▪ I. † freme, n. Obs.
Forms: 1 fręmu, freomo, 2–3 freme, 3 freoma, -e, 4 south. vreme.
[OE. fręmu str. fem., noun of quality from fram forward.]
Advantage, benefit, profit. Cf. frame n. 1.
| a 700 Epinal Gloss. 135 Beneficium, fremu. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xiv. §1 Hwelc fremu is ðe ðæt, ðæt þu wilniᵹe þissa andweardena ᵹesælþa. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 84 Þonne ys wen þæt hyt him cume to mycelre freme. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 217 Þat we hine [God] lufie..naht him to mede ac us to freme and to fultume. c 1205 Lay. 674 He deð him selua freoma a helpeð his freondene. 1258 Charter Hen. III in Tyrrell Hist. Eng. (1700) II. App. 25 Ure treowthe for the freme of the Loande. 1340 Ayenb. 69 Yef enye of hare uryendes ham wylleþ rede and hare ureme ssewy naȝt ham nolleþ yhere. |
▪ II. † freme, v. Obs.
Forms: 1–2 fręmian, fręmman, 3 freme(n, -ien, (fremmen, froemen, south. vreomien).
[OE. fręmian, fręmman trans. and intr. = OFris. fremma, OS. fremmian, OHG. (gi-)fremen, ON. fremja:—OTeut. *framjan, f. *fram forward: see from.]
1. trans. To help forward, promote the interests of; to benefit; to refresh (with food, etc.). Also, to indulge.
| Beowulf 1832 Ic on Hiᵹelace wat..þæt he mec fremman wile weordum ond worcum. a 1000 Andreas 936 (Gr.) Ðæt ic eaðe mæᵹ anra ᵹehwylcne fremman and fyrðran freonda minra. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2367 Ha..bisohte..þæt he for his freolec, firstede hire & fremede. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1245 Ȝhe gan fremen ysmael Wið watres drinc and bredes mel. |
2. intr. a. To profit, be of service. b. To gain ground, make progress; = frame v. 1 and 2.
| c 1000 ælfric Gen. xxxvii. 20 Ðonne biþ ᵹesyne, hwæt him his swefn fremion. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xvi. 26 Hwæt fremað æneᵹum menn þeah he [etc.]. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 111 Ne ligge nefre on þine heorde, þet hauelese monnam meie fremian. a 1225 Ancr. R. 284 Gif þu hauest..eni oðer þing þet ham wolde ureomien. a 1300 E.E. Psalter lxxxviii[i]. 22 Noghte freme in him sal þe faa. |
3. trans. To accomplish, effect, perform.
| Beowulf 2800 Fremmað ᵹe nu [MS. ᵹena] leoda þearfe. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 30 (Gr.) Þæs engles mod, þe þone unræd ongan ærest fremman. c 1205 Lay. 24010 Heo scullen me monradene mid moscipe fremmen. c 1300 Havelok 441 Alle haueden sworen..That he sholden hise wille freme. |