arrant (arant)

[Early mod. E. also arraunt, arrand, a variant spelling of errant, erraunt, errand, roving, wandering, which, from its common use in the term arrant or errant thief, that is, a roving robber, one outlawed, proclaimed and notorious as such, came to be used apart from its lit. sense as an opprobrious intensive with terms of abuse, as rogue, knave, traitor, fool, etc., but often also without opprobrious force. See errant.] 11. Wandering; itinerant; vagrant; errant: as, a knight arrant; an arrant preacher: especially in thief arrant or arrant thief, a roving, outlawed robber; a highwayman. Now written errant.-2. Notorious; manifest; unmitigated; downright: t: in a bad sense (derived from the noun qualified): as, an arrant rogue; an arrant coward; arrant IMG:content-1154.png:[blocks in formation] An arrant honest woman. Burton , Anat. Mel., p. 617. =Syn. 2. Utter, rank, consummate, perfect. arrantly (ar'ant-li), adv . In an arrant manner; notoriously; impudently: in a bad sense. Funeral tears are as arrantly hired out as mourning clokes. Sir R. L'Estrange. arras1 (ar'as), n. [Early mod. E. also arrace , arra e, Arras (F. draps Arras ) (= It. arazzo = Pr. raz ), I'll not speak another word for a King's ransom unle the ground be perfumed, and covered with cloth of arras. Marlowe, Faustus, ii. 2. I have of yore made many a scrambling meal, In corners, behind arrases , on stairs. Beau, and Fl ., Woman Hater, iii. 4. Arras was used precisely as a curtain; it hung (on tenters or lines) from the rafters, or from some temporary stay, and was opened, held up, or drawn aside, as occasion re Dyce , Note to Ford's Lover's Melancholy, ii. 2. quired. In Arthur's arras hall at Camelot. Tennyson, Merlin and Vivien.