Forms: 5 fere, 8–9 feer, 9 Sc. feir. [Perh. (as suggested by Jamieson) repr. OE. fyrian to make a furrow (:—*furhjan), f. furh FURROW sb.; for the phonology cf. beir, beere as variants of BIRR.]
‘To mark off the breadth of every ridge (of land) for ploughing, by drawing a furrow on each side of the space allotted for it’ (Jam.).
c. 1400. York Manual (Surtees), 224*. Yee shale praye for all lande tilland and lee ferand.
1862. J. Wilson, Farming, vi. 206. This operation—called in Scotland feiring the land—is usually entrusted to the most skilful ploughman on each farm.
1881. Leicestersh. Gloss., s.v. To feer land, is to set it out as it is intended to be ploughed.
