Dictionary

hearse en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (UK) audio
• hûrs
• /hɜːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /hɝs/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English herse, hers, herce, from Old French herce in the sense "triangular framework used to support candles". Ultimately the same word as Old French herce (“harrow”), from Latin *herpicem, accusative singular of *herpex, a variant form of hirpex (“harrow”). The agricultural device's name comes from Oscan hirpus (“wolf”), a reference to a harrow's many teeth. The term for wolf may ultimately be from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰers- (“stiff, rigid, bristled”). The Oscan term is related to Latin hīrsūtus (“bristly, shaggy”), whence English hirsute. The TLFi considers the "framework to support candles" sense of the French word to be derived more specifically from Medieval Latin hercia; in any case, this is ultimately from the same source. (Du Cange sees in hercia a contraction of an extended form *herpicia. It may instead simply be a Latinization of Old French herce.) Doublet of herse (“kind of gate”).

Meanings

1. A framework of wood or metal placed over the coffin or tomb of a deceased person, and covered with a pall; also, a temporary canopy bearing wax lights and set up in a church, under which the coffin was placed during the funeral ceremonies.
2. A grave, coffin, tomb, or sepulchral monument.
   • Beside the hearse a fruitful palm tree grows, 1600, [Torquato Tasso], “The Third Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC:
   • who lies beneath this sculptured hearse 1882, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, To the Avon:
   • underneath this sable hearse 1621, Ben Jonson, Epitath to Mary Herbert:
3. A bier or handbarrow for conveying the dead to the grave.
   • Set down, set down your honourable load, / If honour may be shrouded in a hearse. c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
4. A carriage or vehicle specially adapted or used for transporting a dead person to the place of funeral or to the grave.

Forms

Deriveds

hearsecloth · enhearse · hearseless · hearselike

Relateds

rehearse

Translations (114)

uk катафа́лк (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · mk гроб (grave, coffin, tomb) · fr corbillard (vehicle for transporting dead) · nl graftombe (grave, coffin, tomb) · vi xe tang (vehicle for transporting dead) · fr baldaquin (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · io sarkoveturo (vehicle for transporting dead) · uz katafalk (vehicle for transporting dead) · da ligvogn (vehicle for transporting dead) · nl lijkkist (grave, coffin, tomb) · it cerva (hind on her second year) · fa-ira نَعْشکِش (vehicle for transporting dead) · uk балдахі́н (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · el νεκροφόρα (vehicle for transporting dead) · nl lijkwagen (vehicle for transporting dead) · cy hers (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh ката̀фалк (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · pt carro fúnebre (vehicle for transporting dead) · mi waka tūpāpaku (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh grȍb (grave, coffin, tomb) · nl tweejarige hinde (hind on her second year) · nl rouwkoets (vehicle for transporting dead) · sk pohrebný voz (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh grȍbnica (grave, coffin, tomb) · lt katafalkas (vehicle for transporting dead) · es coche fúnebre (vehicle for transporting dead) · nrf hèrse (vehicle for transporting dead) · fi ruumisvaunut (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh košuta dvogodišnjakinja (hind on her second year) · sv likvagn (vehicle for transporting dead) · pl karawan (vehicle for transporting dead) · nb likbil (vehicle for transporting dead) · ga cóiste marbh (vehicle for transporting dead) · hu halottaskocsi (vehicle for transporting dead) · it carro funebre (vehicle for transporting dead) · cs pohřební vůz (vehicle for transporting dead) · ar عَرَبة نَقْل مَوْتَى (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh гро̏б (grave, coffin, tomb) · lv katafalks (vehicle for transporting dead) · nn gravferdsbil (vehicle for transporting dead) · cmn 殯車 /殡车 (vehicle for transporting dead) · be катафа́лк (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · ru гроб (grave, coffin, tomb) · pt rabecão (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh гро̏бница (grave, coffin, tomb) · da rustvogn (vehicle for transporting dead) · ka კატაფალკი (vehicle for transporting dead) · it baldacchino (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · sv bårbil (vehicle for transporting dead) · nl katafalk (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · cs katafalk (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · uk катафа́лк (vehicle for transporting dead) · ru моги́ла (grave, coffin, tomb) · tr cenaze arabası (vehicle for transporting dead) · ga eileatram (vehicle for transporting dead) · it cataletto (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · mk катафа́лка (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh mrtvačka kola (vehicle for transporting dead) · cy elor (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · nl baldakijn (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · ro dric (vehicle for transporting dead) · fi ruumispaarit (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · hy դիակառք (vehicle for transporting dead) · ga marbhchóiste (vehicle for transporting dead) · ca baldaquí (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · fi ruumisauto (vehicle for transporting dead) · ms van jenazah (vehicle for transporting dead) · vi xe hòm (vehicle for transporting dead) · ny gálímoto class 9/6 (vehicle for transporting dead) · be балдахі́н (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · bg гроб (grave, coffin, tomb) · be катафа́лк (vehicle for transporting dead) · ru дро́ги (vehicle for transporting dead) · fi vuonelo (hind on her second year) · cmn 靈柩車 /灵柩车 (vehicle for transporting dead) · de Leichenwagen (vehicle for transporting dead) · cy elor-gerbyd (vehicle for transporting dead) · sv likbil (vehicle for transporting dead) · ru балдахи́н (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · ko 령구차 (vehicle for transporting dead) · mk катафа́лка (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · bg катафа́лка (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · mk но́сило (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · bg катафа́лка (vehicle for transporting dead) · fr tombe (grave, coffin, tomb) · yue 靈車 /灵车 (vehicle for transporting dead) · nl overhuiving (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · ga eileatram (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · nn likbil (vehicle for transporting dead) · ru дро́ги (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · is líkbíll (vehicle for transporting dead) · nb likvogn (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · cmn 柩車 /柩车 (vehicle for transporting dead) · es carroza (vehicle for transporting dead) · ru катафа́лк (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · ko 영구차 (vehicle for transporting dead) · sh katàfalk (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · sl mrliški voz (vehicle for transporting dead) · nl graf (grave, coffin, tomb) · nb begravelsesbil (vehicle for transporting dead) · ca cadafal (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · cmn 靈車 /灵车 (vehicle for transporting dead) · ja 柩車 (vehicle for transporting dead) · it cerbiatta (hind on her second year) · eo ĉerkveturilo (vehicle for transporting dead) · cs máry (bier or handbarrow for carrying the dead) · ar سَيَّارة نَقْل مَوْتَى (vehicle for transporting dead) · it catafalco (framework placed over coffin or tomb) · az mafə (vehicle for transporting dead) · fo líkbilur (vehicle for transporting dead) · fr cercueil (grave, coffin, tomb) · ru катафа́лк (vehicle for transporting dead) · ru гробни́ца (grave, coffin, tomb) · ja 霊柩車 (vehicle for transporting dead)

wikipedia: Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange#Works · wikipedia: Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch

hearse en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (UK) audio
• hûrs
• /hɜːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /hɝs/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English herse, hers, herce, from Old French herce in the sense "triangular framework used to support candles". Ultimately the same word as Old French herce (“harrow”), from Latin *herpicem, accusative singular of *herpex, a variant form of hirpex (“harrow”). The agricultural device's name comes from Oscan hirpus (“wolf”), a reference to a harrow's many teeth. The term for wolf may ultimately be from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰers- (“stiff, rigid, bristled”). The Oscan term is related to Latin hīrsūtus (“bristly, shaggy”), whence English hirsute. The TLFi considers the "framework to support candles" sense of the French word to be derived more specifically from Medieval Latin hercia; in any case, this is ultimately from the same source. (Du Cange sees in hercia a contraction of an extended form *herpicia. It may instead simply be a Latinization of Old French herce.) Doublet of herse (“kind of gate”).

Meanings

1. (dated) To enclose in a hearse; to entomb.
   • I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! would she were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

Forms

wikipedia: Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange#Works · wikipedia: Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch

hearse en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (UK) audio
• hûrs
• /hɜːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /hɝs/ (General-American)

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of hearst (“A hind (female deer) in the second or third year of her age”).
   alt of hearst

Forms