sire
1. A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. Pain and distress, sickness and ire, And melancholy that angry sire, be of her palace senators.
2. A tittle of respect formerly used in speaking to elders and superiors, but now only in addressing a sovereign.
3. A father; the head of a family; the husband.
4. A creator; a maker; an author; an originator. He was the sire of an immortal strain.
5. The male parent of a beast; applied especially to horses; as, the horse had a good sire.
Sire is often used in composition; as in grandsire, grandfather; great-grandsire, great-grandfather.
Origin: F. Sire, originally, an older person. See Sir.
Dictionary > Sire
