Obs. Forms: 1 fǽrlíce, ferlice, 2–4 fer-, færliche, (3 fær-, ferlike), 3–4 south. veor-, verliche, -lych, 3–6 far-, ferli(e, -ly, 4 feerlich, -li, -ly, (5 fairlie), 3– ferly. [OE. fǽrlice: see FERLY a. and -LY2.]
1. Suddenly, unexpectedly.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke ix. 39. & he færlice hrymð.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 89. On þisse deie … com ferliche muchel swei of heofne.
c. 1200. Ormin, 665.
| Ȝff þatt itt ohht færlike seþ | |
| Þe wlite off ennglekinde. |
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 299. Somme deyde verlych as hii vp ryȝt stode.
1340. Ayenb., 130. Ase uayr weder went in-to rene and uerliche makeþ his blench.
1382. Wyclif, Josh. x. 9. Josue felle on hem feerlich.
c. 1440. Generydes, 5813.
| And with a Duke of Ethiope he mette, | |
| Vppon a courser crossyng hym the way; | |
| Eche vppon other ferly on they sett. |
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 176.
| In feir fairlie he foundis, with the gude wyfe, | |
| Quhair the Coilȝear bad, sa braithlie he beird. |
2. Dreadfully, frightfully, terribly.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 959.
| Al bi-rolled wyth þe rayn, rostted & brenned, | |
| & ferly flayed þat folk þat in þose fees lenged. |
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 18. He felt him heuy & ferly seke.
3. Wonderfully, marvellously, extraordinarily.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 148. A ueorlich god word þet te holi Job seide.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2799. Ic sal werken ferlike strong.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4263 (Cott.). Ioseph was farli fair in face.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3238. Þe horse … gan fare wiþ his fet & ferliche neiȝede.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 52.
| The faire Forrest with leafes lowne and lee, | |
| With Fowles fang, and flowres ferly sweete, | |
| Is but the warld and his prosperitie, | |
| As false pleasance mingled with care repleet. |
c. 1460. Towneley Myst. (Surtees), 49.
| Alle ye folk of Israelle, | |
| Herkyn to me, I wille you telle | |
| Tythynges farly goode. |
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 42. Thocht tha war ȝoung, ȝit tha wer farlie fair.
