Middle English Dictionary Entry
fāre n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fāre n.(1) Also vare, fair(e. |
| Etymology | OE faru & fær. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The making of one's way from place to place; a journey, trip, march, expedition; also, a coming or going, approach or departure; (b) a ship's passage, voyage, or (fishing) expedition; (c) course or direction; (d) onset, attack.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1120 : On þam fare wurdon adr[u]ncene þæs cynges twegen sunan Willelm & Ricard.
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1128 : He be bead folc vt to Ierusalem..se firste fare was on Vrbanes dæi pape.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : Wel þu myhtes faren all a dæis fare.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)96/30 : Na for þam þæt þe deofel hæfde æniȝ fare to ure Hælende.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5600 : Tweie þusend cnihtes..wolden..faren in to Rome; & al makeden heore faren.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1434 : Ysaac..wunede ðor in ðogt and care, for moderes dead and sondes fare.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5018 : Yee most yow hast on your fare.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)150 : Fare of shepemen be þe see: Navigium.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2384 : Þat god enforce þam in þer fair.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2250 : A Ientill man..Foloȝes þare fare [vr. faire] ai on fote as þai ride.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)879 : Swete sone, let be thy fare..Whereto schulde þou passe the see?
b
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)98 : Þus..Fyndes he a fayr schyp to þefare redy.
- (1449-53) Doc.Trade in BRS 793 : The which ship..beyng apon the high see..in fysshing fare toke a ship of Spayne.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)4.73 : Some..bare a topte saile Affor þe wynde, fresshely to make a good fare.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4092 : Suððen he turnde his fare & ferd feorh riht to Wales.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4754 : Þat flum þat rennes þar, Til ioseph hus it has þe fare.
d
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.19 : He foundes into the freke with a fresche fare.
2.
(a) A way of passage; a road, track, path [cp. thurghfare]; (b) fare-wei, a course of travel; a navigable channel.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1703 : His felaȝes..Runnen forth in a rabel in his ryȝt fare.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)47 : Withe fresshe houndes, and fele, þei folowene here fare.
b
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)394 : He þat folowes my fare..Sall fynde in my fare-waye manye fay leuyde.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1357 : Thurghe þe wacches þey wente..And fyndez in theire farewaye wondyrlyche many.
- ?c1475 Direct.Sailing in Hak.Soc.79 (Lnsd 285)11 : It flowith on the londe of Holdernes Northest, and quarter tide in the faire way.
- ?c1475 Direct.Sailing in Hak.Soc.79 (Lnsd 285)12 : Seke up Tenet..than go your cours south; it is your fairway.
3.
A (traveling) company, band, or group; also, a flight (of arrows), a swarm (of locusts).
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)26/16 : Ic habbe under me moniȝæ cnihtæs on fare.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)18/33 : Þu buton tweonunge ofer faren miht mid þine fare.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3904 : Swulc fare of fleoȝen her was, þat heo freten þet corn & þat græs.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12578 : Arwen fluȝen ouer wal al abuten ouer al, swa þicke wes heore uæræ.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12763 : Þe Iues tiþand of him hard, And of his far þat he wit fard.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11069 : Þai folowet fast on þe fare, with hor fell dynttes Dang hom to dethe.
- c1450(?a1400) Quatref.Love (Add 31042)383 : We calle on oure kynredyn, þay comme alle to late; When we hafe frayste of þat fare, felde es our pride.
4.
A course of action or events; a proceeding, adventure, happening; doings, business.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4102 : Þus heo makeden heore fære [Otho: fare].
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)518 : Þe king þretnede þene holie man, bote he bi-lefde is fare.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2079 : Eche frek for þis fare false wol me hold.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.141 : After þis phare [vr. fare] was pees in Scythia.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)4/20 : When saint Andrew herd tell Of þat foul fare how it bifell.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.18 : I frayned at faith what al þat fare be-ment.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1137 : Whan he herd of that ffare, Wors tydingis than were thare.
5.
(a) A manner of proceeding, acting, or appearing; behavior, conduct, practice; demeanor, bearing; appearance; (b) mikel fare, display, ceremony.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2743 : Þo he adde ysywed me longe in þisse fare.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1775 : Of his fare þei wondred.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Martin AM (Cmb Gg.5.31)46 : Heo..custe hem ofte wiþ swete fare.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2291 : He in all his proude fare Unto the forest gan to fare.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.2 : Lered men wit riht wis lare, And laued folk wit rih[t] wis fare.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)105/2 : Antecriste discyples..for alle þeire fals fare in aperte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)966 : With a faynyng fare vnder faire chere.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1188 : Þe Grekes hym agayne, with a grym ffare, ffaryn to þe fight.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)177/269 : For when men make most mery fare, Þan sodeynly I cast hem in care.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1054 : They buskyd them wyth ryalle fare.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3234 : Seke a wijf..and..bring hir ham wit mikel fare.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13212 : His disciplis..ledd his licam vte o tun Til sebastin wit mikel far.
6.
Bustling or noisy activity; commotion, disturbance, fuss, to-do; also, boasting; maken fare, fare-makere.
Associated quotations
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)1650 : The porter was a-friȝt & asked..who makede al þat fare.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2802 : Mekli seide meliors wiþoute any fare.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.417 : By wawes of þe see Þat brekeþ in þare Wiþ suche noyse and fare.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3999 : The wardeyn chidde and made fare.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)33/5 : Fele fissches þai fede for all þaire grete fare.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.127 : What desirestow of Fortune with so greet a noyse and with so greet a fare?
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)150 : Fare makere or bostowre: Jactator, philocompus.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)781 : Lest heo suppose þow make þat fare For wlatynge þat þou herest þare.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)6157 : Let be þy fare: I wyll fyght wyth the no mare.
7.
(a) Events or circumstances as affecting a person; adventures; condition, state of affairs; (good or bad) fortune; (b) good fortune; prosperity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16031 : Heo tacneð kinges..& heore fiht & heore uare & heore uæi uolc.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)26/258 : Hwet bid..hare fare, se feier biuoren alle þe oþre?
- ?a1300 Worldes blis ne last (Dgb 86)p.90 : For al hit is i-meind with care, With serewen and with evel fare.
- a1300 Hit bilimpeð (Corp-O 59)34 : Wicke is here ure fare & ure wuniȝinge.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)516 : To here þe foules song þat tide, Him þouȝt a blisseful fare.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)86/435 : That our hert be noght to hegh for no welefare, Ne ouer mikel undir for nane yvel fare.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4 : The fare Of Alisandre, hou he was tauht.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2019 : I fraist haue þat faire [vr. fare] of my fayre lady.
- a1500 Trental St.Greg.(2) (Adv 19.3.1)23 : He askede hure of hure fare. Ho sayde ho was in mycull care.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)12 : Þe Lengþe of a Lenten flech moot y leue After þat Estur ys ycomen, and þat is hard fare.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1202 : Þe emperour isei þat his fare [B: faire] nas noȝt þere.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.440 : Lost is al thi fare, For Slowthe bringth in alle wo.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3264 : Lauerd..send me squilk a fare.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)682 : And more jolytee and fare [Pep: wellfaire].
8.
(a) Provision (of food, entertainment, hospitality), feasting; (b) fare-cart, ?a cart used for merchandise.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10236 : Her wes mete, her wes drænc..her wes unimete fare a þissere folc riche.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)537 : He made a fare on þat fest for þe frekez sake.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)694 : Þer he fonde noȝt hym byfore þe fare þat he lyked.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)485 : When þe fest and þe fare was faren to the ende.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)173/145 : At dyner..a tabyll..Couerid with a coryous cloth and with rych wurthy fare.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1162 : That I se yond nys but a fare-carte.
9.
Material fittings; accoutrement, trappings, apparel; rigging (of a ship).
Associated quotations
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1390 : Riche was his schip fare.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)261/200 : He let Keuere þe cors riht þare wiþ pal and wiþ riche fare.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)848 : Nothynge hafe i there sene Bot gayte-skynnes..Siche ill-farande fare.
- c1450(?a1400) Quatref.Love (Add 31042)458 : Thire ladyse are arayede in robys ful ȝare..Bendys and botonys, felettis and fare.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3694 : Fewlis..Of fethirhame & all fare, as feetely enjoyned As þai ware shapen o þe schell.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.15 : The freson was afrayet and ferd of that fare.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1382) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.14 : [One toft called] Launvares.
Note: New sense
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)37/2 : My fare is ful þinne of mete & of drink.
Note: Need for date, sense 8.(a)--per MJW