a. Sc. Obs. Also 5, 6 fery, 7, 8 feerie. [? repr. OE. *fériȝ, f. fór action of going (see FOOR) + -iȝ, -Y1: cf. the synonymous FERE a.] Fit to travel; hence nimble, vigorous. Const. of.

1

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., IX. ix. 10.

                His eldare Swne
Wes noucht fery.

2

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, VI. v. 20. Als fery and als swipper as a page.

3

a. 1548.  Thrie Priests of Peblis, in Pinkerton, Scot. Poems (1792), I. 18.

        The king was was fair in persoun, fresh and fors;
Ane feirie man on fute, or yit on hors.

4

17[?].  in Watson, Collect. Scots Poems, I. (1706), 59.

        My Will is, and I leave the Mierie
To ane they ca’ him John Macklierie,
e cause of Foot he is not feirie.

5

1794.  Burns, The Deuk’s Dang O’er My Daddy. O haud your tongue, my feirie auld wife.

6

  b.  quasi-adv. Cleverly, actively.

7

1810.  in Cromek, Rem. Nithsdale & Annandale Song (1880), 54.

        Kimmer can cast owre it her cantraips an’ spells,
An’ feerie can cross it in two braid cockle shells.

8

  Hence Feirily adv., nimbly, actively.

9

1550.  Lyndesay, Sqr. Meldrum, 475.

        Quhen thay saw him sa feirelie
Loup on his Hors sa galȝeardlie.
    Ibid. (1552), Dreme, 12.
Sumtyme in dansing, feiralie I flang.

10

1763.  W. Thom, Donaldsoniad, Wks. (1799), 368. It wad be better if it was a’ dun bi ane that cou’d gae throw it feerily and cannily.

11