Obs. Forms: 1 fyrn, 3 fer(r)en, (furne), 3 Layamon v(e)orne, 4–5 fern, (4 feorn, 6 farne). Also (as adv. and in Comb.) with prefix, 1 ȝefyrn, 2 ȝefern, 3 ifurn, ivurn, ifeorn, iv(e)orn, 4 yfern. [Perh. repr. two different but synonymous formations (from different ablaut-grades of the same root). The OE. fyrn with y from u, an -i stem that has passed into the -o declension, seems to be a peculiarly Eng. formation (perh. in origin a sb., as the form with prefixed ȝe may suggest), cognate with OS. furn, forn adv. formerly (also in comb. an furndagon = OE. on fyrndaȝum), OHG. forn (MHG. vorn) formerly, ON. forn adj. ancient (Sw. forn). The sense ‘of last year,’ though not recorded before the ME. period, seems to point to an OE. *fierne, which would correspond to OS. fern past (of years), OHG. firni old (MHG. virne old, verne adv. last year, mod.Ger. firne old, of last year), Goth. fairneis old:—OTeut. *fernjo-, cognate with Lith. pernai adv., last year.]

1

  A.  adj.

2

  1.  Of time: Former, ancient, of old.

3

  After 15th c. only in phrase old fern days or years; cf. 3 and FERNYEAR.

4

a. 1000.  Riddles, lxxxi. 9 (Gr.). Fyrn forð-ȝesceaft.

5

c. 1275.  Lay., 24795. Julius … Þat in vorne daȝe bi-wan hit mid fihte.

6

c. 1300.  K. Alis., 6356.

        Feorne men, and othir therby,
Clepeth heom Agofagy.

7

a. 1400.  Octouian, 477. Hyt ys well fern men seyden so.

8

1529, 1562.  [see FERNYEAR A. 1].

9

1571.  Bp. Lesley, Title Success., II. 6 b. I might here fetche foorth olde farne dayes.

10

  2.  Fern year: last year: see FERNYEAR.

11

  3.  Comb. fern-days, days of old.

12

a. 1000.  Andreas, 753 (Gr.).

        Þis is se ilca    ealwalda God,
Ðone on fyrndagum fæderas cuðon.

13

c. 1205.  Lay., 27118. Þat Merlin i furn daȝen seide.

14

  B.  adv. Long ago, of old, formerly, a long time.

15

  α.  a. 1000.  Guthlac, 840 (Gr.).

                    Þone bitran drync,
þone Eve fyrn Adame ȝeaf.

16

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 59. Feren it is þat we and ure heldrene habbæð ben turnd fro him. Ibid., 161. Hit is ferren atleien holie tilðe.

17

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 226. It is ferre [v.r. fern] agoo in seynt Fraunceys tyme.

18

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 248. For they han knowen it so fern.

19

c. 1422.  Hoccleve, Jereslaus’ Wife, 199.

        It is ago fern syn I spak yow to
Of loue.

20

  β.  c. 1000.  Wulfstan (Napier), xviii. 104. Eala, ȝefyrn is, þæt ðurh deofol fela þinga misfor.

21

c. 1205.  Lay., 24017. Þa iuurn here stoden.

22

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1306.

        Heo were ifurn of prestes muþe
Amanset swuch thu art ȝette.

23

c. 1275.  A Prayer to our Lady, 21, in O. E. Misc., 193.

        Ifurn ich habbe isunehed mid worke and mid worde
hwile in mine bedde and hwile atte borde
ofte win idrunke and selde of þe forde
muchel ich habbe ispened, to lite ich habbe an horde.

24

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 3207. Wel y-fern þay holpe ous nouȝt.

25