(a) A friend, a comrade, an intimate; often, one who supports the same cause (or fights on the same side) as oneself, a comrade in arms, an ally, a confederate; (b) one who befriends a person or an institution, a benefactor, a patron; ~ in court, one who advocates another's cause (orig., in court); (c) fig.

(a) feined ~, insincere friend; (b) ~ ful dere, esteemed friend, beloved friend; (c) ful ~, friend of the most intimate sort; (d) god ~, true or intimate friend; (e) gret ~, devoted friend; (f) leve ~, dear or beloved friend; (g) next ~, most intimate friend, closest friend; (h) old ~, a friend of long standing; (i) prive ~, a friend who shares one's secrets; (j) treu ~, verrei ~, a true or loyal friend; (k) worst ~, worst enemy.

(a) ~ of chere, ~ of countenaunce, one whose outward manner is friendly; ~ of effect, a friend in fact, a real friend; (b) ~ of God, Godes ~, an intimate of God, a pious person; (c) ~ and fend (fo), friend and foe; ~ ne (nor, nere) fo, friend nor foe; (d) worldes ~, worldly person, sinner.

frendes ded (turn), a friendly or benevolent act; ~ chere, ~ fare, friendly manner; ~ red, counsel of a friend, friendly advice; in ~ right, according to the custom among friends, as friends; etc.

(a) becomen ~, become friends; ben ~, be a friend, be friends; also fig.; (b) holden ~, keep a friend; (c) knouen ~ fro fo, tell a friend from an enemy; (d) maken ~, make friends, win over; make peace or alliance with; (e) maken ~ of fo, change an enemy into a friend; don ~ ben fo, maken ~ fo, to turn (someone's) friend into an enemy.

ben frend(es [orig. pred. nom., sg. or uninflected pl.]: (a) of persons: be friends, be friendly, be favorably disposed; (b) of animals: be on friendly terms, not hostile; (c) of fortune: be favorable; (d) of things: be favorable or beneficial.

?A paramour.

A kinsman; a blood relative, a kinsman by marriage; also, a foster parent [quot.: a1375]; fremed and frendes, strangers and relatives.

In direct address: (a) ~, mi ~; -- used in addressing strangers (or enemies) as well as friends; (b) dere ~, faire ~, leve ~, swete ~, etc.

As a personal name.