The origin of this word is unclear: its definition relies upon the context and the Middle English glosses of the Bibbesworth text, both of which refer to some structural feature of a building (first n.2, albeit in a variant not attested in MED, and pautre n.). The DEAF argues that the latter has been misread as panteri(e n., as in FEW 'garde-manger' 23,36b. Instead, the DEAF links the noun to the verb guenchir ('to turn aside or to dodge'), in this case as 'a piece of wood placed at an oblique angle'. The editor of bibb roth proposes an emendation to g[r]enchour, possibly influenced by grenchoun, a variant of guenchon, later on in the text, which is equally obscure and can only be defined with respect to its context and Middle English gloss. Such an emendation seems unnecessary and is not supported by variant manuscript readings. See also guenchison and gwenchuron.
[vcd]