parclose

English

Alternative forms

• paraclose, perclose

Etymology

From Middle English parclose, perclose, from Old French parclos, perclose and others, Middle French parclose (“end, enclosure”), noun use of past participle of parclore (“to enclose”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɑːkləʊz/

Noun

parclose (plural parcloses)

1. A partition that closes off part of a building; especially one that separates an altar or chapel from the rest of a church.
   • 1906, Peter Hampson Ditchfield, William Page, John Hautenville Cope, The Victoria History of Berkshire:

     The two eastern bays of this aisle form the Golafre chapel and are inclosed by modern parcloses of oak […]

   • 1910, Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art, Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art, page 194:

     It is divided from the north aisle by the great screen, and from the chancel by a parclose of rather poor and spindling work.

2. (obsolete) An enclosed area, especially one separated from the main body of a building by a screen or partition.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “Tercium”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XIV:

     Thenne syr Percyual aspyed that therin was a man or a woman / for the vysage was couerd / thenne he left of his lokyng and herd his seruyse / And whan hit came to the sacrynge / he that lay within that Percloos dressid hym vp and vncouerd his heede / and thenne hym besemed a passynge old man / and he had a crowne of gold vpon his hede
     "Then Sir Percivale espied that therein was a man or a woman, for the visage was covered; then he left off his looking and heard his service. And when it came to the sacring, he that lay within that parclose dressed him up, and uncovered his head; and then him beseemed a passing old man, and he had a crown of gold upon his head"

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Anagrams

• polacres

Old French

Noun

parclose oblique singular, f (oblique plural parcloses, nominative singular parclose, nominative plural parcloses)

1. end; finish

Descendants

• → English: parclose