English

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Noun

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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

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Middle English

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Noun

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sparver

  1. Alternative form of sperver