Obs. Forms: α. 3 fer, 3–7 fere, (4 south. vere), 5 Sc. feir, 4–7 feare. [aphetic f. OE. ȝefér neut. (:—*ȝifôrjo(m), f. as prec.]

1

  1.  Companionship; chiefly concr. a body of companions, company, party.

2

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 20419 (Cott.).

        Lokes … þat naman of our fer
Bi-fore his mak latli chere.
    Ibid. (c. 1325), 24947 (Edin.).
Wit al þair farnet and þair fer
Þai com to land.
    Ibid. (c. 1340), 23208 (Trin.).
Crist let vs neuer be in þat fere.

3

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1132. With all the fere þat hym folowes.

4

  2.  In phrase In fere, i fere (often written as one word, and spelt y-): in company, together; in common. Al in fere: all together, altogether.

5

c. 1205.  Lay., 27435.

        Twein kinges þere
æuere weoren ifere.

6

a. 1300.  Signa ante Jud., 117, in E. E. P. (1862), 11. Al þe see sal draw ifere.

7

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, II. 1217.

        To telle in short, she lykyd al infere,
His persone, his aray, his loke, his chere.

8

c. 1400.  The Sowdone of Babyloyne, 119.

                    Shippes sheneVII hundred were gadered al in fere.

9

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., iv. 9. Gogmagog and corin undertake for to wrastlyn y fere.

10

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, X. v. 15. All sammyn swam thai, hand in hand yfeir.

11

1563.  Mirr. Mag., Induct. lxxiv.

        With sighes and teares, sobs, shrykes, and all yfere,
That (oh alas) it was a hel to heare.

12

1613.  W. Browne, The Shepherd’s Pipe, Wks. 1772, III. 11.

        All th’eritage which at the dying
Of my fadir, he me left, all in feere
Leave I thee.

13

1748.  Thomson, Cast. Indol., II. xxxv.

          Meantime, the bard on milk-white palfrey rode;
  An honest sober beast, that did not mar
  His meditations, but full softly trode:
And much they moraliz’d as thus yfere they yode.

14

  ǁ b.  G. Douglas uses the pl. form in rime-words.

15

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, I. Pref. 251. All inferis. Ibid., II. viii. 90. All infeiris. Ibid., X. vii. 628. All yferis.

16