Obs. Forms: 1 fyrd, 2–4 ferde, (3 verde, 2 ferede), 3–5 ferd, (3 færd, feord), 5 furde, furthe. See also FARD sb. [OE. fęrd, fięrd, fyrd str. fem. = OFris. ferd, OS. fard (MDu. vaert, Du. vaard, vaart), OHG. fart (MHG. vart, Ger. fahrt), ON. ferð (Da. and Sw. fard):—OTeut. *farti-z (:-pre-Teut. *porti-s), f. root far- (Aryan por-) to go, FARE v.1]
1. A military expedition. OE. only.
a. 1000. Byrhtnoth, 221, (Gr.). Þæt ic of þisse fyrde feran wille.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Thorpe), xliii. 11 [xliv. 9]. Þeah þu, Drihten, us ne adrifen hæbbe from þe, and us gebysmrod, and mid us ne fare on fyrd.
b. In ferd: in warlike array.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 163.
| With þe wille I go als felawes in ferd, | |
| A hundreth knygthes mo, armed & gird with suerd. |
2. An army, host.
823. O. E. Chron., an. 823. Þa sende he Æþelwulf his sunu of bare fierde. Ibid., 1154, an. 1140. Te king ferde agenes him mid micel mare ferd.
c. 1205. Lay., 4152. He somenede færd swulc nes næuere eær on erde.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 250. Ter men uihteð in peos stronge uerdes.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1668. Havestu heo seide ibanned ferde.
c. 1300. Havelok, 2384.
| Robert, þat was of al þe ferd | |
| Mayster, was girt wit a swerd. |
c. 1330. Assump. Virg., 115.
| He schal sende after þee | |
| Of heuene ferde moche plente. |
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 385.
| Þemperour bliþe of þe barn · on his blonk rides | |
| Fast til þe forest, til he fond · al his fre ferd. |
3. A band, company, troop; a great number.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7920. A uerde þer was binorþe þat robbede al so uaste.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 5326. Þe fairest ferde of folk þat euer bi-fore was seie.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5577. Ferly ferd of his folke was in þe fild strangild.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 4094. With fyfty [shippes] in a furthe.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xv. (Bannatyne Club), 103. Þere folowes me a ferde of fendis full fell.
4. Comb. in early law terms, ferd-fare (see quot. 1641); ferd-wite (see quots.).
c. 1020. Secular Laws Cnut, § 66. Gif hwa burh-bote oþþe bricȝbote oþþe fyrd-fare forsille.
c. 1250. Gloss. Law Terms, in Rel. Ant., I. 33. Ferdware, quite de aleren ost.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 160. Ferdfare is to be quit from going to warre.
c. 1020. Secular Laws Cnut, § 12. Fyrd-wite.
c. 1250. Gloss. Law Terms, in Rel. Ant., I. 33. Ferdwite, quite de murance de ost.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 160. Ferdwit.
1684–1701. Cowell, Law Dict., Ferdwit, quit of murder committed in the army; also a fine imposed on persons for not going forth in a military expedition.
