Middle English Dictionary Entry
afēred ppl.
Entry Info
| Forms | afēred ppl. Also affer(e)d, afert, aver(e)d, afæred, aværed, avared. |
| Etymology | Ppl. of afēren. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Frightened, terrified; (b) maken ~, to frighten (sb.); (c) ~ of, afraid of, frightened by; (d) ~ for or of, fearful for the sake of (sb.), apprehensive about (a possible happening); (e) with inf.: afraid (to do sth., of suffering sth.); (f) ~ lest, ~ (that), fearful that (sth. may happen).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)69.7/2 : He seȝh þat he scinlac ȝeseo, & swa afæred, he byð tæled fram hyrdum.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3076 : Þet mæiden wes afeared.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23551 : Auared [Otho: Afered] weoren þa leden.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)410 : Þeȝ þe niȝtingale Were aferd, ho spac bolde tale.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)23424 : Þo was þe king Frolle loþliche afered.
- a1350 I syke (Hrl 2253)16 : His frendes aren afered ant clyngeþ so þe clay.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)101 : Forþi afered be þou nowt.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2445 : Þan wax maubyn sore afferd.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.12.21 : I am aferd and ful of tremblyng.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.177 : Þanne Farnaces..was aferde wel sore.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)4.49 : Wrong was a-Fert [vrr. aferd, aferid] þo and Wisdam souhte.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)20.80 : Þei bothe Weren afered, and flowen fro þe man ywondede.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)16/6 : I quake, I drede, & vgli I am aferde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6854 : Þis maide ȝonge, dredful, & a-ferd.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)4 Kings 22.19 : Thin herte was aferd [WB(1): gaastyde].
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2321 : Yit it is afered and awhaped.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)775 : Þan was þe maydyn afferde.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2669 : He repentede..& was sore aferde & eke affryȝt.
- a1500 *Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149:Hulme)260b : He was gretly afferde and made the peple holde her pees.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4109 : How dorste ye seyn..That any thyng myghte make yow aferd.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2124 : He thenkth to maken him afered.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Lev.26.36 : The sown of a leef fleynge schal make hem aferd, and so thei schulen fle it as a swerd.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)49a/b : Perterrefacio: make a ferde.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)7/29 : A hydewes þondyr..made all hom aferde.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)26084 : Næs ich nauere of Ardure afæred sære.
- c1275 Þene latemeste dai (Clg A.9)81 : Nu is afered of þe þi mei & þi mowe.
- a1300 PMor.(McC 123)41 : Vor þar ne darf he ben afered of fure ne of þeue.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)159 : Oþere liggeþ heie aboue þat man may be of aferd.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)685 : Whoso is aferd of his trespaz, He shal haue comfort.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Phil.1.28 : And in no thing be ȝe aferd of aduersaries.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.401 : As sore as þou art afeerd of þis swerd, as sore I am aferde of the.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)154 : Þin enymy woltou not for-ȝete But ay beo a-fert of his affray.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.600 : Were thou afered of hire yhe?
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.165 : Ne be afered of enemye.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3409 : He rood alday, of no þing afferd.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2303 : Al þe men..Of þat sight mught be aferd.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)59 : Syche prelatis..ben aferd of cristis gospel.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11630 : Tho doghty men bothe Were aferd of the fare and the fell noise.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)156 : The lordes were aferd of swech maner puple so sodeynly up.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)167/136 : Eche man of hem aferd was.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)18/36 : Be we wel avysed to be aferd of a dreme reder?
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)85 : Be not a ferde of this sodeyn aventur.
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3937 : Gorbidiagus..of his sunen wes afered, for ofte biforen him suluen heo bigunnen to fuhten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27974 : Heo auered weoren for heore uæie-siðen.
- a1275 Louerd asse þu ard (Trin-C B.14.39)255 : Sore he [Joseph] was afered of þisse childis deit [read: deþ].
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1518 : Soore afered of his deeth was he.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8990 : Of sacrylage he may be aferd.
e
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)147/13 : He wule beon afered uorte don ðe eft swuche þucke.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)941 : Þerfore icham aferd to fiȝt.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)1701 : King garsie was a-fered to deye, & bi-gan mersi to crie.
- c1400 Prep.Euch.(Ashm 1286)122/22 : Þat suche a..wrecchid synner be aferde to neiȝ hem suche a lord.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1154 : Beyng aferd to kepe the hegh way.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.482 : To ben in his goode governaunce..she was namore afered.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)199 : Þe will of sensualite..was afferde to suffire dede.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)32/32 : Sche was not aferd for to deye.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)194/10 : Þe childe schulde be afeerde to do so eftsoones.
f
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)53 : Heo is afered, leste þeo eorðe hire trukie.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12730 : Swiðe we beoð auæred þet heo nu nabben mare.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17057 : Þas cnihtes weoren afæred þat he fleon wolde.
- a1300 Owl & N.(Jes-O 29)399 : Þe nyhtegale..wes aferd þat hire answare Ne wrþe nouht a riht ivare.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2943 : He es afered þat he sal be peryst.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)21.293 : He..was Aferd, lest his brother scholde die.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)367/349 : I am aferd, there wyll be sum thyng amys.
2.
Causing fear, terrifying.
Associated quotations
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)959 : Þan gan þe fiȝt to ben aferd; Of swiche ne haue ȝe nouȝt y-herd.