ˈfermery, ˈfarmery Obs. exc. Hist.
Forms: α. 4–6 fermerie, -y(e, 4–7 fermori(e, -y(e, 5 fermary(e, 7 Hist. fermarie, firmorie, firmary. β. 6 farmarie, -erye, -ory, 7 farmary, 6– farmery.
[aphet. f. OF. enfermerie, ad. med L. infirmāria: see infirmary.]
= infirmary; chiefly, the infirmary of a monastery.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 108 If ȝe fare so in ȝowre fermorie. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 212 Fermery and fraitur with fele mo houses. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. lx. (1869) 205, I wole lede þee with me..in to þe fermerye to reste. c 1550 Bale K. Johan 82 Gett thee to the farmerye. 1593 Rites & Mon. Ch. Durh. (Surtees) 44 A chamber called the Dead Mane's Chamber in the said Farmery. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. viii. §62 The rehearsall..of his dying in the Firmary. 1626 Spelman Gloss., Firmarium al. Fermarium, Angl. a fermarie. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. vi. ii. 287 Infirmarium or the firmorie. 1891 W. H. St. J. Hope in Venables Chron. de Parco Lude Introd. 55 Of the farmery (infirmitorium)..very little has been made out. |
| attrib. a 1490 Botoner Itin. (Nasmith 1778) 83 The fermarye chyrch continet in longitudine 34 virgas. |