▪ I. † ferd, n.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 fyrd, 2–4 ferde, (3 verde, 2 ferede), 3–5 ferd, (3 færd, feord), 5 furde, furthe. See also fard n.
[OE. fęrd, fięrd, fyrd str. fem. = OFris. ferd, OS. fard (MDu. vaert, Du. vaard, vaart), OHG. fart (MHG. vart, Ger. fahrt), ON. ferð (Da. and Sw. fard):—OTeut. *farti-z (:—pre-Teut. *porti-s), f. root far- (Aryan por-) to go, fare v.1]
1. A military expedition. OE. only.
| a 1000 Byrhtnoth 221 (Gr.) Þæt ic of þisse fyrde feran wille. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) xliii. 11 [xliv. 9] Þeah þu..mid us ne fare on fyrd. |
b. in ferd: in warlike array.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 163 With þe wille I go als felawes in ferd. |
2. An army, host.
| 823 O.E. Chron. an. 823 Þa sende he æþelwulf his sunu of þære fierde. 1154 Ibid. an. 1140 Te king ferde agenes him mid micel mare ferd. c 1205 Lay. 4152 He somenede færd swulc nes næuere eær on erde. a 1225 Ancr. R. 250 Ter men uihteð in þeos stronge uerdes. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1668 Havestu..ibanned ferde. c 1300 Havelok 2384 Robert..was of al þe ferd Mayster. c 1330 Assump. Virg. 116 He schal sende after þee Of heuene ferde moche plente. c 1350 Will. Palerne 386 Þemperour..on his blonk rides..til he fond al his fre ferd. |
3. A band, company, troop; a great number.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7920 A uerde þer was binorþe þat robbede al so uaste. c 1350 Will. Palerne 5326 Þe fairest ferde of folk þat euer bi-fore was seie. a 1400–50 Alexander 5577 Ferly ferd of his folke was in þe fild strangild. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4094 With fyfty [shippes] in a furthe. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xv. (Bannatyne Club) 103 Þere folowes me a ferde of fendis full fell. |
4. Comb. in early law terms, ferd-fare (see quot. 1641); ferd-wite (see quots.).
| c 1020 Secular Laws Cnut §66 Gif hwa burh-bote oþþe bricᵹbote oþþ e fyrd-fare forsille. c 1250 Gloss. Law Terms in Rel. Ant. I. 33 Ferdware, quite de aler en ost. 1641 Termes de la Ley 160 Ferdfare is to be quit from going to warre. c 1020 Secular Laws Cnut §12 Fyrd-wite. c 1250 Gloss. Law Terms in Rel. Ant. I. 33 Ferdwite, quite de murance de ost. 1641 Termes de la Ley 160 Ferdwit. 1684–1701 Cowell Law Dict., Ferdwit, quit of murder committed in the army; also a fine imposed on persons for not going forth in a military expedition. |
▪ II. † ferd, n.2 Obs.
Forms: 4–5 feerd, ferd(e.
[subst. use of ferd, feared ppl. a.]
Fear, terror. Chiefly in phrase for ferd. Const. with inf. or with subord. clause introduced by lest or that.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3651 (Cott.) For ferde atte he mistraw, Þou salle say þou art esau. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 215 Þenne such a ferde on hem fel. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 88 Malcolme..fled for ferd. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame ii. 442 He for ferde lost hys wyt. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. iv. 160 For ferde of sonne On hem let inne. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 36 Loke that ye have ever a frende..by you, for ferde. c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 40 It gars me quake for ferd to dee. |
▪ III. ferd
var. form of fard n.1 Sc. Obs.
▪ IV. ferd
obs. form of feared ppl. a.
▪ V. ferd
obs. form of fourth.