Middle English Dictionary Entry
fẹ̄rs adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | fẹ̄rs adj. Also fiers(e, fu(e)rse, fres(e. |
| Etymology | OF fers, fiers nom. sg. masc. (L ferus); cp. ME fẹ̄r (OF fer, fier). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of persons: proud, lofty, noble; arrogant, haughty; bold, valiant; (b) bold (hardi, stern, stout) and ~, brave and fierce, stern and proud, strong and brave; ~ and fel (stout), brave and fierce, bold and strong; ~ and noble, proud and noble; ~ and prout (proud), proud and haughty, valiant and noble; heigh (noble, worthi) and ~, noble and proud; (c) in comparisons: ~ as a lioun (hert, unicorn), ferser than lioun (olifaunt); (d) as a personal name; (e) of a vow: arrogant, presumptuous.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)37 : Þe maister fiers withalle cam and mette him anon.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (Hrl 2277)247 : His soster was so fers, & in so gret prute ibroȝt.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)623 : Ac þu, fersse man, þat art so stout, And heih of mod, and herte proud.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3351 : Foure hundred fers men folwed him after.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)217 : Þaȝ þe feloun were so fers for his fayre wedez.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)179/37 : Whan he shal battail in honde take, he is so ferce that he dreddyth no man.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3372 : Mysilf I knowe full well Daunger, And how he is feers of his cheer.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1451 : All þe ferse men before frekly ascryes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)770 : Aithire with a firs flote [Dub: fers flete] in þe fild metis.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)2 : After came the feers manly Danysh nacion.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)35 : Gret folk he saiȝ come, wel on horse, with grete nobleye, swyþe fierce and proute.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)p.25 : Sire Hughe..and Eorl Williem..Were at this parlement, stout ynou and fers.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5717 : Canons þer were seculers..Ferce men & proute þat moche were in hordom.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9945 : Sir richard de glanuille & mani oþere heye & fers.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11269 : Þe erl roberd..come wiþ noble men & fers.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)293 : Ten hundred kniȝtes..Of cuntenaunce stout and fers.
- c1390 In a Chirche (Vrn)77 : Ȝif þou beo strong and fers to fiht.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)180a/a : Þe men ben hiȝe of bodye..stronge of vertue, sterne and fers [L ferocis] of hert.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)107 : Men of Troye, þat ben stout and fers.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.791 : Myȝty Mars, sterne & ferse of hewe.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)81 : Her gouernour, the host..ful of wynde and bost, Lich to a man wonder sterne and fers..spak to me.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.225 : So ferde it by this fierse and proude knyght.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7340 : They were armed, fers and fel.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)867 : Þey ben fele of defence, ferce men & noble.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)14.728 : As vaylaunt knyhtes, bothe worthi & Ferss.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)308 : The messangeres..ware bolde and feres.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)759 : The kynges sone, fyers and proute [vr. full ferse and stowte], Gaue Rycharde an eere cloute.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2119 : The folke ware ferse and fell.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)42 : Ther come lordys..Wyth ferse folke and felle.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)165/68 : A stalworth knyght, hardy and fers.
c
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2073 : In Charlis companye ys a knyȝt as fers as any lyoun.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1598 : This Arcite..As fiers as leoun pulled out his swerd.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1752 : Beyng as fers as any wood lyoun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.1252 : And al þis tyme, ferser þanne lyoun, Hector Grekis knyȝtly gan enchase.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)212/1 : Hardy as a lyon..fierse as an harte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3922 : Þan come a beste..Fere fersere þan an olifant.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)115 : Feers j am thanne as Leopard.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13024 : I am ffers as an vnycorn.
d
- (1240) Cart.St.John in OHS 68122 : Simon le Fiers.
- (1276-7) Cart.St.John in OHS 68130 : Simon le Fyrse.
- (1285) Feudal Aids 225 : Hugo le Firse.
e
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)323/29 : She maide an hie and feers avow..that she shuld neuer be wedded vnto nooman, bot to him, that were the worthiest knight of all the worlde.
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)334/1 : This tyme I made a proude & a feers avow.
2.
(a) Of persons: ferocious, violent, cruel; wild, untamed; also, rash, impetuous; (b) of beasts: ferocious, savage; wild, untamed; also, brave; (c) of things, actions, qualities: violent, overpowering; dangerous, destructive; (d) of things: great, strong; of numbers: huge.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8630 : Þe king com in to an chirche as fers mon & wod.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)8120 : Ac Morgalant & his ferrede Were strong & fers to þe dede & hadde don our harm wel gret.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3641 : But william say þer oþer side so fers & so breme, þat his men miȝt nouȝt meyntene here owne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.899 : He schal be fiers and folhastif, And desirous of werre and strif.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28095 : Gayn haly kyrk was i rebell, Gain fader and moder fers and felle.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)153 : Men fynde o womman..wikkid and feers & ful of crueltee.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.16.12 : This shal be a feers [L ferus; WB(2): wielde] man.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1806 : Despitously hym slough the fierse Achille.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.7.22 : Ytakus..bywepte his felawes ilorn, the whiche..fyerse Poliphemus..had fretyn.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.234 : He þat is so fiers and spareþ none offence.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)4.71 : Some were so fers at þe frist come Þat þey bente on a bonet and bare a topte saile.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3517 : The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne, Whiche that the fierce bestes caste.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3388 : The fierce Leon in his kinde..goth rampende after his preie.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)172a/a : In þis londe ben grete houndes, so huge in bodye and so fers [L feroces] in hert þat þey þrowe doune bulles and slee lyouns.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)175b/b : Þis beeste is sterne and fers [L ferox] and hath grete hornes and large.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)265a/a : He is fiers and cruel [L ferus est et crudelis].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.586 : Þe feerse lyon he byrafte his hous.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4244 : Whom Pollux hath, lyche a ferse lyoun, Withoute routhe, pite, or mercy, In þe rengis slawen cruelly.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.300 : God sent hem fode bi foules, and by no fierse bestes.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)74 : The wylde bestes and the fres serpentis foryate there cruelnes.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.206 : Sum erthen potte..Maad like a man, or best, fers or benygne.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)888 : So þe fuerse by-flamede all with fyre hote; Þai brent vp his brode shilde & his bigge speire.
c
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)436 : A fers feintise folwes me oft, & takes me so tenefully..þat i mase al marred.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2012 : Yet saugh I woodnesse laughyng in his rage..and fiers outrage.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.300 : At the bigynnyng of this fiers viage.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1970 : So fiers was his corage, That doun he leyde hym in the plas.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1854 : Abute fiue monetz was þat it stud, Witouten falling, þat fers fludd.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23239 : Þaa dintes ar ful fers and fell.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)31b/a : Þe whiche..hauynge ferse brennynge, nedeþ larger infrigidacioun.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)156a/b : Oþer þinges forsothe ben of more violent .i. ferse vertue, as ben puleal, fenel.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)34.190 : Thanne Cam there A wynd ful fyers.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)380/131 : A! lorde, mekill of myght..In batailes ferse to fight.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)569 : Þat with flamys of fyre han so furse hete.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)785 : All the ffyr and þe furse lowe.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4579 : Persecucioun fers and fell Noyed all northumbirland.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)76/121 : Þe fleschly syghtys ben fers and fel.
d
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)117/23 : Þe folk of heþen lawe, A wel gret cheyn þai had don drawe Ouer þe hauen of acres fers.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2271 : There are not in Asia..So fele fightyng folke be a fuerse nowmber.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4704 : Þai..ffestnet with fuerse Ropis the flete in þe hauyn.
3.
~ benes, wild beans.
Associated quotations
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)63/19 : Of metez be þer giffen milk, mele of whete decocte, frese benez [L faba fera], with canel.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.67ra (2.9) : If a chylde beneþe 14 ȝere make citrin vryn, it seiþ..a continuel febre..Þe same vryn in on þat is colrik seiþ þat he is hoole & fers, for þat is þe kynde vryn of colrik complexioun.
Note: Additional quote. Editor's gloss: 'bold, fierce'. The phrase hoole & fers may represent a reanalysis of hol and fere, or may be an error. Cf. hole adj.(2), sense 1a.(b) and fere adj., sense 1.(b).