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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
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Sper(e, Spher(e, n.² Also: speir(e, speyr(e, spir, spheir, sphear(e, spheer, sphaere, sphœre, spheure. [ME and e.m.E. spere (Cursor M.), sper (Chaucer), speere (Wyclif), sphear(e (?a1533), sphere (1551), OF espere, spere (12th c. and c1370 in Larousse), F. sphère (1509 in Larousse), MDu. spere, speer, L. sphaera, spēra.]

1. The heavens; space, formerly perceived as a globe, containing the planets and fixed stars. Also, once, with possess. in fig. context.(a) c1475 Wall. viii 1186.
The mery day sprang fra the oryent … Heich in the sper, the signes maid declayr 1513 Doug. iii viii 13.
Or [= ere] the speyre his howris rollit richt Sa far about that it was scars mydnycht 1513 Doug. iv ix 18.
At the far syde of Ethiope regioun A place thar is, quhar that the huge Atlas On schuldyr rollys the round speir [L. axem] in cumpas Full of thir lemand starnys 1549 Compl. 46/10.
The natur and the vertu of the sternis and planetis of the spere, and of the circlis contenit in the samyn 1549 Compl. 47/6.
Ane man that desiris tyl hef ony iugement of cosmaghraphie, he suld fyrst contempil and considir the circlis of the spere celest 1549 Compl. 53/8.
Sen I hef declarit the circlis of the spere, I vil speik of the reuolutions and of the nature of the vij planetis 1599 Burnett of Leys 333.
I reule the planetis and the speir As maistres of astronimie(b) 1688 Sinclair Doctrine Sphere title.
The principles of astronomy and navigation: A … full explanation of all circles of the celestial and terrestrial globes and of their uses, being the whole doctrine of the sphere and hypotheses to the phenomena of the primum mobile 1688 Sinclair Doctrine Sphere 3.
The circles of the sphere are either moveable or immoveable. The moveable circles are these which are turned about with the sphere being eight in number, to wit, the Equinoctial, the Zodiack, the Equinoctial Colure, the Solstice Colure, the Tropick of Cancer, the Tropick of Capricorn, the Polar Artick and the Polar Antartick. The circles immoveable are the Meridian and the Horizon; so called because while the sphere is carried about, they stand stedfast, and unmoveable 1688 Sinclair Doctrine Sphere 9.
The zodiack is one of the greatest circles of the sphere, moveable, under which the planets perpetually hauntpossess. 1513 Doug. ii v 1.
Wyth this the hevyn sa quhyrlit about his speir Out of the sey the dym nycht gan appeir

b. (The doctrine of) the sphere, astronomy as a subject for study. 1579 Acts III 180/1.
The fourt regent sall teiche in Greik samekle of the phisikis as is neidfull with the spheir 1600-1610 Melvill 27, 28.
The second yeir of my course … the Primarius … teached the four speaces of the Arithmetik and sum thing of the Sphere … The fourt and last yeir of our course … we lerned the buikis de Cœlo and Mateors, also the Spher, more exactlie teachit be our awin Regent 1688 Sinclair Doctrine Sphere To the Reader.
[The first tract is] The Doctrine of the Sphere … . It is the very rudiments of astronomy and navigation, and of many other mathematical sciences. By the use of the globes, the whole doctrine of the sphere may be easily comprehended

c. An armillary sphere; a scientific instrument displaying the orbits of the planets, etc. 1688 Sinclair Doctrine Sphere 1.
The material sphere, is an instrument, whereby all the phenomena of the Primum Mobile, are most easily known. It is composed of ten circles, … the Equinoctial, the Zodiack, the two Colures, the Horizon, the Meridian, the two Tropicks, and the two Polars 1688 Sinclair Doctrine Sphere 36, 37.
Concerning other circles of the sphere, both greater and lesser, which cannot be conveniently drawn upon it. Beside the circles of the sphere hitherto explained, there are yet innumerable more, both of the greatest, and lesser sort, which astronomers have excogitated for attaining a more perfect knowledge of the heavenly motions. 1. There are of the greatest sort verticals, which pass thorow every point of the horizon … which by the Arabians are called Azimuths. … The lesser circles are infinite also [etc.]

2. One of the (ten) concentric, transparent, hollow globes believed, according to the Ptolemaic system, to revolve around the earth carrying with them the heavenly bodies, the moon, sun, planets, etc.(a) 1456 Hay I 76/16.
It is necessair thing that this law warld that we ar in be touchand next to the speris of the hevin a1500 Henr. Orph. 455.
Suld oure desyre be soucht vp in the speris Quhen it is tederit on this warldis breris 1490 Irland Mir. I 30/25.
The hevynnis nore speris aboue has na wertu nore operacioune, bot eftir the ordinaunce … of God a1538 Abell 114a.
It is maist of all wniuersale in insensibill creatouris hes mowin of the hewin speris & planettis filling & flowing of the see & sik lik 1549 Compl. 46/16.
Scheiphirdis hes discriuit and definit the circlis and the mouyng of the speris 1549 Compl. 47/27, 28, 29.
This said regione celest is … diuidit in ten speris, and the gritest spere … inclosis in it the spere that is nyxt til it & sa be progressione and ordur, euyrie spere inclosis the spere that is nerest tyl it 1549 Compl. 48/1, 3.
Ilk ane of thir speris hes bot ane sterne or planete that mouis in the Zodiac contrar the muuyng of the fyrst mobil that ve cal the tent spere 1549 Compl. 48/5.
The nynte spere, callit the hauyn cristellyne, be cause that there can nocht be na sternis seen in it 15.. Dunb. App. xi 36.
The sterne of day … Abone all sterris, planeitis, speiris, and singis(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 210.
Phebus … raid vpon his chair … This goldin cart … Four ȝokkit steidis … throw the spheiris drew a1568 Bann. MS 37b/33.
Glaidith ȝe sterris and hevinly spheiris Signis and plenneitis that wer in His passage c1590 Fowler I 184/7.
Thow, fair saule … Hes revisht me above ten heu[n]lye spheres 1609 Garden Garden 55.
To cause … thy praise to perse … the spheirs a1649 Drummond I 215.
High woods, whose mounting tops menace the spheares 1643 Fugitive Poetry II 23/6.
He sits above the starrie walls of heav'n, To whom the praise of all must now be giv'n: As long as heav'ns in their most bright careers Shall turne about, and rush with whirling spheers; … Let all good Scots Gods excellent mercy Admire

b. The sphere occupied by a particular planet, etc. passing into, the influence exerted by a particular planet. Also fig. of a deity.(a) a1500 Henr. Orph. 189 (Asl.).
To seik his wyf … By Wadlyng Streit he went … Syne come downe throw the speir of Saturn ald a1500 Henr. Orph. 194.
To Jupiter, his grant-sir, can he wend, Quhilk rewit sare his lamentation, And gert his spere be soucht fra end to end; Scho was noucht thare a1500 Henr. Orph. 197.
Than doun he can descend To Mars … And soucht his spere; yit gat he noucht his wyf a1500 Lanc. 6.
Quhen … the brycht … illumynare … frome his spere his goldine stremis sent Wpone the grond a1500 Lanc. 24.
Phebus thris haith passith al his speris 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 50.
Auld Saturne, with his mortall speir And bad aspect c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xlviii 165.
Haill, Rois most riche and richt That dois vp flureis vndir Phebus speir 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 25.
Mars occident, retrograde in his speir, Prouocand stryfe, regnyt as lord that ȝer 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 7 (Sm.).
Speyr 1528 Lynd. Dreme 505.
The sewin planetis, in to thare proper speris, Frome west to est, thay moue, naturallie, Sum swyft, sum slaw [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I xvii.
All thingis quhilkis ar comprehendit within the speir of the mone, ar sa thirlit to deith and alteration, that [etc.] 1549 Compl. 47/31, 32, etc.
In the fyrst, the regione elementair is inclosit vitht in the spere of the mune, and nyxt it is the spere of Mercurius, and syne [etc.] 1549 Compl. 53/17.
Nyxt Saturne standis the spere & hauyn of Jupiter, quhilk makkis the cours & circuit in tuelf ȝeiris 15.. Dunb. App. xi 28.
The sterne of glory is rissyn … Abone the speir of Mars and of Saturn(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 631.
All the planetis off the firmament, Thair cours and eik thair mouing in thair spheir [Bann. sphere] a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 147.
Intill ane dreame scho fell, And … hard … ane siluer bell … At quhais sound … appeiris The seuin planetis, discending fra thair spheiris 15.. Clar. v 2230.
Clariodus … As Jupiter surmounting in his spheir … So all in gleime and glorious as angell bright … enterit in the field a1585 Maitl. Q. 114/52.
Quhen ȝe appeir Amang the madinnis all Ȝe ar lyik Phœbus in his spheir, Amid the starnis small c1590 Fowler I 7/17.
Sphære 1604 Craig in Fugitive Poetry II i 7/30.
With Cancer Leo burns above, into their torrid spheers 1638 Fugitive Poetry II xvi 5.
Bischops … who should be starres, fix'd in their spheare, And schyning lights to others be 1657 Balfour Ann. II 74.
The comet compared to the sune, was scarsse 1 to 8000. … And ȝet the sune bot a poynt to the immesse spheure of fixed stars 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 147.
As he [sc. the sun] communicated heatte to the inferior bodies without enioying any in his oune sphære, so also can you [gap in text] not heats but dazeles and mortally wounds all that approach you without being in the least touched yourselfefig. a1500 Lanc. 170.
The mychty Gode of love, That sitith hie in to his spir abuf

c. With reference to the harmonious sound supposed to be made by the motion of these spheres or the motion of the planet in the sphere. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1659.
Euerilk planet in his proper spheir, In mouing makand harmonie and sound a1500 Henr. Orph. 222.
He herd a hevynly melody and sound … Causid by rollyng of the speris round 1490 Irland Mir. I 119/6.
The hevinly melody & concord of the speris and planetis abuf without pes and concord may nocht stand

d. The encompassing sphere of the universe, or a particular sphere, seen as an element of the divine order of things. 1490 Irland Mir.II 9/17.
And sene in natural operacioun He falȝeis nocht nouthir in speir sterne sone or mone in eliment foule fisch herb or tre but in all thing kepis his eternall and wys ordinance c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) x 12.
Ster, planeit, firmament, and speir

3. One of the four concentric globes believed to be formed by the elements, earth, water, air and fire. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 76.
I was araisit vp in-to the aire … Ascending vpward ay fro spere to spere, Through aire and watere and the hote fyre Till [etc.]

4. The heast sper, the meid speir, speir meridiane, the meridian, the circle of the celestial sphere which passes through its poles and the zenith of a given place. c1475 Wall. vii 190.
Quhen Sampsone powed to grond the gret piller, Saturn was than in till the heast sper a1568 Bann. in Bann. MS 230b/1.
Phebus bricht in speir meredeiane E of the warld and lamp etheriall c1550-c1580 Art of Music 32.
The lark, quhilk with hir sang fro the erth to the meid speir dois ascend

5. The observable spherical shape of a planet; specif., the fyrie spheir, the sun. 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 11.
All thocht he [sc. Phebus] be the hart and lamp of hevyn, Forfeblit wolx hys lemand gyltly levyn, Throu the declynyng of hys large round speir. The frosty regioun ryngis of the ȝer, The tyme and sesson bittir, cald and paill 1540 Lynd. Sat. 271.
Luifers, awalk! behald the fyrie spheir 1604-31 Craig ii 100.
Thrise hath the moone begun to wax and wane, With spheirs and horns since I receiu'd thy wreat

6. The scope, province or domain of one's activities or concern. Also in collocation with line (Line n.² 8 b). Cf. also Line n.² 4. a1658 Durham Subtile Self 11.
Take heed, that in prosecuting this end, … that ye go not beyond your line, and that ye move not without your own sphear 1658 Dumfries Kirk S. 16 Sept.
The session … obleidges themselves to move effectuallie therin for promowing the same in sua far as lyes within the compasse of their abilitie and sphere a1700 Charters Spiritual Disc. 24.
Many … are tempted … to stretch beyond their line, to move without their sphere, and to act above their capacity & abilities

7. attrib. With posting, travelling in or according to its sphere. 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 69.
Redowted roy, renowned throw regiouns all Quhar sein and schynis sphear-posting Phoebus face