herse

plural herses

1. A kind of gate or portcullis, having iron bars, like a harrow, studded with iron spikes, hung above gateways so that it may be quickly lowered to impede the advance of an enemy.

   In the south aisle, on a slab raised on four low shafts and covered by an iron herse, is a fine coloured recumbent effigy of a bishop

   1848, Benjamin Webb, Sketches of Continental Ecclesiolgy

plural herses

1. obsoleteObsolete form of hearse (“a carriage for the dead”).
2. obsoleteA funeral ceremony.

   Dido, my deare, alas! Dead, and lyeth wrapt in lead. O heavie herse!

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Nouember. Ægloga Vndecima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC

present singular third person herses · participle present hersing · participle past hersed · past hersed

1. alternativeAlternative form of hearse.

   The Grecians spritefully drew from the darts the corse, And hers'd it, bearing it to fleet.

   [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   The house is hers'd about with a black wood, Which nods with many a heavy-headed tree: Each flower's a pregnant poison, try'd and good; Each herb a plague.

   1646, Richard Crashaw, Sospetto d'Herode

   I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear. O, would she were hers'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin.

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

1. astronomyOne of the moons of Jupiter.