▪ I. differ, v.
(ˈdɪfə(r))
Also 6 dyffer (defer), 6–7 differre.
[a. F. différer (in Froissart 14th c.), ad. L. differ-re to carry or bear apart, spread abroad, distract, protract, delay, defer; also intr. to tend apart or diversely in nature or character, to differ. The verb was used with both senses in F. in 14th c., and has continued to be so used till the present day. In English, it was taken first in the transitive sense, with stress diˈffer (cf. confer, refer, prefer), which led at length to the transitive senses being written defer: see defer v.1; the intrans. use, being closely related in sense to different, difference, apparently followed these words in stressing the first syllable. (Offer, suffer, which have the same stress, have a distinct form in French and Romanic.) And one transitive use, closely associated with the intrans., and with different, difference, has gone with these. In this way L. differre, F. différer, ME. diˈfferre, has been split into the two verbs defer to put off, and differ to make or be unlike. The pr. pple. differing occurs in Chaucer's Boethius; but instances of the verb in the form differ are rare before 1500.]
1. The earlier form of defer v.1 in all senses.
2. trans. To put apart or separate from each other in qualities; to make unlike, dissimilar, different, or distinct; to cause to vary; to distinguish, differentiate. Now unusual.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 4223 Ȝour manars fra all othire mens so mekill ere deffirrid. 1562 Leigh Armorie (1597) 32 b, This is not vnlike the other Crosse. The pyke which it hath to pitch into the ground, onely differeth it. 1603 Sir C. Heydon Jud. Astrol. v. 158 Homo, and Brutum..differ the whole kind. 1633 Earl of Manchester Al Mondo (1636) 120 Why is the winter harder to the Grashopper than to the Ant? Prudencie in one, and imprudencie in the other differs them. 1656 R. Robinson Christ all 44 Garments..differ one sex from another. 1713 J. Petiver in Phil. Trans. XXVIII. 213 Its glaucous Leaves and pale Flowers, differ it from the yellow Split. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 510 That differed it from the cases wherein the Court had gone some lengths. 1867 Bushnell Mor. Uses Dark Th. 36 All which differs the landscape in beauty from mere wild forest. |
† b. Her. To distinguish by the addition of a difference. Obs.
| 1586 J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie 98 Til then it was permissiue for eche brother to differ his coat after his fancye. |
3. intr. To have contrary or diverse bearings, tendencies, or qualities; to be not the same; to be unlike, distinct, or various, in nature, form, or qualities, or in some specified respect: two (or more) things are said to differ (absolutely, or from each other), one thing differs from another.
| 1374 [see differing ppl. a. 1]. a 1400–50 Alexander 4617 Bot we þat..has a fre will Differris as in oure fraunches fere fra ȝoure kynde. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 234 This differeth from that other, as..the rose differeth from the budde. 1526–34 Tindale 1 Cor. xv. 41 One starre differth from another in glory. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. ii. (Arb.) 139 These differre one from an other. 1570 Levins Manip. 77/29 To Defer, differre, discrepare. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. i. 10 Call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an Oxe? 1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. xv. 79 The same man, in divers times, differs from himselfe. 1689–90 Temple Misc., Pop. Discontents Wks. 1720 I. 270 'Tis hard to find any point wherein they differ. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) III. 324 It [the fox]..differs still more from the dog in its strong offensive smell. 1823 H. J. Brooke Introd. Crystallogr. 98 Which individual forms..will be found to differ from each other in the measurement of some of their angles. 1847 Helps Friends in C. (1851) I. 28 Even the leaves of the same tree are said to differ, each one from all the rest. 1859–74 Tennyson Merlin & V. 812 Men at most differ as Heaven and earth, But women, worst and best, as Heaven and Hell. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 32 Man is not man in that he resembles [brutes], but in that he differs from them. |
4. intr. To be at variance; to hold different opinions concerning any matter; to disagree. Const. with; also from (esp. when followed by in, as in quot. 1843).
| 1563 Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. Wks. 1888 I. 135 Sen ȝe..differris fra ws.. tweching the said day of the moneth. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. iii. (1843) 79/1 A latitude that honest and wise men may safely and profitably differ [in]. 1653 Walton Angler ii. 42 The question has been debated among many great Clerks, and they seem to differ about it. 1716 Addison Freeholder (J.), To irritate those who differ with you in their sentiments. 1735–8 Bolingbroke On Parties 81 To think They [the Tories]..had only differ'd with the Whigs about the Degree of Oppression..in order to sanctify Resistance. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones iii. v, Many people differed from Square and Thwackum, in judging [etc.]. 1791 Burke Corr. (1844) III. 351, I can never for a moment differ from you and your brother in sentiment. 1809 W. Gifford in Smiles Mem. John Murray I. 158, I differ with him totally. 1833 J. H. Newman Lett. (1891) I. 466 To unite with those who differ with us. 1843 Ibid. II. 430 She may..differ from me in opinion. 1869 Sir J. T. Coleridge Mem. Keble (ed. 2) 186, I differed with him in the conclusion he drew. 1885 Law Rep. 10 App. Cases 379 The appellant and respondents differ as to when the gate was erected. |
† b. To express or give vent to disagreement or difference of opinion; to dispute; to have a difference, to quarrel (with). Obs.
| 1625 Bacon Ess., Unity in Relig. (Arb.) 429 A man..shall sometimes heare Ignorant Men differ, and know well..that those which so differ, meane one thing. 1709 Hearne Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) II. 245 As they went out of Town they happen'd to differ. a 1718 Rowe (J.), Here uncontroll'd you may in judgment sit; We'll never differ with a crowded pit. 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 118 As to his Size, I would have him full Fifteen Hands, nay, I would not differ for his being Sixteen, provided he was strong in proportion. |
c. trans. To cause disagreement between; to set at variance. Sc.
| 1814 Saxon & Gael I. 79 (Jam.) If Maister Angis and her mak it up, I'se ne'er be the man to differ them. |
▪ II. ˈdiffer, n. Sc. and dial.
[f. differ v.]
= difference n.
| 1627 P. Forbes Eubulus 94 (Jam.) No such material points are in differ betwixt vs. 1639 Declar. Tumults Sc. 340 The generall assembly..would remove any doubt and differ which might arise. 1786 Burns Addr. to Unco Guid iii, Cast a moment's fair regard, What maks the mighty differ. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy ix, But I'll pay you the differ out of my wage. 1873 Lowell Lett. (1894) II. 94 So far as I understood your ‘differ’ with your electors I thought you were right. 1893 Stevenson Catriona 94 Either come to an agreement, or come to a differ. |
▪ III. differ
obs. form of defer v.1 and v.2