[ad. L. fērāl-is of or pertaining to funeral rites or to the dead.]
1. Of a deadly nature; deadly, fatal.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. i. II. xi. (1651), 30. Thence come all those head-strong passions, violent perturbations of the mind, and many times vitious habits, customs, feral diseases, because we give so much way to our appetite, and follow our inclination, like so many beasts.
1652. Gaule, Πῦς-μαντία, the Mag-astro-mancer, 303. Cæsar himselfe had noted, that the Ides of March would be ferall to him.
1773. J. Ross, Fratricide (MS.), II. 298. The feral tempter … Stalks noiseless round him.
b. Astrol. (See quots.)
The astrologers identified this with FERAL a.2
1647. Lilly, Chr. Astrol., xvi. 89. Feral Signes are ♌ [Leo] and last part of ♐ [Sagittarius]. Ibid., clvi. 648. ♁ in the seventh in ferall signes, argues death by Distraction.
1658–1706. Phillips, Feral Signs … are Leo, and the last part of Sagittarius, so call’d, not only upon account of the representing the Figure of wild Beasts, but also because they have some kind of Savage Influence: and give fierce and cruel Disposition to those that are born under them.
1819. J. Wilson, Dict. Astrol., The ☽ is also said to be feral, when she is void of course, having separated from a planet, and applying to no other while she is in that sign.
2. Of or pertaining to the dead; funereal, gloomy.
1640. Gauden, Love of Truth (1641), 26. Those Owles, and Bats, and ferall Birds, that love darknesse, and portend a night, where ever they appeare.
1648. Eikon Bas., 134. My reputation shall like the Sun … rise and recover it self to such a degree of splendour, as those ferall birds shall be grieved to behold, and unable to bear.
1678. H. Vaughan, Thalia Rediv. (1858), 246.
| A night, where darkness lays her chains and bars, | |
| And feral fires appear instead of stars. |
1705. Berkeley, Cave Dunmore, Wks. 1871, IV. 504. This as well as the rest of the sides [of the cave] is overrun with elder and other shrubs, which add to the horror of the place, and make it a suitable habitation for ravens, screech-owls, and such like feral birds which abide in the cavities of the rock.
1785. Headley, Ruins Broomholm Priory, 14, in Fugitive Pieces, 4. Oft the Bird of Night Lengthens her feral note.
1881. Palgrave, Visions of Eng., 302.
| In feral order slow, | |
| The slaughter-barges go. |
