ǽrende str. neut., corresp. to OS. ârundi, OHG. ârunti, âronti, ârandi (MHG. erende), ON. eyrindi, örindi, erindi neut. (Da. ærinde, ærend, Sw. ærende). The ulterior etymology is obscure: the OS. and OHG. forms seem to point to an OTeut. type *ǣrundjo-(m, and the ON. forms to *ărundjo-m neither of which is easy to reconcile with the otherwise plausible (and generally accepted) connection with Goth. áirus, ON. árr, OS. êru, OE. ár messenger; if any relation exists, the ai of OTeut. *airus must be due to epenthesis.]

1   † 1.  A message, a verbal communication to be repeated to a third party. Obs.

2 c. 890.  K. Ælfred, Bæda, II. ix. He his hlafordes ærende secʓan sceolde.

3 a. 1000.  Guthlac, 696 (Gr.). Bartholomeus aboden hæfde godes ærendu.

4 c. 1200.  Ormin, Ded., 159. Goddspell onn Ennglissh nemmnedd iss … God errnde.

5 c. 1290.  Lives Saints (1887), 25. And seiden him þe erende.

6 c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., C. 72. Now sweȝe me þider swyftly & say me þis arende.

7 1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XIV. 41. The messager … with hus mouth telleþ Hus erande, and hus lettere sheweþ.

8 c. 1440.  York Myst., xx. 233. To þam youre herand for to say.

9 1535.  Coverdale, 1 Sam. xi. 5. So they tolde him [Saul] the Earande of the Men of Iabes.

10 1571.  Campion, Hist. Irel., II. ix. (1633), 116. They pressed him sore with a trayterous errant, sent by his daughter the Lady of Slane, to all his brethren.

11 1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 22. Tel your King, from me, this errand.

12 1725.  De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 93. The second messenger came in, and delivered his part of the errand.

13 1754.  Sherlock, Disc. (1759), I. iv. 153. Preachers of the Gospel were sent into the World: The Errand was worthy of Him who sent them.

14   b.  In religious language: A petition or prayer presented through another (the Virgin Mary).

15 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 167. Ure lafdi Seinte Marie bere ure arende to ure louerd ihesu crist.

16 c. 1440.  Bone Flor., 1857. Lady Mary free … Here my errande, as thou well may.

17 c. 1460.  Emare, 8. Mary, hevyn qwene, Bere our arunde … To thy sone.

18 1849–53.  Rock, Ch. of Fathers, III. ix. 341. The ‘handmaid of the Lord’ was looked upon as one among the appointed bearers of our errands unto heaven.

19   2.  A going with a message or a commission:

20   a.  In an elevated or dignified sense: A mission, embassy, an expedition for a specific purpose. Now arch., poet. or rhetorical.

21 a. 1000.  Andreas, 215 (Gr.). Ne mæʓ þæs ærendes ylding wyrðan.

22 1065.  O. E. Chron., Hig læʓdon ærende on hine to þam cyninge Eadwarde.

23 1683.  Temple, Mem., Wks. 1731, I. 477. I never obey’d the King so unwillingly in my Life; both upon Account of an Errand so unnecessary, and [etc.].

24 1744.  Thomson, Summer, 526. Immortal forms, On gracious errands bent.

25 1837.  W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, II. 257. They met the guide returning from his secret errand.

26 1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xxi. 207. The scene at the lake impressed my brother when he visited it on his errand of rescue.

27   b.  In mod. colloquial language, esp.: A short journey on which an inferior (e.g., a servant, a child) is sent to convey a message or perform some simple business on behalf of the sender. Phrases, to run (on) errands, to go (on) an errand.

28 1642.  Charles I., Declar., 12 Aug., 13. Attending the doores of both Houses to be employed in their errants.

29 1859.  Dickens, T. Two Cities, II. i. He was never absent during business hours, unless upon an errand.

30   c.  Phrases, A fool’s errand: a profitless undertaking. † A sleeveless errand: see SLEEVELESS.

31 1705.  Hickeringill, Priest-cr., I. (1721), 20. Did not the Pope send all the Princes of Christendom upon a Fool’s Errand, to gain the Holy Land?

32 1840.  Marryat, Poor Jack, viii. The doctor’s come on a fool’s errand.

33 1884.  T. A. Janvier, in Century Mag., Nov., 59/1. He only was going on a fool’s errand again.

34   3.  The business on which one is sent; in wider sense, the object of a journey, a purpose, intention.

35 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 246. Clene bone … cumeð in biuoren Almihti God, & deð þe erinde … wel.

36 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1402. Eliezer … tolde hem … And for quat erdene he ðider nam.

37 c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 257. To wone any quyle in þis won, hit watz not myn ernde.

38 a. 1400.  Cov. Myst. (1841), 282. I come ageyn Fulleche myn Erdon for to spede.

39 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 522. The woman … vnder shadow of shame shewid forth hir ernd.

40 1432–50.  trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 243. To exercise theire causes and erneddes.

41 1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 263/4. Gotard … for certeyne necessitees and erandes retorned into placence.

42 1484.  Paston Lett., No. 881, III. 314. Your sunne dede hese heyrne ryght wele as ye shal her aftyr this.

43 1598.  Yong, Diana, 24. I … tooke out before me a few goates … bicause I would not goe without some errant.

44 1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj., 179. Commissions of Justitiarie, suld nocht be granted … for langer space nor the earand in hand may be conveniently perfited.

45 1610.  T. Lorkin, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 251, III. 221. The chief errand of my last Letters was to let you understand of our safe comming hither.

46 1699.  Bentley, Phal., 70. He had another errant to Persia, than buying of Slaves.

47 1790.  Paley, Horæ Paul., Rom. i. 9. The errand which brought him to Jerusalem.

48 1883.  ‘Ouida,’ Wanda, I. 3. This errand was distasteful.

49   4.  To make an errand: a. (cf. 2) to make a short journey; b. (cf. 3) to find a pretence for going.

50 c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 2513. If thou … any errand mightest make Thider, for thy loves sake.

51 1491.  Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 22. Pream., Y made myn erand unto you for seyng of evydence.

52 1549.  Edward VI., Jrnl., in Rem. (1857–8), 249. Guidotty made divers harauntes from the constable of Fraunce to make peace with us.

53 1579.  North, Plutarch, 936 (R.). He him selfe made an arrant home to fetche suche thinges as he lacked.

54 1589.  Nashe, Anat. Absurditie, B i a. Wemen … will not stick to make an errant ouer the way.

55 1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., II. xxvii. 120. Tom … after vainly waiting for him to come out, determined, at last, to make an errand in.

56   5.  attrib. and Comb., as errand-bearer, -bringer, -cart, -goer, -porter; errand-bearing adj.; also, † erindebere, ME., = errand-bearer; errand-boy, a boy kept to run on errands; so errand-lad; † erendes-man, ME., an ambassador; errand-making a., that finds an excuse for accosting or intruding upon a person. Also ERENDRAKE.

57 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 60. Þe liht eie … is ase *erindebere [C. erende beorere] of þe lihteheorte.

58 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3226 (Cott.). Apon his kne he did him suere Þat he suld be lel errand berer.

59 13[?].  Interloc. Poem, in Rel. Ant., I. 146. Thu salt be my herand-bere.

60 1815.  Tweddell, Remains, lxviii. 300, note (Jod.). Savoyard [a term] for chimney-sweeper and *errand-boy at Paris.

61 1838.  Dickens, O. Twist, x. The tradesman leaves his counter … the errand boy his parcels, the schoolboy his marbles.

62 1879.  ‘E. Garrett’ (Mrs. Mayo), House by Works, iii. 54. I will send the errand boy with thee to carry a note which will explain.

63 1720.  Ozell, Vertot’s Rom. Rep., I. IV. 235. The Consuls … ordered that *Errand-bringer of theirs to be driven away ignominously.

64 1810.  Edin. Rev., XV. 342. Who employs the drivers of *errand-carts to distribute them indiscriminately to travellers.

65 1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. v. He was *errand-goer by appointment to the house at the corner.

66 1887.  Pall Mall Gaz., 29 June, 13/2. Here, too, were *errand lads, shop lads, clerks.

67 1599.  Warn. Faire Wom., I. 355. These *errand-making gallants are good men, That cannot pass, and see a woman sit … But they will find a ’scuse to stand and prate.

68 c. 1205.  Lay., 24862. Nah na man demen *erendes-mon [c. 1275 herendrake] to dæðen.

69 1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxi. A tattered cadie, or *errand-porter … exclaimed in a strong north-country tone.

70   Hence † Errandeer [+ -EER] (see quot.). Errander [+ -ER1]. rare. One who goes on an errand. Errandry [+ -RY] = ERRAND.

71 1736.  Bailey, Errandeer, a scout at Oxford.

72 1883.  G. Stephens, Bugge’s Stud. North. Mythol. Examined, 41. A shrub forgotten by the erranders.

73 1834.  Disraeli, Rev. Epick, I. xxxi. 44.        And swift To-morrow [is] but a truant hind, That lags upon a graceless errandry.

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