▪ I. † ˈforme, a. Obs.
Forms: 1 forma, -e, 2–6 forme, 3 Orm. forrme, 3 firme, furme, vorme, 3–5 form, 5 ferme.
[OE. forma = OFris. forma, OS. formo:—OTeut. *formon-, a superlative (with -m- suffix as in L. prīmus) from the root of fore adv. A variant is OE. fruma (early ME. frume, beginning) = Goth. fruma.]
1. Earliest in time or serial order, first; also, the first of two, former.
| Beowulf 2286 (Gr.) Frea sceawode fyra fyrnᵹeweorc forman siðe. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xv, Hu ᵹesæliᵹ seo forme eld was þises middanᵹeardes. a 1250 Owl & Night. 818 The vox kan..turne ut from his forme weie. a 1330 Otuel 1572 King karnifees..slouȝ him ate forme dunt. c 1425 Seven Sages (P.) 373 Yf I speke loude or stille, With the forme word I sal deye. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 4006 Oure forme fadere and modere. |
| absol. and ellipt. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. x. 2 Se forma ys Simon. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 243 Of the formen seieð sanctus paulus. Non est [etc.]. c 1205 Lay. 25151 Þe uorme wes Belin. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 38 Hit arn fettled in on forme, þe forme & þe laste. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. ii. 447 As iij is nyne, as ij is ten, the forme Thelleuth is with. |
b. Previous to the present; former, early.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22229 (Cott.) In form tide. c 1340 Ibid. 8583 (Trin.) Þe forme dawes. |
c. quasi-n. The beginning.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 499 Þe forme to þe fynisment foldez ful selden. |
2. Foremost in position, rank, etc.
| 14.. Rom. Alexander in Roland & V. (1836) p. xx. Antiogus hadde the form gard, Tholomeu the rereward. 1523 Skelton Garl. Laurel 595 And with his forme foot he shoke forth this wrytyng. |
3. quasi-Comb., in forme-fader, (a) (our) first father, Adam; (b) = forefather; forme-moder, (our) first mother, Eve; forme-mete, early meat, breakfast; forme-ward, vanguard.
| a 1175 Cott. Hom. 231 Me..sceolde..ȝiefe him his forme⁓mete þat him to lang ne þuhte to abiden oð se laford to þe none inn come. a 1200 Moral Ode 195 Ure forme fader gult, we abuȝeð alle. 13.. K. Alis. 5733 Of the forme-ward he herd grete cry For hy weren assailed of olifauntz. a 1340 Hampole Psalter cxviii. 21 Oure form-fadirs þat god blamyd. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 808 He..descended a-doune to þe derke helle, And fet oute our formfaderes. c 1440 York Myst. xxiii. 81 Oure fforme-ffadyrs full fayne Wold see this solempne sight. c 1450 Lonelich Grail xxx. 404 The grete wronge That oure form Modir dyde. |
▪ II. forme
(Printing): see form n. 20.