Middle English Dictionary Entry
fē̆rlī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | fē̆rlī adj. Also ferlich, verlich, feor-, veor-, fær-, feir-, farli. |
| Etymology | OE fǣrlīc (from fǣr danger, fear). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Terrifying, terrible; (b) strange; marvelous, miraculous; wonderful; ~ cas, ~ fare, ~ thing, strange or wonderful event or doings; (c) ben ferli, be marvelous or wonderful, be a wonder; ferli to sen (heren), wonderful to see (hear); (d) him thoughte ferli, etc., it seemed marvelous or surprising to him; he wondered, was surprised.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Wor.Bod.Gloss.(Hat 113)22 : Egeslic: ferlic.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25553 : Feorlic was þat sweouen; þene king hit auerde.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)29/288 : Þu al wealdent biwistest ham unwemmet wid þet ferliche fur i þe furneise.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)31/313 : Þu hauest feorliche fan þet te fehteð aȝein.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)98a : A folc he seið fearlich [Nero: ferlich] schal makien to ure lauerd present of him seoluen.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)213 : Gret wonder hadde he þouȝt þare Þat folk of ferly play.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3186 : But i awede neieȝ of wit for þo werder bestes Þat folwe ȝour felachip, so ferli þei are.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4173 : Wha herkned euere slik a ferly thyng?
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)25 : Fiften Ferli takeninges sal be sen Bifor þe day of dom.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3984 : Ald noe..þou sauued fra þat ferli flode.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)636 : Thys fend wase ferly to fyght.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9092 : Feorliche þing fuleden him.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)731 : Heo..com baldeliche biforen..& aȝein þes fifti, alle ferliche freken.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)30b : Þet nes na feorlich [Nero: veorlich] wunder.
- c1300 SLeg.John (LdMisc 108)378 : Ase ofte verlich bi-guynninge flechchez atþen ende.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2774 : Ðo sag moyses at munt synay An swiðe ferli sigt ðor-bi.
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.157 : Ȝe stondiþ at þe schamil, brod ferlich bernes.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2867 : It was a ferly gin.
- c1330 Le Freine (Auch)4 : Layes þat ben in harping ben yfounde of ferli þing.
- ?a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (RwlPoet 175:Napier)p.460 : Herkens now a ferly case.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10863 : He sal be of ful farli fame.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5398 : Þoo comen þere dasshyng bestes ferlich; man ne sauȝ neuere none swich.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1083 : So ferly þerof watz þe fasure.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)3072 : Þis was a ferly fare.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)700 : Þe iews þus þai bigan to tell þis ferly fare.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)15/325 : Sune þore bifell a ferly case.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)16/442 : And so bifell a ferly thing.
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)235 : What maye thiese ferly folkkes bee?
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)925 : The frithez ware floreschte..Wyth fawcouns and fesantez of ferlyche hewez.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)58/78 : This is a ferly fare to feele.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4274 : Þus fell þis ferly thing.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)15/485 : All hese Apostele þer xul be..and haue gret dwere Of þat fferly syth.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)93 : This is a ferly thinge that thow hast seide, I sholde venquyse myn enmyes in a litere.
- a1500 Luffe luffe (Corp-O 274)252 : Fleshly lustes and festes, Furres of ferly bestes..Has schent Englond.
c
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1849 : And was it ferlik hw he stod, For the blod ran of his sides.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2336 : His strok may no man stand, Ferly ȝif tristrem may!
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5618 : Men miȝt hem here schriche So fer þat it was ferliche.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.305 : Þer speres..fast togidere joynt, to se it was ferlike.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)970 : The flammyng of þe flese was ferly to see.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2827 : Of hir feirehede & feturs is ferly to here.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)310 : Of kynges..he killede..And full fele oþer folke, als ferly were ellis.
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5381 : Heom þuhte muchel ferlich of al þeon folke, wher hit al inumen weore.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)649 : Tristrem knewe him no þing, And ferly rohand þouȝt.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)277/50 : Þe porter asked..Of what hous he was, and him þhouȝt ferli.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)280/7 : His Broþur þouȝte of him ferly.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4549 : Þe barunnage mikel ferli [Göt: farli; Trin-C: wondir] thoght Þat suilk to king red was broght.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.118 : And ȝe fare þus with ȝoure sike freres, ferly me þynkeþ.
- a1425 Assump.Virg.(1) (Add 10036)230 : Ferli him þouȝt þat sche was sory.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)531 : Þe clergy..Thoghte ferly of þat fare.
2.
(a) Unexpected, sudden; ~ deth; (b) rash.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)61 : He þurh ferliche deð saule fro þe lichame deleð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3589 : Ich hit wulle swa nimen alse ich hine nusten..fainen mines lauerdes & is fæirliche cume.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6835 : Þæ com þe færliche dæd [Otho: feorliche deaþ] & falde hine to grunde.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1995 : Þis wes uneaðe iseid, þet an engel ne com wið ferliche afluhte fleoninde aduneward.
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)15 : Vox and ferlich is þe wreinch, ne mai no man þar to-ȝenes.
- a1275 Body & S.(3) (Trin-C B.14.39)6 : Þe feirliche deit.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.1.27 : Whan shal falle feerli [L repentina; WB(2): sodeyne] wrecchidnesse.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)17 : For no vyolence ne ferly aduenture [L inopinata] that to hym chanssyd.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.12.19 : The lippe of truthe shal be fast in to withoute ende; who forsothe is a feerli [L repentinus; WB(2): sudeyn] witnesse, maketh a tunge of lesing.
3.
Exceedingly great or numerous.
Associated quotations
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)12080 : At iesu was him ferli [Vsp: selcut; Frf: grete; Trin-C: ful] tene, Alle for he spac sua skilwisli.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)454 : Cameles..comen out þanne, Faste toward þe feld, a ferlich [vrr. full grett, wonderful] nonbr.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5577 : And ferly ferd of his folke was in þe fild strangild.