Obs. Forms: Inf. 1–2 féran (1 Northumb. fœran), 2 feren, (fearen), 3 færen, south. væren. Pa. t. 1 fér(e)de, 2–5 ferd(e, 4 south. verde, (2 feorde, foerde, 3 færde), 3–5 farde, 3–4 furde. [OR. féran wk. vb., corresp. to OFris. fêra, OS. fôrian (Du. voeren) to carry, OHG. fuoren (MUG. vüeren, mod.G. führen to lead), ON. fœra (Sw. föra, Da. före) to bring:—OTeut. *fôrjan, f. *fôra (OE. fôr, FORE sb. way), f. ablaut-root of faran, FARE v.1
The OE. verb, unlike all the equivalent forms in other Teut. langs., was intransitive, having the sense ‘to take a journey, march, travel.’ The difference in meaning between faran and féran even in OE. is hardly perceptible, and in ME. it wholly vanishes, fare being more and more restricted to the present-stem and fere to the pa. t. and pa. pple. See the remarks s.v. FARE v.1]
Beowulf, 301. Gewiton him þa feran.
c. 950. Lindisfarne Gospels, John iv. 3. Forleort iudeam & foerde eftersona in ðær mægð.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 3. Redliche heo eou leted fere þer-mid.
c. 1205. Lay., 4471. His cnihtes mid him seoluen to þare sæ færden.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 5.
| Ah Constentin ferde | |
| þurh þe burh-menne reað | |
| into Fronc londe. |
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3958 (Cott.). Ful wrathli gains him he ferd.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 124. Þer schip ferd on the flode.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5549. Sum ferd all on foure feete.
c. 1420. Sir Amadace (Camden), xxxvii.
| Now thro the forest as he ferd, | |
| He wende that no mon hade him herd. |
2. To proceed, go on, behave; = FARE v.1 4; to deal with.
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1132. Þa wiste þe king ð[at] he feorde mid suicdom.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 103. Þenne mon … mid fikenunge fearð.
c. 1300. Cursor M., 5719 (Cott.). Þat folk sua wit þam ferd.
c. 1300. Beket, 2063.
| His felawes also everechone: here armes abrod caste, | |
| And furde as men that wode were: and thretnede faste. |
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 410. Riȝt so ferde resoun bi the.
c. 1440. Generydes, 4784.
| Syr Amelok, whanne he the tydenges hard, | |
| A wrother man yet saw he neuer non, | |
| And as a man beside hem self he farde, | |
| These tydengys came so hastely vppon. |
1450. Paston Lett., No. 93, I. 125. Oon of the lewdeste of the shippe badde hym ley down hys hedde and he should be fair ferd wyth.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xlix. 123. Thus with Iosephe ferden they there wel falsly.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, xix. 218. The fairer that she is ferde with, the more ferdfulle she shuld be to displese.
b. To take place, happen; = FARE v.1 6.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 538. So it ferde ouer al, ware me Frenisse fond.
c. 1300. Beket, 2131.
| As hit bi oure Louerd furde: tho the Gywes him nome, | |
| His disciples flowe anon: he nuste whar hi bicome. |
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1921. Cairende ouer cuntreis as here cas ferde.
c. 1440. Boctus, Laud MS. 559. 3 b. Hee was wrothe that hit soo ferde.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2850 (Cott.). Hir langed to see how þai fard. Ibid. (c. 1340), 23162 (Trin.). For ȝou ferde I neuer þe bet.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1497. He went wiȝtli to william to wite how he ferde.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 499. I my silf so mery ferde.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 540. Þat blessed virgyne hurre douȝter, ryȝt welle ferde.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 18. She rendrid to him his salewe & syn demanded him how he felte him self & how he ferde.
4. Combined with advbs.: = FARE v.1 III.
Beowulf, 1632. Ferdon forð þonon.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., I. viii. (1890), 42. Ferde he [Constantinus] forð on Breotone.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11731 (Cott.). Forth þai ferd þair wai.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 30. It … ferde fast aboute floures to gadere.
1352. Minot, Poems, iv. 19. Furth he ferd into France.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 813 (Dublin MS.). Forth with eufestyus he ferd.
