Obs. (after 15th c. only Sc.) Forms: 2–9 fere, 3–5 fer, (3 feore, 4 feere). Sc. 4–6 feir, 8–9 fier, (9 fear). [a. ON. fœrr (or possibly repr. OE. *fére) = OFris. fére:—OTeut. type *fôrjo-, f. *fôrâ (OE. fór, ME. FORE sb.) going, way, f. faran FARE v.1]
Able to go, in health; hence gen. able, strong; sound, ‘whole.’ Also in phrase whole and fere.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 25. Hal and fere and strong and stelewurðe.
c. 1205. Lay., 17618. Ȝif ich mai beon feore, ich þe cumen after sone.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3829 (Cott.). He es bath hail and fere.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 315. Thai thar lord fand haill and feir.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4282. As fresche & as fere · a[s] fisch quen he plays.
c. 1440. Bone Flor., 2004.
| The emperowre seyde, Well thou bee, | |
| The holy nonne wolde y see, | |
| That makyth the syke thus fere. |
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. p. li. Thay come haill and feir in thair bodyis to extreme age.
1784. Burns, Ep. to Davie, ii.
| We’re fit to win our daily bread, | |
| As lang’s we’re hale and fier. |
1806. A. Douglas, Poems, 22. There ’s Jenny, comely, fier, an’ tight.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxvii. ‘I trust to find ye baith haill and fere.’
absol. a. 1300. Cursor M., 20119 (Cott.). To fere and seke ai did scho bote.
