† ˈfeirie, a. Sc. Obs.
Also 5, 6 fery, 7, 8 feerie.
[? repr. OE. *fériᵹ, f. fór action of going (see fore n.) + -iᵹ, -y1: cf. the synonymous fere a.]
Fit to travel; hence nimble, vigorous. Const. of.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ix. ix. 10 His eldare Swne Wes noucht fery. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. v. 20 Als fery and als swipper as a page. a 1548 Thrie Priests of Peblis in Pinkerton Scot. Poems (1792) I. 18 The king was..Ane feirie man on fute. 17.. in Watson Collect. i. (1706) 59 Of foot he is not feerie. 1794 Burns Deuk's Dang O'er My Daddy, O haud your tongue, my feirie auld wife. |
b. quasi-adv. Cleverly, actively.
| 1810 in Cromek Rem. Nithsdale & Annandale Song (1880) 54 An feerie can cross it in two braid cockle shells. |
Hence ˈfeirily adv., nimbly, actively.
| 1550 Lyndesay Sqr. Meldrum 475 Quhen thay saw him sa feirelie Loup on his Hors. 1552 ― Dreme 12 Sumtyme in dansing, feiralie I flang. 1763 W. Thom Donaldsoniad, Wks. (1799) 368 It wad be better if it was a' dun bi ane that cou'd gae throw it feerily and cannily. |