An archaic or dialectal greeting or expression of goodwill; possibly a variant of 'cheer' or a separate term from Old French.
Possibly from Old French 'chere' (face, countenance) or related to 'cheer' (from Latin 'cara' meaning face/countenance). Historical usage suggests ceremonial or affectionate greetings.
This word shows how English was full of greeting words that have nearly vanished—'chere' survives mainly in historical documents and place names like 'Chere Hill.'
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