Middle English Dictionary Entry
afer adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | afer adv. Also aferre, afeer, aver, afeor, avorre. |
| Etymology | From on fer far & of fer from afar. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. fer & ferren.
1.
(a) Of position in space: at a distance, far off, afar; also, from afar; (b) of motion in space: to a distance, away; also fig.; (c) with verbs of seeing, smelling: far off, from afar; (d) from a remote period in time; long before, long afterward; (e) indirectly, remotely; (f) ~ after, far behind; ~ remote, far removed; ~ as, as far; from (fro) ~, from afar.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.King (LdMisc 108)45 : Huy benden heore bouwene and stoden a-feor.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.33.13 : Hereth, ȝee that ben aferr [L longe].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.26.58 : Petre suede hym afer [L a longe].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)290b/a : Oþere bestes..foloweþ him aferre [L a remotis].
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)583 : Mary hys modyr folewed a ver.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)12352 : Þese oþere leouns..Stoden a fer.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.516 : And I afer gan rome to and fro.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)7 : Aferre, not nye: Procul.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1104 : With falsede afer is fairest to dele.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)124/10 : Ryghtwysnes stod afere [L longe].
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)436 : Preyeris & many oþere gode dedis ben as wel don afer as neer.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.89 : Ȝit suffized hire noght to scorne hym doing a ferre, Bot at thaire meting eft sones chaufed sho hyre husbond.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Jer.14.19 : Whether throwende aferr thou threwe awei Judam, or thi soule wlatede Sion?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2335 : Otherwhile he goth a ferr, And otherwhile he draweth nerr.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.318 : He..putte al Avarice afer.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Lev.14.40 : He shal comaunde..hem to be throwe a ferre out of the cyte.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)41.319 : Josephes drowh hym somwhat Afer From his Felawes.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)173/6 : To sheete aferre at a marke is but a lite thinge.
c
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)17864 : Hii iseȝen avorre one selcouþe storre.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)48/55 : Þe court he bi-heold a-fer þare ase is broþer was.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)91 : Þe drope of þe deawe, huanne me his zykþ auer, anlykneþ to ane stone of pris.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1039 : This Flete, which an havene soghte, The bryghte fyres sih a ferr.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)41b/a : A deep siȝt seeþ afer [L a remotis].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.934 : Grekis sawe þe fire aferre.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.22.4 : He sawe a place a feer.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)140b/a : He seith an descryueth smale thinges aferre.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1575 : Loke oute..and see a ferr The Porpais pley.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)22/9 : To men is ȝouun þe witt of smellyng, bi which þei schulen knowe sum what afer what bodies ben vnholsom.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)5 : He sawe afer a serpent and a toode fiȝte to-geder.
d
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.11.13 : Alle thes ben deede, the aȝenbiheestis not takun, but thei biholdinge hem aferr [L a longe] and gretinge wel.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.6 : Alle profetis and olde lawe tolden afer unto Joon.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)452 : Þei siȝen þee present and siȝen myraclis whiche þou wrouȝtist..and we seen not þilk myraclis but here of hem afer.
e
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)231 : Summe of hem..ben witnessid afer and in general bi Holi Scripture.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (RwlPoet 14)5683 : The bisshope began his tale subtilly, All afferre, and seyde.
f
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)58 : Thi schreude herte and he ben as afere asundir as Lucifer is from heven.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.3.6 : Ye loken from afer to thilke verray fyn of blisfulnesse.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.4.165 : The lookynge..seeth fro afer al the body togidre.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)229 : Also byholde his moder and his othere frendes with vnspekable sorwe aferre after folowynge.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)6.47 : Her oon, ther oon, to leue afer remote, I holde hit good.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)212 : From afer com walkyng in the mede The god of Love.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)125b/b : Ȝif a man drawe it [arm] o ferre fro his bodie, he schal fynde in þe toppe of þe schulder ane obstakel.
Note: New spelling