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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quer(e, Queir, Quear, Quier, n. Also: qwere, quher(e; queire, qweir, queyr(e, qweyr(e, quheir(e, qwheyr; queer(e; queyir, quehyr; queare, queaier; quaire, quayr; quiere, quyer; quire; quir(r, quyr; cheir; cure. [ME and e.m.E. quer (1297), quere, qwer(e, queer (14–15th c.), ME also queor (c1300), e.m.E. quyere (1480), quier (1518), quyre (1480, Caxton), quire (1535), north. e.m.E. where (1516), queare (1591), OF cuer (mod. F. chœur).] A choir.

1. That part of a church building, normally eastward of the nave, appropriated or formerly appropriated to the singers; the chancel.Freq. distinguished f. (the) kirk, also body of the kirk, i.e. the nave, and occas. applied to a choir or chancel of a collegiate church to which no nave has been added.Also, without the article, in in quere.Also in fig. context.(1) 1375 Barb. xx 303 (E).
In a fayr tumb in-till the quer [C. queyr] a1400 Leg. S. xl 930.
Thar-of … He gert his quere rycht wele tyle 1394 Liber Aberbr. II 42.
That … Wyllam Plumer sal theke the mekil quer … wyth lede c1420 Wynt. v 3885.
For the qwere [C. qweyr, W. queire] all halyly For prestys is ordanyt specyally And to clerkys on thare wys To syng or say thare thaire serwys Ib. vii 362.
Bot scho wes translatyd syne In to the qwere [C. qwheyr, W. queire] 1429 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 42.
To the sustentatioun of twa chapellanys … to uphald … Goddys seruice in the sayde qwere and kyrk 1464 7th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 736/1.
Thar laris within the quer of our abbay next the wtmest grese quhar the lecteron standis 1488 Liber Melros 618.
The abbot [etc.] … hes verray richt to the erde siluer of the quer of the said kirk of Hassinden 1491 Treas. Acc. I 184.
Qwere 1496 Ib. 324. 1507 Ib. IV 84. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 183.
On the stallis of the qwere befoir the hye altair 1532 Ecclesia Antiqua 44.
Quer 1533 Boece 322b.
Quere 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 91.
The hinging of the claithis and velvet in the quere 1545 Reg. Cupar A. II 33.
Haldand vp the quere and alter honestlie as efferis, with cheis ȝeirlie 1571 Reg. Episc. Morav. App. 409.
For soumes of money … convertit to the reparation of the queris of the Denis kirks 1618 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 203. 1642 Ellon Presb. 153.
The partitioune wall separating the kirk from the quere(b) c1500 Coll. St. Salvator 163.
Ane gret lettroun in the quher(c) c1420 Wynt. v 3519 (C).
Qweyr [R. qwere, W. quere] Ib. 3865 (C).
Qweyre [R. qwere, W. queire] 1477 Aberd. B. Rec. I 35.
Belanging the biging of the qveyr Ib. 36.
Qweyr 1507 Stirling Chart. 72. 1525 (1527) Reg. Great S. 96/1.
The quhilk chaplane sall cum to the festuall service of the kirk and queir of Dunde in ganand habit 1527 Maxwell Mem. 258.
The court off the baronrye off Glasgw, halding in the wiccar's place off the qweir c 1542 Macgibbon & Ross V 543.
Efferand to the heicht of the queir c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 897. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2280.
In euery kirk and queir 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 196. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 37.
This George … theikit the queir of Seytoun with stane, … maid the daskis thairin [etc.] 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 86.
The parson had Jedwod staiffis in the qweyr 1586 Elgin Rec. II 5.
The assemblie of the eldarschip of Elgin haldin within the queir of the paroche kirk 1591–2 Ib. 22. 1606 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 3. 1627 Rep. Parishes 5. 1641 Fife Synod 129.
A glorious partition wall … dividing the bodie of the kirk fra there queir c1650 Spalding I 376. 1662 Rothesay B. Rec. 72. 1667 Dunkeld Presb. II 74. 1683 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 158 (30 April). 1687 Ecclesia Antiqua 92.
For his work in tirring and theiking the queir and sanctum sanctorum 1688 Irvine Deeds Bond, 8 June.
The place of redemptione to be within the paroch church of Irving in the queir thairof 1710 Lanark & R. 37.
This Archbald the Grime … built the queir and founded the provostrie of Bothwellfig. 1567 G. Ball. 201.
Quhilk is the ground staine of thair queir(d) 1549 Reg. Soltre 113.
Quheir 1629 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire I 449.
For ane rowme to place ane sait in the kirk or quheir becaus the kirk is alreaddie filled up 1635 Glasgow B. Rec. II 31.(e) 1624 Kinghorn Kirk S. 26.
For the reparation of the queer and sik other pairts of the kirk that neid to be helpit 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 32.
His buriall place is … directlie under the steiple, as yow enter into the queer Ib. 93. 1639 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 488.
Sent to repair the queer of Kilbryde 1642 Kinghorn Kirk S. 42.
Anie right … of buriall in anie other place aither of kirk or queer 1645 Fife Synod 141.
Queere 1676 Meikle Old Session Bk. 199.
About the … erecting the loft in the queer 1690–1 Glasgow B. Rec. III 521.(f) 1576 Misc. Spald. C. I xlii.
Passand furth of the queyir, on the eist syd wall of the said kirk(g) 1520 Stirling B. Rec. I 5.
Queaier 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II 204.
Quear c1590 Fowler I 128/63.
Within his holye queare [: appeare] 1674 Dundee B. Laws 61.
The Magdalen quear(h) 1659 Rothesay Par. Rec. 9.
And that the brughs pairt was thretteene cuples neirest the quaire(i) 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II 365.
Above the quier ix fute new glass 1617 Glasgow Presb. in Birnie Kirk-b. p. ix. 1633 Acts V 53/1.
Quiere 1639 Rep. Hist. MSS, Var. Coll. V 143.
From the degree on the west to the gaivile of the quier on the east 1642 Orkney Rentals iii 17. 1679 J. Somerville Mem. I 148.
In the quyer of Cambusnethan church 1699 Cramond Ch. Alves 64.
Anent demolising the quiere and repairing the churchyard dyk with the stones therof(j) 1591 Misc. Spald. C. III 160.
Ane great stein latroun of massie bras, within the quire … quhairin the evangell was red 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 128.
Then all our quires And convents richly stood 1644 Robertson Cullen Ch. Ann. 72.
For pointing the haill kirk, quire, ile, and revestrie a1651 Calderwood II 534. 1670 Orkney Rentals App. 63. 1683 Craven Ch. in Orkney I 103.
Quire(k) 1576 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 161.
Ane alter betuix the quyr and bode of the kyrk 1592 Dysart Rec. 41.
Laid in the quirr 1683 Craven Ch. in Orkney I 103.
To the rooff of the said kirk and quir(l) 1684 Lauder Observes 136.
Buried in St. Salvator's Church cheir(2) 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I 145.
Bath in quer at messis evynsang [etc.] a1539 Reg. Soltre 214.
Thre lampis ane afoir our Lady and ane in quheire and [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II 84/11.
Or evir he was eirdit in kirk or queir 1596 Dalr. II 461/23.
Quhither publiklie in the kirkes, or priuatlie in chappell or queir

b. Allusively. c. In the proverb Tir (also rive) the kirk and theik the queir: see also Kirk n. A 1 (1). 1562-3 Winȝet I 11/6.
Bot mair cure had of the keching nor of the queir a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 419.
He rives the kirk to theik the quier 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 67 (see Kirk n. A 1 (1) proverb.).
Cure

2. a. The body of clergy of a pre-Reformation cathedral or collegiate church, the chapter. b. The body of singers, clerical and lay, of a church. c. transf. to the heavenly choir of angels and saints.For further examples see Note n.² 1 (a) and 2 b, Procurato(u)r n.¹ 2 b and Vicar n.In certain contexts, esp. those with the preps. in and of, it is also possible to interpret the use as sense 1.(1) 1434 Liber Coll. Glasg. 249.
Vicaris in the quere of Glasgu 1447 Cart. S. Giles 79.
Bot quhan the prouost [etc.] … for the vphalding of the college and quere makis request tharfor 1453 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V ii p. 775 (5 Oct.).
And to the correctour of the queir 1457 Ayr B. Ct. 9 May.
& he sal sing in the quere qwhen he is in the town 1477–8 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 459.
Quehyr 1478–9 Ib. 461.
Quer 1483 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 335.
Furnys barnys and children … to stuf the qveyr and mak service therein … daly 1488–9 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 462.
Quir 1491 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. I 256.
That nane halde talk in the queyre in tyme of the hour 1495 Reg. Episc. Brechin. II 317.
Within the quer of the said kirk with all the ebdomidarys of the said quer 1496 Edinb. Hammermen 14.
On Sanct Loys day for the svngin mes & antim mys to the queir iiij s. c1500 Fyve Bestes 182.
He was a richt gud syngar in the quere c1500 Coll. St. Salvator 158.
The bukis for the quher 1500 Treas. Acc. II 97.
To the preistis of the Queir of Strivelin in drink-silver xiiij s. Ib.
To the barnis in the Queir of Strivelin of spur silver 1501 Ib. 128. 1508 Ib. IV 119.
To the laddis of the Queir of Corstorphin 1514 Aberd. B. Rec. I 89.
In sang bukis for our queir chantour cappis frontallis 1518 Ib. 95.
Quayr 1521 Edinb. Hammermen 104.
To the quheire for saull mes & derege 1525 Aberd. B. Rec. I xl.
With consent … of all the singers of the queir, quhilkis ar the tounis feallis Ib. xli. 1532 Ecclesia Antiqua 314.
Til [he] be in the quir 1534 (1541–2) Liber Coll. Glasg. 261.
Quhere 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 412.
Sex bernis of the queir in thair honest surplesis 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II 271.
To James Marjoribanks for his penschioun in the queir Ib.
To Sir Johne Leirmonth [etc.] … prebendars of the queir for thair annualls 1553 Aberd. B. Rec. 5 Oct. (Jam. Suppl.).
Correctour of the queir 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 218. 1556 Stirlings of Keir 410.
Schir Andro Lauder [etc.] … cheplennis of the Queir of Dunblane a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xvi 30.
And in ȝour queiris sing with melodie 1567 G. Ball. 185. 1712 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS App. 424/1.
Rights which before the Reformation did belong to the Vicars of the Quier(2) a1500 Rois Garlandis 580.
Abone all the queris of angellis a1550 Lang Rosair 32. a1649 Drummond II 232/8.
Heauens quier aboue 1673 Burnet Blessedness of the Dead (1673) 15.
We shal hear queers of saints and angels, singing heavenly Halilujahs

3. Choral singing and its arrangements as an organised institution. c1420 Wynt. vii Prol. 7.
The gloryus doctor Saynt Jerome … fowrmyd syne on newe All the ordyre off the qwere [: manere]

4. Attrib. in senses 1 and 2.(1) 1491 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. I 255.
That nay chaplane … sal haue the queyre bukis out of the queyre(2) 1521 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 46b (30 Sept.).
And ony of the sergeandis be fundyn nocht kepand the queyr durris ilk Sonday [etc.] 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II 338.
Ane band to the nether queir duir 1558-66 Knox I 146.
Att the qweir doore of Glasgw Kirk 1590–1 Ayr B. Acc. 44. 1591 Elgin Rec. II 16.
Nairest the queir dur c1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 522.
That the people … be convoyed out at the queir doore 1681 Craven Ch. in Orkney 98.
The middle queir-door 1689 Dunkeld Presb. II 79.
Collectors at the quire door(3) 1542 Soc. Ant. III 162.
The said stepill quhilk sidwallis salbe of vj futis of heich abone the queir thak