baldric
Part of speech: noun
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: From Middle English baudrik, bauderik, baudry (“belt worn over the shoulder or around the waist for carrying a sword, etc., baldric; (by extension) type of leather strap”), from Old French baldré, baldrei, baudré (“crossbelt, sword-belt”) (modern French baudrier); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Frankish *balterād, from earlier *baltiraidī (“belt gear, belt equipment”) (compare Old Occitan baldrei, baudrat), from Frankish *balti (“belt”), from Latin balteus (possibly borrowed from Etruscan 𐌁𐌀𐌋𐌕𐌄𐌀 (baltea, “belt”)) + Frankish *(ga)raidī (“equipment”). However, the Oxford English Dictionary states that a derivation from balteus does not satisfactorily account for the bald- spelling in the various languages. Middle High German balderich, belderich, derived from the Old French word, may have influenced the Middle English form.
Sense 2.3 (“zodiac”) is from its resemblance to a belt ornamented with jewels (sense 1).
Inflected forms:
form: baldrics
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: baldrick
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: baudric
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: baudrick
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: baudricke
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: bauldric
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: bauldrick
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: bawdric
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: bawdrick
pos: noun
tags: alternative
Senses:
gloss: A broad belt, originally of leather and often richly ornamented, worn diagonally from shoulder to hip (across the breast and under the opposite arm), which was formerly used to hold a sword, a bugle, etc., and is now chiefly worn for ceremonial purposes; also (loosely), any belt.
pos: noun
examples: But now how many men are there proude of that that is not theyrs at al? Is there no man proude of keping another mannes gate? […] [W]hat a brag-kyng maketh a beareward wͭ [with] his ſyluer buttened bawdrike, for pride of another mannes bere?
Athvvart his breſt a bauldrick braue he vvare, / That ſhind, like tvvinkling ſtars, vvith ſtones moſt pretious rare.
[B]ut that I vvill haue a rechate vvinded in my forehead, or hang my bugle in an inuiſible baldricke, all vvomen ſhall pardon mee: becauſe I vvill not doe them the vvrong to miſtruſt any, I vvill doe my ſelfe the right to truſt none: […]
A radiant Baldric, o'er his Shoulder ty'd, / Suſtains the Svvord that glitters at his ſide.
And from his blazon'd baldric slung, / A mighty silver bugle hung, / And, as he rode, his armour rung, / Beside remote Shalott.
Fore George, I would not ask thee to buckle my baldrick when the war-steeds were snorting, but I would trust Isabel with the links of my hauberk.
The longer weapon is carried by a narrow bauldric slung over the right shoulder and meeting another cord-shaped band at the breast, in fact suggesting our antiquated cross-belts. The Sword is always worn on the left side. […] A soldier's bauldric is coloured red, like the wood of the bows and arrows.
The figure on the left, holding the severed head of the ox, has removed his sword with the baldric from which it is suspended and given it to his companion, who holds it beside his own with the baldric swinging.
The man facing Locklear had his head covered with a red bandanna, and over his shoulder was a baldric from which a cutlass had hung. The cutlass was now carving through the air at Locklear's head.
The face of the man who stood before him was hidden by a Corinthian helmet. His bronze breastplate was decorated in silver, and he carried his sword hanging from a chain-mail baldric. Over his shoulders was a cloak of blue linen that the evening breeze filled like a sail.
gloss: A (usually leather) strap from which the clapper of a bell is suspended.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
obsolete
examples: [P]aid to the Collermaker of Leawsam for a bawdricke for the great bell … … … iijs.
The Bawdricke of a bell-clapper. Ropalicorigia.
The Bells were evidently a constant source of expense, and very large sums were spent in their re-casting and re-hanging. Scarcely a year passed without some new bell-wheel, bawdricke, rope or clapper being required.
gloss: A necklace.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
obsolete
examples: Baldrike for a ladyes necke carcan s[ubstantive] ma[le]
gloss: The zodiac (“belt-like region of the celestial sphere, approximately eight degrees north and south of the ecliptic, which includes the apparent path of the sun, moon, and visible planets”).
pos: noun
tags: figuratively
obsolete
examples: [S]he [Astraea] hath novv an euerlaſting place, / Mongſt thoſe tvvelue ſignes, vvhich nightly vve doe ſee / The heauens bright-ſhining baudricke to enchace; […]
Right fondly haue the Poets pleaſ'd to ſay, / From earth the faire Aſtræa’s fled avvay, / And in the ſhining Baudrike takes her ſeat, / To make the number of the ſignes compleat.
Derived words: baldricked
baldricwise
Translations: