▪ I. fare, n.1
(fɛə(r))
Forms: 1 fær, faru (inflected fare), 3–4 far, 4–5, 8 fair, 4–6 fayr(e, 5–6 faire, (6 faier, 4, 8 phare), 2– fare.
[Orig. two words, both f. root of fare v.: OE. fær str. neut. = OHG. and ON. far:—OTeut. *faro(m, and OE. faru str. fem. = OFris. fare, MHG. var. ON. fǫr:—OTeut. *farâ.]
I. † 1. a. A going, journeying; course, passage, way; voyage. Obs.
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke ii. 44 Anes dæᵹes fær. c 1005 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia VIII. 305 Hyt byð ᵹeradlic þæt we ascrutnion his fare. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1120 And on þam fare wurdon adrincene þæs cynges twegen sunan Willelm and Ricard. c 1200 Vices & Virtues (1888) 137 Ðare muchele burȝh ðe ȝelaste ðrie daiȝes fare. c 1205 Lay. 4092 Suððen he turnde his fare. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3179 Almost redi was here fare. a 1300 Cursor M. 4754 (Cott.) Þat flum þat rennes þar Til ioseph hus it has þe fare. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. C. 98 Fyndez he a fayr schyp to þe fare redy. 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 627 God furthir vs in-till our fair! a 1400–50 Alexander 2250 A Jentill man..Foloȝes þare fare ai on fote. 1557 Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 133 The ioyfull fare, the end of strife. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. x. 16 Nought the morrow next mote stay his fare. 1613–6 W. Browne Brit. Past. ii. iii. 70 Her Dolphins..plyde So busily their fares on every side. 1751 Chambers Cycl., Fare, a voyage or passage. |
† b. An expedition. herring-fare: a voyage to catch herrings. Obs.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Exod. 554 (Gr.) Fullesta mæst, se ðas fare lædeþ. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1128 Se firste fare was on Urbanes dæi. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 141 After þis phare was pees in Scythia. 1530 Palsgr. 825/1 A heryng fare, pescher des harencz. |
† c. Equipment for a journey; rigging out (of a ship); apparel, belongings. Obs.
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 926 Fair was his schip fare. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 119 He in all his proude fare, Unto the forest gan to fare. a 1400–50 Alexander 3694 Of fethirhame & alle fare, as feetely enjoyned. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 419 Sa saw he quhair the Coilȝear come with all his fair. |
2. † a. A road, track (obs.). b. spec. The track of a hare or rabbit (obs. exc. dial.). † c. A ferry (obs. rare—1; perh. merely suggested by Ger. fahr in the original).
| 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxxv. xxi, Ye had forsaken The lowe vale, and up the craggy fayre..the hye waye had taken. 1610 Fletcher Faithf. Sheph. iv. i, Not a Hare Can be started from his fare. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xvi. 269 Coming in her course to cross the common fare. 1762 tr. Busching's Syst. Geog. IV. 548 A fare over the Mosel and Tarforst. 1879 Shropshire Word-bk., Fare, a track, as of a rabbit.—Oswestry. |
† 3. A number of persons prepared for a journey; a troop, multitude. Also, a swarm (of flies). Obs.
| c 1205 Lay. 3904 Swulc fare of fleoȝen her was. Ibid. 30666 Brien bonnede his fare. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 52 Þe emperour say, þat ys fare nas noȝt þere. a 1300 Cursor M. 12763 (Cott.) Þe Iues tiþand of him [John] hard, And of his far þat he wit fard. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11069 Þai folowest fast on þe fare, with hor fell dynttes Dang hom to dethe. |
| transf. 1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. Balzac's Lett. 324, I have observed among man onely a fare of flatteries, fooles and Cheaters. |
4. † a. A passage or excursion for which a price is paid; hence b. Cost of conveyance (now only of persons; formerly also of goods); passage money.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. xviii. 226 Þare suld nane pay mare Þan foure pennys for þare fare. 1514 Fitzherb. Just. Peas (1538) 194 b, These articles to be kept upon payne to forfayt treble the fare. 1535 Coverdale Jonah i. 3 He payde his fare, and wente aborde. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 438 Making the whole fare (or passage) worth foure shillings. c 1620 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 8 Most willingly I'le pay thereof the fare. 1765 Foote Commissary i. Wks. 1799 II. 8 What's your fare? 1767 Babler II. No. 76. 57 That person..who cannot..take an eighteen-penny fare in occasional sedan. 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) iv. xxviii, Being asked by the coachman three or four times his fare. 1864 Skeat Uhland's Poems 49 Boatman, come, thy fare receive. |
5. a. The passenger, or (now rarely) company of passengers, that engages a vehicle plying for hire.
[Presumably transf. from 4 b; certainly so apprehended in present use.]
| 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 205 Thy fares ouer the water thou shouldst row. 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Fearful Summer Wks. i. 60/2 Those..water-men..land their fares in Heaven or Hell. 1696 Lond. Gaz. No. 3149/4 The Fare was taken up in Grivell-Street, and set down in Channel-Row. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 498 ¶2 A hackney-coachman..set down his fare, which..consisted of two or three very fine ladies. 1798 Canning, etc. Loves of Triangles in Anti-Jacobin (1852) 124 ‘Shoot we the bridge!’ the exulting fare reply. 1823 Byron Juan x. lxxi, Germany, wherein they muddle Along the road, as if they went to bury Their fare. 1841 S. C. Hall Ireland I. 69 Elevating what serves for a whip if they think a fare is approaching. 1876 Saunders Lion in Path xvii, For his fare two persons. |
b. † The ‘load’ (of an animal). Obs. Also U.S. The cargo of a vessel; a load or ‘catch’ of fish.
| 1600 Heywood 1 Edw. IV, 39 Drive Dun and her faire softly downe the hill. 1707 in Essex Inst. Hist. Coll. XLII. 165 Loosing their last faires of fish. 1792 J. Belknap Hist. New Hampsh. III. 214 The fish of the summer and fall fares is divided into two sorts. 1831 A. Sherburne Mem. (ed. 2) x. 217 The old gentleman had just arrived from the ocean with a fare of fish. 1875 J. G. Holland Sevenoaks xi. 139 The whalers had returned with scantier fares year after year. 1884 E. E. Hale Fort. Rachel ii. 15 Stopping to telegraph to his partner..of the fare taken. 1886 Harper's Mag. Dec. 105/1 He come by with his fare o' fish, an' hove to to see what I was gittin. 1904 N.Y. Even. Post 18 June, The prices brought by the ‘fares’, which are..cargoes of fresh or salted fish. |
II. † 6. a. Mode of proceeding, bearing, demeanour; appearance, aspect. Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2743 Þo he adde ysywed me longe in þisse fare. a 1300 Cursor M. 24375 (Cott.) Þair tender fare For child þat þai ha born. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 861 Your fare is to strange. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xli, He foundes into the freke with a fresche fare. 1508 Dunbar Goldyn Targe 225 On syde scho lukit with a fremit fare. 1521 St. Papers Hen. VIII, VI. 84 She wold bee gladder of peax, then she maketh fayre of. 1540 R. Hyrde tr. Vives' Instr. Chr. Wom. (1592) X vj, Let the wife..shew example of sober fare. |
† b. A proceeding, action; ‘doings’; hence, fighting. Obs.
| 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 1096 Þe sawe þat ȝe sente to segge of ȝoure fare. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 130 Ich haue ferly of þis fare in faith. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7442 Furse was þe fare þo fyn men betwene. c 1440 York Myst. ix. 90 This fare wille I no lenger frayne. c 1450 Myrc 332 Songe and cry and suche fare, For to stynte þow schalt not spare. a 1548 Thrie Priests Peblis in Pinkerton Scot. Poems I. 38 Allace..this is ane haisty fair. |
† c. Display, pomp; commotion, uproar, fuss.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 13212 (Cott.) Þai ledd his licam vte o tun, Til sebastin wit mikel far. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 16263 He made gret fare ffor þat Osewy was nought þare. 1375 Barbour Bruce xx. 126 Swa did he [Croune his ȝoung sone] With gret fair and solempnite. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 419 Wawes of þe see..brekeþ in þare Wiþ suche noyse and fare. c 1400 Gamelyn 199 Why makestow this fare? c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 698 Baucillas, lat be thy fare. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 150/1 Fare, or boost, jactancia, arrogancia. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 149 The King..maid ane strange fair. |
† 7. Condition, state, welfare; state of things, prosperity, success. what fare? what is the state of things? (cf. what cheer?). Obs.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2771 For te loken hirdnesse fare. a 1300 Cursor M. 4238 (Cott.) Leue we now iacob in þis care To tell of ioseph and his fare. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 150 For miche wildnede þe weiȝht to witen of here fare. c 1375 Cato Major ii. xvii. in Anglia VII, Of oþer mennes euel fare Envye makeþ him gleo. a 1400–50 Alexander 2019 Fra þat I fraist haue þat faire of my faire lady. Ibid. 3257 Þi wale gode..fully feld alle þe fare þat falle suld on erthe. 14.. in Tundale's Vis. (1843) 77 He askede hur of hur fare. 1549 Latimer 4th Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 118 He knoweth hys fare by thys—he is eyther in joye or in payne. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. i. 95 How now faire Lords? What faire? What newes abroad? c 1611 Chapman Iliad xv. 214 Add thy care, O Phœbus..that this so sickly fare Of famous Hector be recur'd. |
8. Food, regarded with reference to its quality; supply or provision of food, regarded as abundant or scanty. † to make a fare: ? to provide plentifully (cf. 6 c). bill of fare: see bill 10.
| c 1205 Lay. 10236 Her wes unimete fare a þissere folc riche. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 537 He made a fare on þat fest, for þe frekez sake. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvi. 46 He maid thame mekill fest and far. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 112 Heir is bot hamelie fair. 1531 Elyot Gov. iii. xxii, The excesse of fare is to be iustly reproued. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Jan. 44 Whose knees are weake, through fast and euill fare. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 1028 After such delicious Fare. 1730–46 Thomson Autumn 191 Careless of to-morrow's fare. 1774 Pennant Tour Scot. in 1772, 212 Their daily wretched fare, limpets and perriwinkles. 1816 Scott Tales My Landlord Ser. i. Introd., Such fare as the mountains of your own country produce. 1874 L. Carr Jud. Gwynne I. ii. 62 Such homely dainties were not ‘company fare’. |
| fig. a 1592 H. Smith Serm. (1866) II. 168 What is the fare? Peace, joy, righteousness. 1651 Davenant Gondibert ii. i. 61 Truth we grudge her as a costly fare. a 1679 W. Gurnall in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxix. 132 This is no more than family fare, what thou promisest to do for all that love thee. 1693 Dryden Juvenal xiv. 389 So few there are, Who will conform to Philosophick fare. 1727 De Foe Prot. Monast, iv, I shall have Neighbours Fare. |
III. 9. attrib. and Comb. (sense 4 b), as fare-board, fare-card, fare-stage; fare-free, fare-paying, adjs. Also fare indicator, an instrument for registering the fares paid in a public conveyance; † fare-maker, a boaster.
| 1897 Daily News 10 July 9/2 Labels on the outside [of buses] announced that the fares were sixpence or one shilling for any distance, and in each case the painted *fare-board was replaced by a printed paper. |
| Ibid., If omnibus proprietors wished to charge special fares they must go to the expense of having a special *fare card painted. |
| 1893 Daily News 5 Apr. 3/3 All the world knows that he is travelling *fare free. |
| 1892 Pall Mall G. 14 Nov. 2/3 A *fare-indicator for cabs. |
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 150 *Fare makere, or bostowre, jactator. |
| 1928 Daily Tel. 16 Oct. 12/4 The first company of *farepaying passengers to cross the Atlantic by airship. |
| 1926 Year's Work Eng. Stud. 1924 31 We have seen it [sc. a book] devoured on the top of a tram to the oblivion of *fare-stages. |
▪ II. fare, n.2 Obs. exc. dial.
(fɛə(r))
[f. fare v.2; see farrow n.]
A litter of pigs.
| 1557 Tusser 100 Points Husb. lv, The losse of one fare of thy sowe is greater, then losse of two calues of thy kowe. 1674–91 Ray S. & E.C. Words 97 A Fare of Pigs is so many as a Sow bringeth forth at one time. 1736 Bailey Housh. Dict. 341 When a sow has brought a fare of pigs. 1787 in Grose Prov. Gloss. Suppl. 1847 in Halliwell. |
▪ III. † fare, n.3 Obs.
Also 8 phare.
[ad. It. faro in same senses, ad. L. pharus, Gr. ϕάρος pharos.]
The name of a promontory (marked by a lighthouse) at the entrance of the Strait of Messina. Hence, the strait itself. More fully The Fare of Messina.
| 1628 Digby Voy. Medit. (1868) 26 A shippe plying to gett into the fare of Messina. 1720 Lond Gaz. No. 5827/1 Before they could get out of the Phare. 1730–6 Bailey (folio), Fare, a watch-tower at sea, as the Fare of Messina. 1739 Encour. Sea-f. People 38 He stood in about the Point of the Fare towards Messina. |
▪ IV. † fare, n.4 Obs.
[Belongs to fare v.3]
A certain game at dice.
| 1530 [see fare v.3]. 1847 in Halliwell. |
▪ V. fare, v.1
(fɛə(r))
Pa. tense and pa. pple. fared. Forms: inf. 1–2 faran, 2–5 faren (Orm. farenn), 4–5 faryn, 3–4 south. vare, veare, 4– 5 far, 6 farre, 4–7 fair, fayr(e, (5–6 faar(e, 6 faer), 3– fare. pa. tense (strong) 1 fór, 2–3 for (south. vor), 4–5 fore, (4 fer, foure, 4–5 foore), 4–7 fur(e, 6 Sc. fuir(e, 8 Sc. foor. pa. pple. (strong) 1–4 faren, 3–5 farin, -yn, 4–6 farn(e, fare, (5 fairen). pa. tense and pa. pple. (weak) 5 faryd, 6 fard(e, (7 feared), 6– fared.
[A Com. Teut. str. vb.: OE. faran, pa. tense fór, pa. pple. faren, corresponds to OFris. fara, fôr, faren, OS. faran, fôr, (gi)faran (Du. varen, voor, gevarn), OHG. faran, fuor, (gi)faran (MHG. var(e)n, vuor, gevar(e)n), ON. fara, fór, farenn (Da. fare, foer, faret, Sw. fara, for, farit), Goth. faran, fôr, farans:—OTeut. *faran, fôr, farano-, f. pre-Teut. *por-, pōr-, f. Aryan root *per, por, pər to pass through, whence many derivatives in all the Aryan langs.: cf. Sk. par, pṛ to carry through or across, Gr. πόρος way, passage, ford, L. portāre to carry; also the words mentioned under far, for.
The change from the strong to the weak conjugation seems to have been due in part to the influence of the derivative vb. fere, which in Eng. had the same sense, though in the other Teut. langs. its equivalent expressed the transitive sense ‘to carry’. In the present stem this vb. became obsolete before 14th c.; but its pa. tense and pa. pple. ferd(e (in northern dialects also fard(e) continued in use, virtually serving as inflexions of fare. The irregular wk. vb. thus produced (fare, ferd) became regular (fare, fared) before the 16th c. The strong pa. tense, already comparatively infrequent in ME., seldom appears after 15th c. exc. in Sc.; of the strong pa. pple. we have no examples after 16th c.]
I. To go, travel.
1. intr. To journey, travel, make one's way. Now arch. or poet. † In early use occas. with cognate obj. to fare a voyage, fare a way (cf. wayfarer, -ing).
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 15 Nu we faraþ to Gerusalem. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1135 On þis ᵹære for se King Henri ouer sæ. c 1205 Lay. 2412 Alch mon mihte faren ȝend hire lond þaih he bere ræd gold. a 1300 Cursor M. 3295 (Cott.), I am a man farand þe way. c 1314 Guy Warw. (A.) 1101 Nov is Gij to Warwike fare. c 1350 Will. Palerne 5079 He had ferrest to fare. 1375 Barbour Bruce xi. 530 To the castell thai thoucht to fair. c 1450 Myrc 265 Whenne they doth to chyrche fare. 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 100 Quhare euer I fure, I bure hir [the bird] on my hande. 15.. Sir A. Barton in Surtees Misc. (1890) 64 Nor a Burgesse voy(a)ge we der not farre. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 11 Resolving forward still to fare. 1609 Heywood Brit. Troy xv. lvi, Eneas, madly Faring Through flames. 1664 Flodden F. i. 5 And how he fared was into France. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 940 On he fares..half on foot, Half flying. 1725 Pope Odyss. x. 683 Sadly they fared along the sea-beat shore. 1794 Burns There was a lass ii, O'er the moor they lightly foor. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. iii. i. iv, Abbé Sicard, with some thirty other Nonjurant Priests..fare along the streets. 1855 M. Arnold Poems, Resignation 69 Through the deep noontide heats we fare. |
| fig. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. v. v, Altars..changing to the Gobel-and-Talleyrand sort, are faring by rapid trans⁓mutations to—shall we say, the right Proprietor of them? |
2. In wider sense = go. † a. of persons, lit. to let fare: = to let go. Obs.
| a 1123 O.E. Chron. an. 1101 Þa heofod men heo betwenan foran. a 1300 Cursor M. 3935 (Cott.) Þe angel badd [iacob] lete him far. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 2209 Ariadne, She..kyssed..The steppes of hys fete, there he hath fare. a 1400–50 Alexander 5549 Sum..farand as bestis. ? c 1475 Sqr. lowe Degre 739 To morowe ye shall on hunting fare. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. iii. 15 One knocked at the dore, and in would fare. |
† b. fig. Obs.
| a 1225 St. Marher. 6 He of wreððe for neh ut of his iwitte. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 5325 First wyll I to the Scripture fare. |
† c. To depart from life; to die. Obs.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 115 He scal faran to þan eche liue for his treowscipe. c 1200 Vices & Virtues (1888) 15 ær ðane he of ðese liue fare. c 1220 Bestiary 731 Hise loðe men sulen to helle faren. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1393 Hwi ne hihe we for to beon i-fulhtnet..ear we faren henne? a 1300 Cursor M. 2356 (Cott.) His fader was farn o liue. Ibid. 25441 (Cott.) Fast i fund to fare. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 70 Out of this warld y most fare. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 330 We..leue þat þe soule..schal fare to blisse. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. vii. 98 Whan he shal hennes fare. |
† d. to fare on: to rush upon, assault. Obs.
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (1858) I. 10 He..fuir on thame with sic a felloun force. |
† e. Of a liquid, a stream: To flow, ‘run’. Of immaterial things, esp. time: To go, pass, proceed. Obs. or arch.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2153 Ðe vii. fulsum ȝeres faren. a 1300 Cursor M. 1034 (Cott.) Flummes farand in fer landes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 149 A fame þat fer in fele kynges londes. a 1400–50 Alexander 3901 Foure houres full farne & þe fifte neghes. 15.. Smyth & Dame 327 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 213 That bloud out gan fare. 1827 Hood Hero & L. xciv, The crystal skin Reveals the ruby tide that fares within. |
f. to fare astray († misliche, amiss): = to go astray. Obs. or arch.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 119 He scal misliche faran on monie gedwilþan. c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 2337 Why and whare⁓fore hyt hys, That ȝoure syght fareth amys. Ibid. 2756 Thou levest wykked concel iwys, That makes the fare amys. 1596 Spenser Hymn Heav. Love xxviii. (1611), When we fared had amis. a 1849 J. C. Mangan Poems (1859) 119 Is it earthly music faring astray. |
† g. To ‘go’, range, have a place. Obs. rare—1.
| 1704 J. Logan in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem. IX. 293 The fields and boats fare before schools or books. |
† h. To ‘go’, pass, change into something else.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. lxv. (1495) 183 Whan the water heetyth, therof comyth whytnesse as it faryth in foom. |
3. rarely trans. † a. To tread (under foot). b. Of a horse: To take (a person) along.
| c 1460 Towneley Myst. 120 Under my feete I shalle thaym fare, Those ladys that wille [not] lere my lare. 1867 Carlyle Remin. (1881) II. 139 Ourselves two alone in the world, the good [pony] ‘Larry’ faring us. |
II. With reference to behaviour or condition.
† 4. To ‘go on’, behave, conduct oneself, act.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11807 (Gött.) Þat wili wolf, þat for sua fals. Ibid. 16762 + 41 (Cott.) Mony grete clerkez..Seghen þe son fare soo. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 599 He..fares als an unresonabel beste. c 1400 Destr. Troy 654, I will you faithfully enforme how ye fare shall, Your worship to wyn. 1470 Malory Arthur xx. xii, Ye fare as a man that were aferd. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 65/1 He fared as one out of his wits. 1697 Dryden Virg. æneid vii. 534 Thus fares the Queen, and thus her fury blows Amidst the crowd. |
† b. To ‘go on’ impetuously, rage, rail (against). Obs. Cf. fare n.1 6 c.
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 98 One who being bidden to reade..a poore seely Epigram..taketh on and fareth against the paper wherein it is written. 1609 ― Amm. Marcell. xvi. iv. 60 Constantius having intelligence hereof, fared and fumed. Ibid. xvi. xi. 73 They fared and raged above their wonted manner. |
† c. With prep. by, with: To deal with, treat, esp. in to fare fair or foul with. Also in indirect passive. to fare with oneself: to behave. Obs.
| 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 266 Wiþ him fare as a fol þat failede his wittus. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶825 So faren they by wommen. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 25 It is gret drede to fare foule with hem in suche materes. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxiii, Dame Lyones..soo faryd with her self as she wold haue dyed. 1483 Vulgaria abs Terentio 9 b, He is a man..that few men can..faare wyth all. 1493 Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 34 b, Whan they se him [Christ] so foule faren with. 1526 Tindale 2 Cor. v. 11 We fare fayre with men. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World II. v. vi. §3. 621 Demetrius..fared very angerly with his brother. |
† d. to fare with (a thing): to make use of, employ, possess; to live upon (food). Obs.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter ci. 9 My fas..sware þat it is ypocrisy þat i fare with. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 202 Fode for to fare wiþ. Ibid. 242 To witen of þe wisdam þat ȝe wiþ faren. Ibid. 618, & al þat weihes in þis word scholde wiþ fare. a 1400–50 Alexander 2944 Quat faris þou with? |
5. † a. Followed by as though, as if, that; To act so as to cause an expectation or belief; to pretend. Also to let fare. Obs.
| 1483 Vulgaria abs Terentio 17 b, If thou be wyse fare as thowe thou knowist nott. a 1535 More De Quat. Noviss. Wks. 73/2 It maketh the stomak wamble, and fare as it would vomit. 1548 Udall, etc. tr. Erasm. Paraph. John vii. 19, 20 They let fare as if they thought the multitude did not knowe their wickednes. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 301 He would..fare in shew as though he would have flowne in their faces. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 11 Thai fare that this singulariti in philosophi is like to grow to a shrode matter. 1633 D. Rogers Treat. Sacraments i. 121 Doe ye fare, as if the Lord bade yee come hither? |
b. To seem likely, bid fair. dial. (With inf. it is often little more than a periphrasis for the finite vb.)
| 1849 Dickens Dav. Copp. xlvi, ‘How do you fare to feel about it, Mas'r Davy?’ 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., ‘She [a cow] fares a cauving.’ 1876 Whitby Gloss., His ailment fares to go hard with him. 1883 19th Cent. Oct. 595 Fares as if they mos' of 'em goes up country. 1884 Mehalah i. 7 When she fares to say or do a thing, there is no staying tongue or hand. 1888 Rider Haggard Col. Quaritch III. v. 77 The skilly..do fare to take the skin off your throat. |
6. impers. To ‘go’; to happen; to turn out. Occas. with well, ill, etc. Const. † by, with.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. 7 Sekerliche swa hit fareð. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 795 So it fareþ by ȝou folk þat fillen ȝou siluen. 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 89 He forgeteth that one wyth that other and so faryth by me. 1586 Cogan Haven Health ccxiii. (1636) 223 It fareth by them as it doth by a lampe. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 31/2 It fares alike with good and bad. 1671 Milton P.R. iii. 443 So fares it when with truth falsehood contends. 1713 Swift Frenzy of J. Denny, Beware..that it fare not with you as with your predecessor. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. xliv, How fares it with the happy dead? |
7. To ‘get on’ (well or ill); to experience good or bad fortune or treatment.
| c 1000 ælfric On N.T. (Gr.) 20 Hu mæᵹ se man wel faran, þe [etc.]. a 1300 Cursor M. 11900 (Cott.) Send him quar he faris werr. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 548 The king then..speryt..How thai..had farne. 1382 Wyclif 3 John 2, I make preyer, thee for to entre, and fare welsumly. c 1450 Merlin 71 He farith well and is in hele. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 62 For we fare wars than ever we fowre. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 6 How he fuir that tyme..It war ouir lang..to tell. 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 10 Remember how fonde Phæton farde. 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 193 His children had their heads cut off, and all his race feared the worse for his sake. 1612 Rowlands Knaue of Harts 41 The world did wrangle for their wealth, And Lawyers far'd the better. 1703 Pope Thebais 520 So fares a sailor on the stormy main. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 130 ¶1 Fearing that his Poultry might fare the worse for it. 1755 Mem. Capt. P. Drake I. vii. 50 Colonel Tatton..kindly asked me.. how I fared of my Wound. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 341 Ill fares the traveller now. 1829 Lytton Disowned 6 How fares your appetite? 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 161 Sculpture fared as ill as painting. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xvii. 77 We shall see hereafter how he fared on his errand. |
| Phrase. 1614 Bp. Hall Recoll. Treat. 412 That ancient check of going far and faring worse. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. I. ii. 38 We may go much farther and fare much worse. |
8. spec. To be (well or ill) entertained with food; to feed (well, ill, hardly, sumptuously, etc.).
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vi. 8 Whenne ich hadde myn hele..and louede wel fare. 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 651/2 Saynt John..fasted and fore hard. 1607 Shakes. Timon iii. vi. 37 Feast your eares with the Musicke awhile: If they will fare so harshly. 1611 Bible Luke xvi. 19 A certaine rich man..fared sumptuously euery day. 1666 Pepys Diary (1879) IV. 215, I do not think they fared very hard. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 479 ¶3, I fared very well at dinner. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VII. 324 No animal fares more sumptuously. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xv. 169 Our breakfast, for all fare alike, is hard tack. |
9. Used in imperative with well, as an expression of good wishes to a parting friend, or as a mere formula in recognition of parting; = farewell int. arch. a. with the person as subj. (see sense 7). † Also occas. in infinitive.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 180 Frendes, fareth wel. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's T. Prol. 501 Let him farwel, God give his soule rest. c 1440 York Myst. xvii. 204 Fares wele, ȝe be bygilid. 1533 Gau Richt Vay (1888) 109 Fair now veil. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 166, I byd you moste hartely well to fare. 1582 T. Watson Centurie of Loue i. (Arb.) 37 Well fare the life..I ledde ere this. 1611 Bible Acts xv. 29 Fare ye well. 1826 Beddoes Let. to B. Procter Poems 171 Fare, as you deserve it, well. 1859 Tennyson Elaine 692 A diamond is a diamond. Fare you well. A thousand times! |
b. impers. (see sense 6) with dat.
| 1671 H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 544 If they prefer gain before godliness, fare them well. 1676 Hobbes Iliad xx. 321 Fare him well. 1816 Byron Fare thee well i, For ever, fare thee well. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) I. 247 Beloved, fare thee well! 1877 Holderness Gloss., Fares-te-weel: fare thee well. |
† III. 10. To ache, throb. dial. ? Obs.
[Perh. etymologically ‘to go on’, rage: cf. 4 b.]
| 1781 in Hutton Tour to Caves Gloss. 1847 in Halliwell. |
IV. In phraseological combination with advbs.
† 11. fare about. To go about, set oneself. Obs.
| 1563 J. Pilkington Burn. Paules Ch. v. sig. Q ij, Theym that fare about to doe againste the ordinance of God. |
12. fare forth (analytical form of OE. forðfaran). See fare v.1 and forth. a. To go forth, depart, start.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 225 To heueriche hie sulle fare forð mid ure drihte. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 345 All hyr cumpany, Lap on thar horss, and furth thai far. c 1400 Melayne 206 Rowlande..Fares forthe with Baners brade. 1647 H. More Song of Soul i. i. xxvi, Like Doves so forth they fore. 1727–38 Gay Fables i. i. xiv. 5 Forth he fares, all toil defies. 1853 Kingsley Hypatia xxi. 258 Before sunrise..Raphael was faring forth gallantly. |
† b. To go on, advance, with respect either to space or time. In the latter sense also quasi-impers.
| 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 939 Whan he is fare so forþ fer in his age. c 1350 Will. Palerne 3260 It was forþ [to] niȝt faren bi þat time. |
† c. To go by, pass away. Obs.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1629 Pinen, þe fare forð in an hondhwile. |
† 13. fare up. To get up. Obs.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 545 Þan faris scho vp and farkis furth a fute or tway. |
▪ VI. fare, v.2 Obs.
[var. of farrow v.]
intr. Of a sow: To litter. Hence ˈfaring ppl. a.
| 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 74 Sow ready to fare. Ibid., Good faring sow. |
▪ VII. † fare, v.3 Obs.
To play at the game called ‘fare’: see fare n.4 Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 545/2, I fare, I playe at a game so named (at the dyse). 15.. Jack Juggler in Hazl. Dodsley II. 115 A corner..Where boys were at dice, faring at all; When Careaway with that good company met, He fell to faring withouten let. |
▪ VIII. fare
obs. var. fear v.