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Glite Dictionary
eyre

eyre

9.9
A traveling court where judges visit towns to hear cases about the law
  • noun
  • /ɛr/
  • Archaic
translation icon : circuito judicial
  • In the twelfth century, the king's justices held an eyre in every shire to enforce royal law.

Examples

  • Records from the eyre provide valuable insight into medieval English legal practices.

  • The eyre traveled from town to town to hear cases.

  • The arrival of the eyre was a significant event for townspeople seeking justice.

  • In medieval England, an eyre was essential for justice.

  • In the twelfth century, the king's justices held an eyre in every shire to enforce royal law.

  • Records from the eyre provide valuable insight into medieval English legal practices.

  • The arrival of the eyre was a significant event for townspeople seeking justice.

Synonyms

court of assize
vseyre
  • Archaic
9.9

A former county court in England and Wales for serious criminal cases

is a medieval travelling circuit where judges moved to administer justice

Compounds

Lake Eyre
1 5.5

A shallow salt lake in south central Australia that sometimes fills after rain

Eyre Peninsula
6.2

A large area of land in South Australia that sticks out into the sea

Surface Forms

eyre singular
eyres plural

Etymology

The word eyre comes from an old French word meaning 'journey', and from the Latin root iter, which you can see in the English word itinerary. An eyre was a 'journey' made by royal judges, so the word came to mean a traveling court.