Middle English Dictionary Entry
ferther adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | ferther adv. Also ferder, frether, farther. |
| Etymology | OE furþor, with the vowel of ME ferre(r , comp. of fer far. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. further adv.
1.
(a) To a more advanced position (in space), onward, forward, farther; also fig.; (b) farther away (in space), more distant, to or from a distance; also fig.; (c) farther away (in time), more advanced (in age), later; (d) farther on (in a book, story, etc.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1491 : Nedes he most abide Þat he no may ferþer far.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5992 : He þouȝt to herberwe þare; For he no miȝt no ferþer fare.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2588 : Greiþe we vs..to go ferþer hennes.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 24.28 : Thei camen nyȝ to the castel..And he made cuntenaunce him to go ferthere.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4117 : It was nyght and ferther myghte they noght.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1623 : Now telleth me er that ye ferther wende.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)30b/b : He suffrith noȝt þe fletinge reses of þe see passe ferþer.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)5975 : Quar-to suld ȝe ferder [Vsp: ferrer; Trin-C: forþer] ga?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.613 : Alle other for to lette Ferther to passe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.68 : This Troilus..ferther wolde han riden.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.642 : Shulde I neuere ferthere a fote for no freres prechynge.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)662 : Or that he ferther wente out of the place.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1651 : The ferther that hit ran, The gretter wexen hit began.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)73/14 : Surdyte toke the stonne and cast it vij fote ferthre.
- c1460 Cursor (LdMisc 416)17510 : Yt [the news] shuld no ferther sprede.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)114/20 : He shold lede hir ne farther.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2289 : I shall yow telle the trouth..Butt lete this go noo ferther, I yow praye.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3336 : Þe oþere drowen hem ferþer out for drede þat þay nere kulled.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1001 : And eek the lenger that he tarieth, the ferther he is fro Crist.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.101 : Ech man shulde sue him, or ferþere or nerþere.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)34/24 : A nakid minde..putteþ þee ferþer fro God.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)272 : A bold burne..of his body comyn, No ferþer sib to hymself bot his sone der.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)280 : And ferther in the temple I gan espie That..Ful many a bowe ibroke heng on the wal.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1253 : Trewely I hadde no ned Ferther than my beddes hed.
- c1450 The more I (Frf 16)2 : The more I goo, the ferther I am behinde; The ferther behinde, the ner my wayes ende.
c
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.712 : And ay the ferther that she was in age.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)264b/b : Agnus agniculus is a lomb of ful age of oon ȝeer..þe bettre he is, þe ferþere he is fro sowkynge.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7098 : The yeer of the Incarnacioun, A thousand and two hundred yeer, Fyve and fifty, ferther [ne neer].
d
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2617 : Of þe hert & þe hinde, herkenes now ferþer.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.36 : Er that I ferther in this tale pace.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.91 : There I lefte I wyl agayn retourne, Of Pelleus ferther to procede.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)34/26 : Now wil I retourne aȝen or I procede ony ferthere for to declare ȝou the othere weyes.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1112 : Or I ferther pace, I wol yow al the shap devyse.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)161/303 : Loke ferþer.
2.
(a) To a greater degree or extent, in addition, more, further; (b) as an introductory adv.: moreover, besides.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Tim.3.9 : These aȝen stonden treuthe..But ferther thei schulen not profyte.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)247/3 : Þis collirium..makiþ þat þe enpostym may wexe no ferþere.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)345 : Se we ferþer how þis stiward may erre.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)372 : In this mater I woll not ferthere prese.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)109 : Ne to no creature made she chere Ferther then that hit lyked to Arcite.
- c1450(c1390) Chaucer Ven.(Benson-Robinson)69 : Seche no ferther.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11702 : Hit shalbe sentto your-selfe, seche hit no ferther.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)8/19 : Seke no ferther, for I am he.
- a1500 The more I (Hrl 7333)4 : Þe more I seche, þe worse kan I fynde; þe more presente, þe freþer oute of my mynde.
b
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)20/8 : Þanne ferþir þus: Siþen in þe tablis [etc.].