▪ I. fur, n.1
(fɜː(r))
Forms: 4–7 furre, 7–9 furr, 8 fir, 6– fur.
[f. fur v.
The OF. forre, fuerre, sheath, case, is commonly given as the immediate source; but it does not appear to have had the sense of the Eng. n., though the derived vb. forrer (mod.F. fourrer), originally to encase, developed the sense ‘to line’, and ‘to line or trim with fur.’ The Fr. word for fur is fourrure (OF. forrure): see furrure.]
I. 1. a. A trimming or lining for a garment, made of the dressed coat of certain animals (as the ermine, beaver, etc.: see 2); hence, the coat of such animals as a material for trimmings, linings, or entire garments (worn either for warmth or for ornament). Also a garment made of, or trimmed or lined with, this material; now chiefly pl., exc. as denoting a piece of fur to be worn about the neck.
| ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 228 A burnet cote..Furred with no menivere, But with a furre rough of here, Of lambe⁓skinnes. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 401 Þei schal were no manere furres. 1418 E.E. Wills (1882) 34, I bequethe..my ffurre of Calabre. c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 163 Thay are so gay in furrys fyne. 1551 in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) II. xxxiii. 539 A fur of black Irish lamb. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. ii. iii, Thou wrapt in furres..Forbidst the frozen zone to shudder. 1681 Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 525 Blak gownes, fac'd with furr. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) II. 231 The inhabitants go..cloathed in furs or feathers. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles ii. vi, The costly furs That erst had deck'd their caps were torn. 1886 Hall Caine Son of Hagar ii. xvi, Greta had returned to the parlour, muffled in furs. |
| fig. 1621 Molle Camerar. Liv. Libr. v. xiv. 374 Ill will, envie, grudgings, the right linings and furres of the soule. |
b. worn as a mark of office or state, and as a badge of certain degrees at the Universities.
| 1634 Milton Comus 707 Those budge doctors of the Stoic fur. 1675 Otway Alcibiades i. i, Heavy Gown-men clad in formal Furrs. 1729 Waterland Let. Wks. 1823 X. 320 The picture of Sir William Cecil..in his gown and furs. a 1763 Shenstone Economy i. 148 And add strange wisdom to the furs of Pow'r. |
2. a. The short, fine, soft hair of certain animals (as the sable, ermine, beaver, otter, bear, etc.) growing thick upon the skin, and distinguished from the ordinary hair, which is longer and coarser. Formerly also,
† the wool of sheep.
| c 1430 Lydg. Hors, Shepe & G. 49 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems 16 The shepe..berythe furres blake and whyte. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Sept. 165 Thy Ball is a bold bigge curre, And could make a iolly hole in theyr furre. 1608 Shakes. Lear iii. i. 14 (Qo. 1) This night, wherin..The Lyon, and the belly pinched Wolfe Keepe their furre dry. 1732 Pope Ess. Man i. 176 To want the strength of Bulls, the fur of Bears. 1748 F. Smith Voy. Disc. I. 189 Leave the Hair on Skins, where the Fleece or Fir is soft and warm, as Beaver, Otter, &c. 1812 J. Smyth Pract. Customs (1821) 310 Coney Wool, or Rabbits' Fur..principally used by Hatters. 1847 Longfellow Ev. i. ii. 10 Cold would the winter be, for thick was the fur of the foxes. 1868 Darwin Anim. & Pl. I. i. 46 All the cats are covered with short stiff hair instead of fur. |
b. fig. in
phr. to stroke the fur the wrong way (
i.e. to cause irritation);
to make the fur fly (
orig. U.S. slang: see
quot. 1848); also
the fur flies, etc.
| [1663 Butler Hud. i. iii. 184 I'le make the fur Flie 'bout the eares of the old Cur.] 1814 Niles' Reg. VI. 67/2 Smugglers look out, or you will soon see ‘the fur fly’. 1834 D. Crockett Narr. Life ii. 11, I knew very well that I was in a devil of a hobble, for my father had been taking a few horns, and was in a good condition to make the fur fly. 1848 Bartlett Dict. Amer., To make the fur fly. To claw; scratch; wound severely. Used figuratively. 1870 M. Bridgman Ro. Lynne I. vii. 100 He stroked all the fur the wrong way. 1888 Denver Republican 29 Feb. (Farmer), ‘Wait until the National Committee assembles..and you will see the fur fly from the Cleveland hide’. 1955 M. Gilbert Sky High v. 70 There was a slip-up... There was some fur flew about that, I can tell you. 1963 V. Gielgud Goggle-Box Affair viii. 73 A good deal of fur's always flying about Gargantua. |
3. pl. Skins of such animals with the fur on them.
| 1555 Eden Decades 214 In this lande are many excellent furres as marterns, sables. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1655) I. vi. iii. 9, I shall be carefull to bring with me those Furres, I had instructions for. 1748 F. Smith Voy. Disc. I. 156 The Skins of those Beasts, which are killed in Winter being only of Value, and what we call Firs. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxvii, This his old host and friend, with whom he had transacted many bargains for hides and furs. 1836 W. Irving Astoria III. 168 Mr. Clarke accordingly packed all his furs on twenty-eight horses. |
4. Her. A tincture representing tufts upon a plain ground, or patches of different colours supposed to be sewn together.
The eight principal furs are ermine, ermines, erminois, pean, vair, countervair, potent, and counterpotent.
| 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry i. iv. (1660) 20 Furres (used in Armes) are taken for the Skins of certain beasts stripped from the bodies and artificially trimmed for the furring, doubling, or lining of Robes and Garments. 1708 [see doubling vbl. n. 2]. 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict., Furs, in Heraldry are used in the Doublings of Mantles pertaining to a Coat of Arms, and sometimes to the Coat itself: They are usually of two Colours. 1766 [see double v. 6 a]. 1882 Cussans Her. iii. (ed. 3) 55 Furs are known by the name of Doublings, when used in the linings of mantles; but when coming under the denomination of Tinctures, they are called each by their respective name. |
5. collect. Furred animals. Also in phrase
fur and feather. See
feather n. 4.
| 1827 Pollok Course T. v. 1025 Hunted thence the fur To Labrador. 1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Brit. Sports i. i. vii. §7. 106 They will readily hunt fur when nothing else is to be had. 1884 St. James's Gaz. 7 Aug. 4/2 Farmers..find it somewhat difficult to carry on their coursing meetings because of the scarcity of fur. |
6. a. Applied to something resembling fur or adhering to a surface like fur;
e.g. a coat or crust of mould, of deposit from wine, etc.
| 1843 Lever J. Hinton vi. (1878) 38 The ill-omened fur one sees on an antiquated apple-pie. 1852 L. A. Meredith Home in Tasmania I. ix. 134 Projecting ridges [in shells], fringed beneath like the fur of a mushroom. 1855 Dickens Dorrit i. v, Empty wine-bottles with fur and fungus choking up their throats. 1864 Webster, Fur..the soft, downy covering on the skin of a peach. 1877 Black Green Past. xix, Covered the thick top-coats of the two men with a fur of wet. |
b. esp. A coating formed on the tongue in certain diseased conditions of the body.
| 1693 Dryden tr. Persius iii. 172 My Pulse unequal, and my Breath is strong; Besides, a filthy Furr upon my Tongue. 1783 S. Chapman in Med. Commun. I. 277 Her tongue had a whitish fur on it. 1801 Med. Jrnl. V. 508 Her tongue, teeth, and lips were covered with a black fur. 1849–52 Todd Cycl. Anat. IV. 1139/2 Variation in the quantity of fur on the tongue from day to day. |
c. A coating or crust formed by the deposit of carbonate of lime on the interior surface of a kettle, boiler, etc.
| 1805 W. Saunders Min. Waters 38 Boiling..drives off the excess of carbonic acid, and thus causes the chalk to be precipitated; hence the earthy crust, or furr, on kettles. 1837 Mech. Mag. XXVIII. 96 An invention for dissolving the ‘fur’ which collects in kettles and boilers. 1865 Pall Mall G. 7 July 7/2 For the purpose of removing the fur from the steam boiler. |
7. Carpentry. (See
quot.)
Cf. furring vbl. n. 3 b,
fur v. 6.
| 1703 T. N. City & C. Purchaser 146 When Rafters are..sunk hollow in the middle, and pieces (cut thickest in the middle, and to a point at each end) are nail'd upon them to make them straight again..those pieces so put on are call'd Furrs. [1858–9: see fuor.] |
II. attrib. and
Comb. 8. attrib. or as adj. Made of fur.
| 1597 Skene De Verb. Sign s.v. Bullion, Ilk serplaith of furfelles, con. 4000 .iiij. ounce. 1713 J. Warder True Amazons 58 A Velvet Cape or Fur Gorget about her Shoulders. 1792 Descript. Kentucky 49 Fur-muffs and tippets. 1884 Chamb. Jrnl. 5 Jan. 10/1 The dogs..should then be protected by fur-boots. 1885 Girl's Own Paper Jan. 202/1 Fur balls, fur fringe, and fur tails seem the most usual finish on all mantles. |
9. General comb., as
fur company,
fur-farm,
fur-farmer,
fur-farming,
fur-hunting,
fur-sewer,
fur trade,
fur-trader,
fur-trading; objective, as
fur-dressing vbl. n.; instrumental, as
fur-bordered,
fur-bound,
fur-clad,
fur-lined,
fur-muffled,
fur-topped,
fur-trimmed,
fur-wrapped,
fur-wrought ppl. adjs.; parasynthetic, as
fur-capped,
fur-collared,
fur-cuffed,
fur-gowned ppl. adjs.| 1903 Westm. Gaz. 8 Oct. 4/2 The *fur-bordered, serrated lace collar. |
| 1898 Ibid. 18 Nov. 3/2 A *fur-bound coat. |
| 1887 J. Ashby-Sterry Lazy Minstr. (1892) 68 Here comes a stout, *fur-capped Mossoo. |
| 1784 Cowper Task v. 129 Imperial mistress of the *fur-clad Russ! 1842 Macaulay Lays, Proph. Capys xxxi, Where fur-clad hunters wander Amidst the northern ice. |
| 1856 Lever Martins of Cro' M. 136 A grey cloth spencer being drawn over his coat, *fur-collared and cuffed. |
| 1818 Niles' Reg. XV. 19/2 A small canal has been opened..by the North West *fur company. 1880 Scribner's Monthly May 125/1 Trappers and hunters for the fur companies would have thought themselves in paradise could they have seen our stores in '74. |
| 1888 Daily News 21 Sept. 7/2 A *fur-dressing patent. |
| 1914 Outing (U.S.) Dec. 345/1 A manager of a *fur farm must have a liking for animals. Ibid. 343/1 The trade must look to the *fur-farmer for a considerable portion of its supply. 1961 New Scientist 23 Feb. 460/3 Many types of animals being bred at fur⁓farms are particularly sensitive to the..noise created by subsonic aircraft, and the sudden nature of sonic bangs might cause still greater losses than the fur-farmers have so far experienced. |
| 1911 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 12 Apr. 5/4 This is nothing less than *fur farming on an extensive scale, the breeding of marten being specialized. 1923 J. C. Sachs Furs & Fur Trade 92 Fur farming..is one of the oldest of occupations. |
| 1757 J. G. Cooper Apol. Aristippus iii. 160 The..*fur-gown'd Pedants' bookish Rules. |
| 1819 L. A. Anspach Hist. Newfoundland xiv. 378 This *fur-hunting employs a great number of persons. 1919 W. T. Grenfell Labrador Doctor (1920) xiii. 238 The only trouble with..fur-hunting is that its very nature limits its supply. |
| 1886 W. J. Tucker E. Europe 202 He muffled himself in his *fur-lined cloak. |
| 1905 Westm. Gaz. 16 Jan. 2/1 Sleighs with *fur-muffled occupants. |
| 1896 Mrs. H. Ward Sir G. Tressady xi. 227 Tailoresses and shirtmakers and *fur-sewers. 1928 Daily Express 11 Oct. 5/5 Russian boot..*fur-topped, fleece-lined. |
| 1732 L. Armstrong Let. 11 Sept. in Calendar of State Papers, America & W. Indies (1939) 255 They..engross the whole management of the *fur trade. 1807 P. Gass Jrnl. 65 This and Hudson's Bay Company..carry on almost the whole of the fur trade in that extensive country. 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville I. 42 People connected with the fur trade. 1911 North Amer. Rev. Mar. 396 Astor's experience in the fur trade..enabled him to plan on a vast scale. |
| 1815 Kingston (Ontario) Gaz. 8 July 1/3 Conveying goods for the *fur traders. 1848 Thoreau Maine W. (1894) 14 One small leaden bullet, and some colored beads, the last to be referred, perhaps, to early fur-trader days. 1841 G. Catlin Indians II. 29 St. Louis..is the great depot of all the *Fur Trading Companies to the Upper Missouri and Rocky Mountains. 1911 Fletcher & Kipling School Hist. Eng. ix. 169 We had a whale-fishing and fur-trading station in Hudson Bay. |
| 1860 G. A. Spottiswoode Vac. Tour 98 Long, straight, *fur-trimmed coats. 1898 Westm. Gaz. 4 Nov. 3/1 The Common Councillors..in their fur⁓trimmed robes. |
| 1895 Kipling 2nd Jungle Bk. 151 He and his master..hunted together,..*fur-wrapped boy and savage,..yellow brute. |
| 1731 Gay Rur. Sports i. 270 Let me, less cruel, cast the feather'd hook..And with the *fur⁓wrought fly delude the prey. |
10. Special comb.:
fur-bearer, an animal that yields a fur of (commercial) value; so
fur-bearing adj.;
fur-cloth,
-fabric (see
quot. 1928);
fur felt, a felt fabric, deeply napped to give a fur-like effect;
fur-fever,
-moth (see
quots.);
† fur-man slang (see
quot.);
fur-puller (see
quot.); so
fur-pulling vbl. n.;
fur seal, the seal which affords the valuable fur known as seal-skin.
| 1906 E. Ingersoll Life Anim.: Mammals 162 The *Fur Bearers..the martens, weasels, badgers, ratels, skunks, otters and their kin of the family Mustelidæ. 1941 J. S. Huxley Uniqueness of Man viii. 186 Direct destruction may be for commercial gain, as with whales, egrets, or fur-bearers. |
| 1876 J. Burroughs Winter Sunshine (1883) iv. 91 The fox..furnishes, perhaps, the only instance..of a *fur-bearing animal..that actually increases in the face of the means that are used for its extermination. 1936 Discovery Jan. 30/2 To slaughter fur-bearing animals for Broadway shops. |
| 1928 Daily Express 23 June 5/1 *Fur-cloth is specially made to imitate fur, and can be used for all furry animals. 1944 M. Laski Love on Supertax v. 57 Four little boys in everyday clothes topped by fur-cloth Cossack hats. |
| 1938 Decorative Art 57/1 Armchairs with imitation *fur fabric upholstery. 1952 Vogue Dec. 126 (Advt.), For coats: velours, fancy and check tweeds, fur fabrics. 1968 Guardian 22 Oct. 7/3 Gabardine coats lined with a light-weight fur fabric. |
| 1897 Sears, Roebucks Catal. 232/1 The newest shape, black stiff, *fur felt hat. 1971 Guardian 4 Jan. 7/3 When Mr. Patey's firm makes an Ascot hat it is a proper ‘pullover’—grey fur felt pulled over a gossamer frame. |
| 1905 Pearson's Mag. July 102/2 Bronchial catarrh, and ‘*fur fever’..are both caused by inhaling this ‘fluff’ and dust. |
| a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, *Fur-men, Aldermen. 1725 in New Cant. Dict. |
| 1842 T. W. Harris Insects Injur. Veget. 360 The *fur-moth (Tinea pellionella). 1938 L. Hunter Domestic Pests xvii. 154 The case-bearing clothes-moth (Tinea pellionella), sometimes called the fur moth or the single spotted clothes-moth. |
| 1891 Labour Commission Gloss., *Fur-pullers, those who scrape the loose down off rabbit and other skins, and do various minor parts of fur-making. |
| 1886 Daily News 13 Dec. 5/5 A widow, working at *fur pulling. |
| 1775 Clayton in Phil. Trans. LXVI. 102 The *furr seal has its name from its coat, which is a fine soft furr, and is thinner skinned than any of the others. 1883 Fisheries Exhib. Catal. (ed. 4) 191 Group of Fur Seals..stuffed Ribbon Seal..cast of Harbour Seal. |
▸
furball n. (a) a furry animal (often used affectionately);
(b) an accumulation of fur ingested by animal,
esp. a cat, while grooming itself, and then regurgitated in compacted form.
| 1920 A. P. Terhune Bruce i. 6 It was cold, at night, with no other cuddly little *fur-ball to snuggle down to. 1950 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 4 May 12/5 From the start he ran into trouble with the dogs. This is their territory and no black and white little furball is going to cut in. 1974 M. W. Fox Understanding your Cat (1992) vi. 146 Grooming helps prevent fur balls. 2002 J. Johnson Living with Shih Tzu iii. 35 Shih Tzus self-groom like cats, and furballs are a problem in the breed. |
▪ II. fur, n.2 ?
Obs. [? Cf. OF. forre sheath, case.] = box n.2 16.
| 1740 Lond. Mag. 382/1 While a Wheel is turning round once, all the Parts of the Fur or Box in the Nave, rub against the Axletree..The Fur or Box in the hinder Wheels, is no bigger than the Fur or Box in the fore Wheels. Now, if the hind Wheels be as high again as the fore ones..the rubbing round the Fur or Box in the hind Wheels, will carry the Load twice as far as the fore Wheels. |
▪ III. fur, n.3 dial. Also 5
fyre,
firre (
fyir,
fyyre), 6
fyrre,
furre, 9
furr.
[See furze.] = furze. Chiefly in
Comb., as
fur-bill,
fur-bush (
fur-busk),
fur-stack;
fur chuck, the bird furze-chat.
| 1440 Promp. Parv. 162/1 Fyyre, sharpe brusche (K. firre, whynne, P. fyir or qwynne), saliunca. c 1540 R. Morice in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 24 A gentilman..toke a fyrre bushe on..a pitche-fork, and being all sett on fyer thruste it into his moth. 1562 W. Bullein Bk. Simples 69 a, The Brome and the Whin or Furre bushe. 1606 L. Bryskett Civ. Life 22 He that shooteth at a starre, aimeth higher then he that shooteth at a furbush. 1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. II. 13 We are guarding the place now with duck-guns, fur-bills, and other spears. 1885 Swainson Prov. Names Birds 11 Whinchat (Pratincola rubetra)..Furr chuck (Norfolk). 1889 N. W. Linc. Gloss., Fur-bill, a bill-hook: perhaps a furze-bill. Fur-busk, a bush of gorse. Fur-stack, a stack of gorse. |
▪ IV. fur, v. (
fɜː(r))
[a. OF. forre-r (mod.F. fourrer) to line, envelop, encase, sheathe, = Sp., Pg. forrar, It. foderare, a Com. Rom. vb. f. *fod(e)ro case, sheath (OF. fuerre, forre, Sp., Pg. forro, It. fodero), a. Teut. *fôðro- (Goth. fôdr, OE. fóddor, OHG. fuotar, mod.Ger. futter). In all senses exc. 6 and 7 the Eng. vb. is closely connected with fur n.1, of which it is commonly apprehended as a derivative. Cf. fother v.] 1. trans. To line, trim, or cover (a garment) with fur.
| 13.. K. Alis. 5474 The kyng dude of his robe, furred with meneuere. ? a 1366 [see fur n.1 1]. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 30 Y wolle furre her gowne, coleres, sleues, and cotes, the here outwarde. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xlviii. 160 They gaue her..a mantell furryd with ermyns. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. I. 98 The rich Tartars sometimes fur their gowns with pelluce or silke shag. 1696 tr. Du Mont's Voy. Levant 266 In Winter 'tis furr'd with a Skin, call'd Samour. 1841 Motley Corr. (1889) I. iv. 73 A pair of fur boots (furred on both sides). 1842 H. Ainsworth Tower Lond. ii. i, A robe of violet-coloured velvet, furred with powdered ermine. |
| fig. 1648 Gage West Ind. xiv. 96 A Supper, that should strongly support our empty stomacks, and furre and line them well for the next foure and twenty houres. |
b. To serve as a lining or trimming for.
| 1576 Turberv. Venerie 198 His [Raynard's] case will serue to fur the Cape of Master huntsmans gowne. 1631 T. Powell Tom All Trades 165 As many Fox-skins as will furre his Long-lane gowne. |
2. To clothe or adorn (a person) with fur.
| ? 1370 Robt. Cicyle 56 The aungelle..clad them alle in clothys of pryse, And furryd them with armyne. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 30 She shalle be beter purfiled and furred thanne other ladies and gentille women. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) I j, I am furred with the furres that thou hast sent me. 1812 Examiner 12 Oct. 652/2 So to ribband, to fur, to tassel, and to fringe..men is..degrading their humanity. 1815 Scott Guy M. xx, Miss Mannering was furred and mantled up to the throat. 1886 Tinsley's Mag. July 49 It was the 29th May..and still the fair were furred. |
b. pass. Of an animal or his skin: To be covered with fur. Also
fig.| 1651 Fuller's Abel Rediv., J. Fox 383 Rare Fox (well furr'd with patience). 1823 Scoresby Whale Fishery 109 The skin which was very white, and well furred. |
3. To coat or cover with fur or morbid matter.
to fur up: to stop up or ‘clog’ with this.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 31 a, Her Alablaster walls were all furred and fome-painted, with the bespraying of mens braines. 1601 ? Marston Pasquil & Kath. i. 34 Yee shall haue me an emptie caske that's furd With nought but barmie froth. 1669 W. Simpson Hydrol. Chym. 354 A rejected Sordes of the blood, which furs up the Orifices. 1700 Addison Eneid iii. Misc. Wks. 1726 I. 60 The walls On all sides furr'd with mouldy damps. 1792 S. Ireland Views Thames II. 89 This water has the property of not furring any vessel it is boiled in. 1839 Stonehouse Axholme 25 It [the water]..furs every thing in which it is kept. 1863 Tyndall Heat xi. 375 The surface of the vessel..is now white-furred all over with hoar-frost. |
| fig. 1641 Milton Animadv. (1851) 220 We..after all these spirituall preparatives, and purgations have our earthly apprehensions so clamm'd and furr'd with the old levin. 1684 J. Lacy Sir H. Buffoon iv. iii, Thy love to her is furred all over like a sick man's tongue. 1863 Hants. (Otterbourn) Dial., One can't do nothing, one's so furred up with things. |
4. intr. To become furred or coated with morbid matter. Also, to collect as fur.
to fur up: to become ‘clogged’ with fur.
| 1550 Becon Fortr. Faithf. Prol. A vij b, Nowadayes y⊇ archedecons aske not for y⊇ pore..but whether y⊇ hosts be wel kept in y⊇ pyxe from moulding & furring. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 520 Take it forth, and scrape from it the mouldinesse or vinewing that doth furre or gather about it. 1615 Crooke Body of Man 401 A little skill to cleere and dresse the wheeles may keepe this watch of his life [the heart] in motion, which otherwise will furre vp and stand in his dissolution. 1648 Herrick Hesper., Upon Glasco (1869) 46 Teeth..Which though they furre, will neither ake or rot. 1649 W. Blithe Eng. Improv. Impr. (1653) 71 The better will they [Spades] rid off work by far..and not fur and clog with Earth. a 1706 E. Baynard Health (1740) 6 For too much Meat the Bowels fur. 1743 Lond. & Country Brew. iii. (ed. 2) 245 Their rough Inside, that is sooner apt to furr, taint and leak. Mod. This kettle soon furs. |
† b. to fur up: to become fluffy.
Obs.| 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 395 The thread is slightly twisted, in order to enable it to bear the action of the hot liquor without the fibres separating or furring up. |
5. trans. To clean off the fur of (a boiler).
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Furring the boilers, in a steamer, cleaning off the incrustation or sediment which forms on their inner surfaces. |
6. Carpentry. To fix strips of wood to (floor-timbers, rafters, etc.) in order to bring them to a level, or to the required surface. Also with
off. (
Cf. fur n.1 7.)
| 1678, 1703, 1823 [Implied in furring vbl. n. 3 b]. 1842 Gwilt Archit. 977 The timbers of a floor, though level at first, oftentimes require to be furred. 1852 P. Nicholson's Encycl. Archit. I. 436. 1891 Scribner's Mag. Sept. 312/1 Some sod walls are furred off, lathed, and plastered. |
¶ 7. (?
nonce-use after F.
fourrer). To foist or thrust
in.
| 1592 Bacon Disc. in Praise of Sovereign in Spedding Life I. 134 But only by furring in audacious persons into sundry governments. |
▪ V. fur obs. or
dial. f. far,
fir,
fire,
furrow.