sparver

English

Etymology

From Middle English sperver (“sparrow-hawk, canopy”), from Old French esprevier, from Old Dutch *sparwari (“sparrow-hawk”, literally “sparrow-eagle”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈspɑːvə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈspɑɹvɚ/

Noun

sparver (plural sparvers)

1. (obsolete) A canopy for a bed.
   • c. 1525, The oolde ordre of makyng the Kynges bedd; republished as L. C. Brooke, “XX. The Ceremonial of making the King's Bed”, in Archaeologica, volume 4, 1777, →DOI:

     And ſo then every of them ſticke up the aungell about the bedde and to lette downe the corteyns of the ſayd bedde or ſparuer.

   • 1558 April 29, Sir William Drurye, Will of Sir William Drurye [of Hawstede, Suffolk]‎^[1], Prerogative Court of Canterbury, page 1:

     And I geue vnto the ſame Elizabeth my wif the ſparuers and hangings of the ſame twoo beddes vſuallye occupied, and hanging ouer and about the ſame twoo beddes […]

   • 1591, Ludovico Ariosto, translated by Sir John Harington, Orlando Furioso, London: G. Miller, translation of original in Italian, published 1634, book V, page 39:

     […] a happie woman is ſeene in a white apron as often as in an embrodred kirtle, and hath as quiet ſleeps and as contented wakings in a bed of cloth as under a ſparver of tiſſue.

Anagrams

• RevPARs

Middle English

Noun

sparver

1. Alternative form of sperver