† ˈferren, adv. and a. Obs.
Forms: 1 feorran, feorran(n)e, feorrene, 2–4 ferren(e, (3 feren, verren, 4 ferynne, furrene), 3 feorre(n, 3–5 ferne, 6 farren. Also (after preps. of, on) ferrom(e, ferrum; see a-ferrom.
[OE. feorran, feorrane, feorrene, corresp. to OS. ferrana, ferran, OHG. ferrana, -no, f. OTeut. *ferr- far adv. The adj. appears first in 12th c.; its development from the adv. is paralleled in the mod.G. fern.]
A. adv.
1. From far, from a distance.
| Beowulf 839 (Gr.) Feorran and nean. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 1836 (Gr.) Uncer tweᵹa feorren cumenra. c 1000 Elene 993 (Gr.) Feorran ᵹeferede. a 1225 Ancr. R. 70 Ȝif eni god mon is feorrene ikumen. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1320 Hwat canstu..of storre, Bute that thu bi-haitest hi feorre? |
2. Afar, far away, at or to a distance.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix. §5 Ða onᵹon he sprecan swiðe feorran ymbuton. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxvi. 58 Petrus hym fylide feorrane. c 1205 Lay. 25733 Þa iseȝen heo nawiht feorren a muchel fur smokien. a 1225 Juliana 71 Þa..belial þat ha hefde ibeaten feorren to bihinden. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2601 Maria dowter ful feren stod. c 1315 Shoreham 137 The sonne and monne and many sterren By easte arysethe swythe ferren. |
3. Preceded by prep.; of ferren, on ferren (o ferren), from ferren (ferrom): from or at a distance; see a-ferrom.
| a 1240 Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 249 A sonde..of feorren icumen. a 1300 Cursor M. 11744 (Gött.) Þai lokid þaim on ferrom fra. Ibid. 27372 (Cott.) O ferrum for to spi. c 1300 Havelok 1864 Gleyues schoten him fro ferne. 1352 Minot Poems vii. 89 He saw þe toun o-ferrum bren. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xvi. 72 Þe whilk men may see on ferrum. a 1400–50 Alexander 5520 In hokis of iren Flesch on ferrom þaim fra. c 1470 Harding Chron. vi. iii. 5 Shyppes came..Fro ferrome sene. |
B. adj. Distant, far, remote.
| c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Luke xix. 12 Sum æthelboren man ferde on ferren [c 1000 Corpus fyrlen] land. c 1205 Lay. 3331 Ȝef ferrene kinges hiherde þa tidinde. c 1250 O. Kent Serm. in O.E. Misc. (1871) 27 Þo þrie kinges of heþenesse þet comen fram verrene londes ure louerd to seche. c 1305 S. Kather. 20 in E.E.P. (1862) 90 So moche folc of furrene lond. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. vii. 60 Al þouȝ [þat] renoune y-spradde passynge to ferne poeples goþ by dyuerse tonges. c 1386 ― Prol. 14 Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages..To ferne halwes. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 745 Þere come foure clerkes to Wyltone from ferne lond. 1548 Gest Pr. Masse 126 In farren contreis. |