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• eyre
  eyre

  noun

  a circuit made by an itinerant judge justice in eyre in medieval England.
• Eyre
  Eyre

  noun

  Lake, a shallow salt lake in S South Australia. 3,430 sq. mi. (8,885 sq. km).

eyre

¹ American  

[air] / ɛər /

noun

Old English Law.

1. a circuit made by an itinerant judge justice in eyre in medieval England.

2. a county court held by a justice in eyre.

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Eyre ² American  

[air] / ɛər /

noun

1. Lake, a shallow salt lake in S South Australia. 3,430 sq. mi. (8,885 sq. km).

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Eyre ¹ British  

/ ɛə /

noun

1. Edward John. 1815–1901, British explorer and colonial administrator. He was governor of Jamaica (1864–66) until his authorization of 400 executions to suppress an uprising led to his recall

2. Sir Richard. born 1943, British theatre director: director of the Royal National Theatre (1988–97)

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eyre ² British  

/ ɛə /

noun

1. any of the circuit courts held in each shire from 1176 until the late 13th century

2. the justices travelling on circuit and presiding over such courts

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Eyre ³ British  

/ ɛə /

noun

1. a shallow salt lake or salt flat in NE central South Australia, about 11 m (35 ft) below sea level, divided into two areas (North and South); it usually contains little or no water. Maximum area: 9600 sq km (3700 sq miles)

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Etymology

Origin of eyre

1250–1300; Middle English eyre < Anglo-French; Old French erre, derivative of errer to journey; see err

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eyre Eyre

They were red eyre, homicidal, terrific, seeming actually to give out light They were like rubies filled with flame.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Royal judges called justices in eyre traveled to the shires every seven years.

From Our Legal Heritage by S. A. Reilly

When the reeve and the four men attend the sheriff's tourn or the eyre, they do not represent the lord only, but also the village community.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Paul Vinogradoff

Later still, the Royal justices in eyre supervened.

From The Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond: A Picture of Monastic Life in the Days of Abbot Samson by Jocelin de Brakelond

It means lit. wandering, vagabond, so that the arrant thief is nearly related to the knight errant, and to the Justices in eyre, Old Fr. eire, Lat. iter, a way, journey.

From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Ernest Weekley

She recalled that director Richard Eyre was in her dressing room, giving her notes, when there was a knock at the door.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

“Some of this is geography,” said Alan Eyre, a former senior American diplomat in Jordan who is a fellow at the Middle East Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

“Iran is perfectly happy to substitute process for progress,” said Alan Eyre, a former senior State Department negotiator with Iran who is now at the Middle East Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

For Eyre, the prospects of Washington reaching a more favorable deal than the one Trump scrapped are slim.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

“Here is Miss Eyre, sir,” said Mrs. Fairfax, in her quiet way.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

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