serry

American  

[ser-ee] / ˈsɛr i /

verb (used with or without object)

Archaic.

serried, serrying

1. to crowd closely together.

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Etymology

Origin of serry

First recorded in 1575–85; from French serré, past participle of serrer “to press tightly together, crowd,” from Italian serrare “to close ranks,” from Vulgar Latin serrāre, from Latin serāre “to lock, bolt,” derivative of sera “a bolt, bar”; see sear ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

serry serried serrying

Twenty years ago, Canadian Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Methodists, perhaps remembering the words of St. Mark,* decided to serry their ranks and join a new United Church of Canada.

From Time Magazine Archive

“The old Barnes & Noble was serried ranks of bookshelves, most sections arranged A to Z by author,” Daunt says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2023

There are serried ranks of wives and lovers and misfits and buttinskies and assorted hangers-on.

From New York Times ● Jan. 24, 2022

The serried ranks of grandees, from Oliver Letwin and Philip Hammond, to Rory Stewart and Dominic Grieve, will be formidable opposition to Johnson.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 29, 2019

Washington was beginning to realize that he was not going to win the war with a grand assault against the serried ranks of redcoats.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 29, 2018

The countless dark windows serried close together like ranks of soldiers.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

"Morbleu, mon General," cry the Grenadiers serrying their ranks as the white charger makes a motion that way, "You will not leave us, you will abide with us!"

From The French Revolution by Carlyle, Thomas

Back to the Kuhgrund again; fairly over the steep brow there; the Russians serrying their ranks atop, rearranging their many guns.

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19 by Carlyle, Thomas