Obs. Forms: 1 ʓefera, 2–3 ifere, ivere, 3 iuære, iuare, ifære, ifeire, yfere. Pl. 1 ʓeferan, 2 ȝeferen, 2–3 iferen, 2–4 ifere, iuere, 3–4 yfere, yuere, 3 iveres. [OE. ʓeféra, f. ʓe- Y- 1 a + fœr-, mutated f. fōr-: faran to go.] A companion, mate, fellow, associate.
c. 870. Codex Aureus Inscr., Ic Aelfred aldormon & Werburg min ʓefera.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. iii. 12. Þæt wif, þæt þu me forʓeafe to ʓeferan.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 229. In helle his hunger and þurst, twa uuele iuere.
c. 1205. Lay., 26012. Arður hine teh Bi-siden his iferen [c. 1275 iveres].
a. 1225. Juliana, 48. Englene ifere ant arcanglene freond.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 5994. Vor suan … adde euere is yuere, Þre velawes þat next him were.
a. 1300. K. Horn, 235. Hom rod Aylmer þe kyng, Ant horn wiþ him … Ant alle his yfere.
13[?]. K. Alis., 6906 (Laud MS.). Þoo wepe þe kyng & hise yfere.
