▪ I. † derf, n. Obs.
[app. shortened from OE. ᵹedeorf labour, trouble, tribulation, f. deorfan to labour: see derve.]
Trouble, tribuation, hurt.
| [c 1000 ælfric Colloquy ¶16 Hiᵹ, hiᵹ, micel ᵹedeorf ys hit!] c 1205 Lay. 10943 Nas na man..Þæt dursten him derf makien. a 1225 Ancr. R. 80 Strong uorte drien derf ine Godes seruise. Ibid. 106 Heo wolde þet derf þuldeliche þolien. Ibid. 180 Sicnesse, meseise..and euerich licomliche derf þet eileþ þe vlesche. c 1230 Hali Meid. 17 Abeore bliðeliche þe derf þat tu drehest. |
▪ II. † derf, a. (adv.) Obs.
Forms: 3 (Orm.) derrf, deorrf, 3–4 derue, 3–6 derf, 4–5 derff, 4–6 derfe, 5–6 derffe, darf(e, 6 dearfe.
[app. a. ON. djarfr (:—derfa-z) bold, daring, audacious, impudent: cf. OSw. diarver, diærver, Sw. djerf, Da. diærv; cognate with OS. derƀi, OFris. derfe; not recorded in OE. where the forms would be deorf, dierfe; cf. deorrflike in Ormin.]
1. Bold, daring, courageous, brave.
| c 1200 Ormin 16780 He [Nicodemus] nass nohht derrf inoh all opennliȝ to sekenn þe Laferrd Crist. Ibid. 19598 Wiþþ derrf & openn spæche. 1375 Barbour Bruce xviii. 307 The frer..wes derrf, stout, and ek hardy. c 1400 Destr. Troy 12800 His derf knightes. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. ix. 22 Turnus the prince, at was baith darf and bald. |
b. In a bad sense: Bold, audacious, daringly wicked.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 12936 (Cott.) Þat derf o ded, þat fals traitur. Ibid. 27749 (Cott.) Wreth..wentes man fra goddis will and mas him derf to dedis ill. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3779 Thow salle be dede and undone for thy derfe dedys. c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 305 Fulle darfe has been oure deede for-thi commen is our care. 1570 Levins Manip. 31 Darfe, stubborn, pertinax, obduratus. |
2. Strong, sturdy, stout.
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1233 Þe dor drawen, & dit with a derf haspe. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 312 No more dowte the dynte of theire derfe wapyns. c 1450 Henryson Mor. Fab. 78 His darf oxen I compt them not a flee. |
b. Vigorous, forcible, violent.
| c 1440 York Myst. xlvi. 17 That drewe all tho domesmen derffe indignacioun. c 1450 Golagros & Gaw. 359 Delis thair full doughtely mony derf dynt. 16.. Earl Westmorland 291 in Furniv. Percy Folio I. 311 Blowes that were both derfe and dire. |
3. Painful, grievous; terrible, dreadful; cruel.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 565 Ich hire wule don to þe derueste deað. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 862 Dotz away your derf dyn & derez neuer my gestes. c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 217 Mony..Off Wallace part, thai putt to that derff deid. |
b. Troublesome, hard, difficult.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 948 For nis him no derure for to adweschen feole þen fewe. c 1230 Hali Meid. 19 His reades..derue beoð to fullen. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 294 The darfast way..Tha tuke the gait without rangat till go. |
B. as adv. Grievously, terribly.
| c 1325 Metr. Hom. (1862) 23 Slic wordes said Crist of thir wers That folc in werd ful derf deres. |