▪ I. † ˈfurther, n. Obs.
[f. further v.]
The action of the vb. further; = furtherance.
| 1526 Q. Margt. (Scotl.) Let. Wolsey (MS. Caligula B. viii. 160) in M. A. Everett Wood Lett. R. & Illustr. Ladies II. 9 The said bearer, whom pleaseth you, my Lord, cause have good further and expedition of his errands. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 522 Commending him that he had done sic thing, In so greit forder of the commoun weill. 1641 Hinde J. Bruen xxviii. 87 For the increase of Religion and further of the Gospel. 1785 Burns 3rd Ep. to J. Lapraik 1 Guid speed and furder to you, Johnny. |
▪ II. further, a.
(ˈfɜːðə(r))
Forms: 1 furðra (Northumb. forðora), 2 furþur, 4–5 furþer(e, 3–7 forþer(e, -ther, Orm. forrtherr, (5 forthre), 6–7 furder, 4–7 forder, 6 forthir, 6– further. See also farther.
[OE. furðra = OFris, fordera, OS. forthoro (MLG. vordere), OHG. ford(e)ro, fordaro, fordoro (MHG. vordere, mod.G. vorder):—OTeut. *furþeron- wk., f. *furþero- str. (the acc. neut. of which appears in further adv.):—pre-Teut. pr̥-tero-, f. root of fore adv. + comparative suffix as in af-ter, o-ther.
On this assumption the Eng. further adj. and adv. have nothing but their ultimate root in common with the Goth. faurþis adv:—OTeut. *furþ-iz or *furþ-joz, f. the stem of forth + comparative suffix = -er3. A different hypothesis (Kluge in Paul's Grdr., ed. 2, I. 483) is that further and its cognates are f. the stem of forth + compar. suffix (not -izon- but) -eron-, -uron-, as in inner, outer (see -er3 A. 2). The OHG. furdir adv. is explained by Kluge as repr. a locative *furþirî.]
† 1. a. That is before another in position, order, or rank; esp. of an animal's limbs or a part of the body: Front. Obs. (Cf. farther B. 1.)
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John xiii. 16 Soþlice ic eow secᵹe nys se ðeowa furðra þonne his hlaford. a 1300 Cursor M. 28169 He was for-þer mar þen j. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 187 A wounde receyved in þe furþer partie of his body [in anteriori parte corporis]. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 113 Brood twoward þe forþere side of þe heed & scharpere twoward þe hyndere syde. 1486 Bk. St. Albans E ij b, The ij. forther legges the hede layde by twene. 1539 Invent. R. Wardrobe (1815) 36 Lynit the forthir quarteris with blak taffiteis. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 134 Gif ane horse slayes ane man passand before him, with his forther feete. |
b. With reference to time: Former. Also in comb. further-ealdefader (cf. L. proavus): great grandfather. Obs.
| 1155 Proc. Henry II, in Anglia VII. 220 Þæt hi beon ælc þare lande wurþa þe hi eafdon in Edwardes kinges deᵹe & on Willelmes kinges mines furþur ealdefader. 1557 N.T. (Genev.) Jas. v. 7 The forther and the latter rayne. 1561 Christ. Hindall Depos. in Bp. Chester Eccl. Crt. 1561–6, lf. 10 b, Mr. Holden did knowe of his forther wief beynge on lyve. 1562 Child Marriages, etc. (1897) 192 She was temptid by daily sute of the said Dilon, & did forget her forther promesse. |
2. More extended, going beyond what already exists or has been dealt with; additional, more. † further age: advanced age. † further way: a further-continued road. further education, formal education organized for adults, or for young people who have left school; also attrib. (Cf. farther B. 2.)
| a 1300 Cursor M. 10327 Child to gett, Bituix and þair forþer eild. 1495 in Yorksh. Archæol. Soc. (Record Ser. 1895) XVII. 127 Oure forthre pleasir in that behalf. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 50 b, For a forther knowledge of this tree, you must vnderstande that [etc.]. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. xxiii. 58 Without any further delay, the King sent them away. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj., Forme of Proces 22 He..judicially renunces all forder probation. 1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. Balzac's Lett. 44 Without further ambiguity. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 174 To th' ascent of that..Hill Satan had journied on..But further way found none. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 65 ¶2 Without further Preface, I am going to look into some of our most applauded Plays. 1794 Paley Evid. (ed. 2) I. v. 97 We find..two of them..seized.. and threatened with further punishment. 1838 De Morgan Ess. Prob. 201, I now proceed to some further instances. 1861 Buckle Civiliz. II. iv. 315 This was a further stimulus to Scotch industry. [1898 G. Balfour Educ. Syst. Gt. Brit. & Ireland p. xxii, No adequate system of intermediate schools exists to receive, as a matter of routine, those elementary pupils who are fitted for further education.] 1913 J. H. Whitehouse Nat. Syst. Educ. ii. 6 The writer suggests..the conferring on local authorities of the power to enforce further education compulsorily for children between the ages of 14 and 18. 1937 G. A. N. Lowndes Silent Social Revolution ii. 95 The growth of our modern system—or rather systems—of technical and further education drawing their strength both from the secondary and (since 1926) the Hadow senior schools. 1944 Act 7 & 8 Geo. VI c. 31 §7 The statutory system of public education shall be organised in three progressive stages to be known as primary education, secondary education, and further education. 1962 J. Braine Life at Top i. 11 Now he was dead and Sindram Grange had been taken over by the County as a Further Education Centre. 1970 Daily Tel. 28 Aug. 2/2 The establishment and development of polytechnics as bridges between further and higher education. |
3. More distant, remoter, esp. the remoter of two. Of a horse: The off (side). (Cf. farther B. 3.)
| 1578 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 396 One grey..mare, crapped on the further yeare. 1611 Bible 2 Esdras xiii. 41 They would..goe foorth into a further countrey. 1675 A. Browne Ars Pict. 90 Work your further Mountains so that they should seem to be lost in the Air. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. iii. 58 With kicks and bangs he ply'd The further and the nearer side [of a horse]. 1821 J. Baillie Metr. Leg., Wallace lvi, In the further rear. 1869 Tennyson Coming of Arthur 396 Not ever to be question'd any more Save on the further side. |
† 4. absol. further of the day: a later hour.
| 1546 Langley Pol. Verg. de Invent. ix. 113 b, Fyrst at mydnight..the seconde in the mornyng..the thyrd at further of the day. |
▪ III. further, adv.
(ˈfɜːðə(r))
Forms: 1–2 furð-, furþor, 1 Northumb. forðer, -ur, -or, 2–4 furð-, furþer (furthir), 3–5 forðere, -ðre, -þer(e, -þir, -thir(e, 3–6 forther(e, (3 forer), 4–5 furþere, 4–7 furder, 5 forder, (6 fourther), 6– further. See also farther adv.
[OE. furðor = OS. furthor (early mod.Du. voorder); for the formation, and the relation to Goth. faurþis, OHG. furdir, etc.: see further a.]
1. To or at a more advanced point of progress: a. of space; lit. and fig.; occas. with omission of go. Proverb, to go further, and fare worse. (Cf. farther A. 1 a.)
| c 1000 ælfric Josh. x. 12 Ne gang þu mona onᵹean Achialon anne stæpe furþor. c 1050 O.E. Chron. an. 1039 Eode se sæster hwætes to lv penega and eac furðor. c 1205 Lay. 4880 He furðer lað, to Seguine duc. a 1240 Ureisun in Cott. Hom. 203 Nere þe heorte so cold þat ne schulde neuer sunne habben for-ðer in-ȝong þer þis brune were. a 1250 Prov. ælfred 128 in O.E. Misc. 110 Nere he for his weole neuer þe furþer. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace Prol. 182 Vnto þe Cadwaladres; No forer, þer makes he ses. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 440 Þarfor I wille, ar [I] forthir pas, Shew yhou what a man first was. c 1340 Cursor M. 10156 (Fairf.) As furthir in this boke we rede. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 221, I lete make a pipe of silvir and putte it in at her mouþ & passede forþere þan þe wounde was. 1494 Fabyan Chron. (1811) I. cxxvii. 107 Forthere then y⊇ chapell dore noon of them wold enter. 1535 Coverdale Job xxxviii. 11 Hither to shalt thou come, but no further. 1546 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 51 You..might haue gone further, and haue faren wurs. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 60 But or we further proced, marke this figure. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 169 His eye balles further out, than when he liued. 1615 J. Stephens Satyr. Ess. 26 Go tell a trades-man he deceives..And he will answere..Go further on, you will be cheated worse. 1641 Milton Animadv. (1851) 187 Ere a foot furder we must bee content [etc.]. 1655 Sir E. Nicholas in N. Papers (Camden) II. 336 Taken out of their bedds..and carryed on shipboard, and whence further is vnknowen. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. v, They kept out of sight further and further. 1771 Foote Maid of B. i. Wks. 1799 II. 214 Folks may go further and fare worse, as they say. 1813 Shelley Q. Mab ix. 182 Whose stingings bade thy heart look further still. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 1 It was not thought safe for the ships to proceed further in the darkness. |
b. of time. (Cf. farther A. 1 b.)
| c 1290 Beket 2321 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 173 So þat forþere in þe ȝere: it was wel onder-stonde..In ȝwat manere he was a-slawe. 1896 Act 59 & 60 Vict. c. 39 §1 The acts..shall..be continued until the 31st day of December 1897 and shall then expire unless further continued. |
2. To a greater extent; more. (Cf. farther A. 2.)
| c 1050 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia (1885) VIII. 299 Nu wille we furðor geican þurh godes mihta. a 1225 Juliana 47, & ȝef ich mahte [wurche his wil] forðre ich walde beo þe feinre. a 1300 Cursor M. 28869 (Cott.) And for þer mater es gode to knau, Of almus sal i for-þer drau. c 1340 Ibid. 858 (Trin.) Leue we now of þis spelle Of oure story furþere to telle. a 1400–50 Alexander 523 And if ȝow likis of þis lare to lesten any forthire. 1552–3 Inv. Ch. Goods, Staffs. in Ann. Lichfield IV. 2 There saffeli to be kepte untill the kinges majesties pleasure be therin furder knowen. 1559 Hethe in Strype Ann. Ref. I. App. vi. 7 That the doinges of this honourable assembly may..be allwayes fourther honourable. 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. ii. iii. Wks. (1847) 48/2 To the intent of further healing man's deprav'd mind. 1734 Berkeley Analyst §7 Men who pretend to believe no further than they can see. 1749 F. Smith Voy. Disc. II. 90 All the western Merchants declined..from being further Adventurers. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) I. xiii. 252 When we inquire further into the worship. |
3. In addition, additionally; moreover. (Cf. farther A. 3.)
| c 1200 Vices & Virtues (1888) 57 Ȝiet hie seið furðer. 1450 W. Somner in Four C. Eng. Lett. 4 Forther the maister desyryd to wete yf the shipmen would holde with the duke. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 22, I do furder perceive that [etc.]. 1560–78 Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot. (1621) 40 And furder we think it expedient [etc.]. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. vii. 16 b, What further than followed. 1749 F. Smith Voy. Disc. II. 58 What further keeps the Cold from the Arm-pits is, that [etc.]. 1875 Manning Mission H. Ghost iv. 100 And, further, God is the only end that can..satisfy the soul with bliss. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 92/2 The sketching-case may be..further provided with a cover. |
4. At a greater distance in space; sometimes with mixture of sense 1. Also † more further, further off. (Cf. farther A. 4.)
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxxi. 306 Oþer Yles þat ben more furþere beȝonde. 1578 Whetstone Promos & Cass. ii. iv, The furder off I wretched finde both comfort and reliefe. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. ii. 125 So neere will I be That your best Friends shall wish I had beene further. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 68 Island disjoyned no further than a ship in one day may saile unto. 1710 Tatler No. 254 ¶7 The Dutch Cabbin, which lay about a Mile further up into the Country. 1812–16 J. Smith Panorama Sc. & Art I. 572 It was calculated to be 18,000 times further from us than the sun. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 156 There is nothing further from his thoughts than scepticism. |
b. Phrases. † to be further: to get on. † I'll be further, if (etc.); I'll see you further (first): strong forms of refusal. to wish any one further: i.e. to wish him away. See also farther A. 4.
| 1526 Darrell Let. 1 Aug. in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. II. 163, I..intende to be further and doo. 1621 Lady M. Wroth Urania 16 She..wished the beast further, yet taking her wonted strength of heart..she said thus. 1741 Richardson Pamela II. 320 And so that I must not wish to incur [his Displeasure] to save any body else. I'll be further if I do. Ibid. 377, I bow'd to him, but I could have wish'd him further, to make me sit so in the Notice of every one. 1873 Punch 3 May 185/1 He'll see me further first. |
† c. Used as the comparative of far, as in further-fetched, compar. of far-fetched.
| 1680 Baxter Cath. Commun. (1684) 23 But God being infinitely more perfect then man, the phrase is further fetcht, and less proper of God then of man. |
▪ IV. further, v.
(ˈfɜːðə(r))
Forms: α. 1 fyrðran, -ian, 2–4 furðrien, 3 Orm. firrþrenn, north. firther, 4 ferthren, -ther, furthren, 4, 6 Sc. furthir, (6 furthur), 6–8 furder, 4– further. β. 3–4 forthren, 4 forþer, -thor, 4–6 forther, -ire, 5, 8 forder. See also farther v.
[OE. fyrðr(i)an, f. furðor, -ðra further adv. and a.; equivalent forms are OHG. furdiren (MHG. vürdern, mod.G. fördern); cf. also OHG. fordarôn (MHG. vordern, mod.G. fordern) to further, call forth, demand.]
1. trans. To help forward, assist (usually things; less frequently † persons); to promote, favour (an action or movement). Cf. farther v. † Also to further forth, on.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix. §2 Þæt hi maᵹen henan ða yflan and fyrþrian þa godan. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 11 Ac alle þo þe leueð þat swilch þing hem muȝe furðrie oðer letten, ben cursed of godes muðe. c 1200 Ormin 1250 Ȝiff þu firrþresst fremmde menn. a 1225 Ancr. R. 156 Ðet tet swuðest auaunceð & furðreð hit, þet is onlich stude. a 1300 Cursor M. 27918 Sua vr flexs to firþer and fede, þat it fale in na dedli dede. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxxvi. 99 God, that deȝedest on the rod, Al this world to forthren ant fylle. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. iv. 41 (Camb. MS.), I haue sumwhat auaunced and forþered þe, quod she. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. x, For me to further Clio came to late. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 18 Ire..furthereth all euyl. 1513 Douglas æneis v. xiii. 112 And furthir hym eik sall I Ontil Avern, clepit the loch of hell. 1566 in Keith Hist. Ch. Scotl. (1734) 331 The saids Rebels..promittit they should forder him to the Crown Matrimoniall. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iv. (1586) 158 You must..further their laying, by giving them meates for the purpose. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 877 Furthered with a faire gale of wind. 1664 Power Exp. Philos. Pref. 20 A more wary Builder may be very much further'd by it. 1715 M. Davies Athen. Brit. I. 172 Barnevelt's hard Fate was occasion'd or further'd on by Maurice. 1777–1808 Mayne Siller Gun iii. xxv, Here Discord strave new broils to forder. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xi, To remain together in arms for furthering the covenanted work of reformation. 1866 Geo. Eliot F. Holt ix, I came to see..if you had any wishes that I could further. 1869 Rogers Pref. to Adam Smith's W.N. I. 6 The necessity of furthering a general system of school training. |
| absol. 1560–78 Bible (Genev.) To Chr. Rdr. 52 Some notable worde..which may greatly further..for memorie. 1607 S. Hieron Defence i. 160 Wheras the addition of 2 or 3 wordes oftentimes furthereth to the meaning. |
† 2. To honour. Obs. rare.
| c 1374 Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 273 And thenken yee that ferthered be your name To love a newe. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11170 To forther þat fre with fynerall seruys. |
3. intr. To go on, continue; to advance, make progress. Obs. exc. Sc.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 107 Eft sone sum godes giue is bigunnen alse rihte leue and furðreð alse trust. c 1350 Will. Palerne 5397 And touche we ferre as þis tale forþeres. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus ii. 378 Wald thow further and prosper in thy wais. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons, etc. 182 Wha fastest rides does aft least forder. 1794 Burns Hee Balou 10 Thro' the Lawlands, o'er the border, Weel, my babie, may thou furder. |
† 4. trans. To put (an event) further; to defer, postpone. Obs.
| 1529 Wolsey Let. to [Crumwell] in St. Papers (1830) I. 351 The ferderyng and puttyng ovyr of your commyng hyther hath..increasyd my sorowe. |