a. Obs. Forms: 1 forma, -e, 2–6 forme, 3 Orm. forrme, 3 firme, furme, vorme, 3–5 form, 5 ferme. [OF. forma = OFris. forma, OS. formo:—OTeut. *formon-, a superlative (with -m- suffix as in L. prīmus) from the root of FORE adv. A variant is OE. fruma (early ME. FRUME, beginning) = Goth. fruma.]
1. Earliest in time or serial order, first; also, the first of two, former.
Beowulf, 2285 (Gr.).
| Frea sceawode | |
| fyra fyrnȝeweorc forman siðe. |
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xv. Hu ȝesæliȝ seo forme eld was þises middanȝeardes.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 817.
| The uox kan crope bi the heie, | |
| An turne ut from his forme weie. |
a. 1330. Otuel, 1571.
| King karnifees him haueþ istunt, | |
| & slouȝ him ate forme dunt. |
c. 1425. Seven Sages (P.), 372.
| And yf I speke loude or stille, | |
| With the forme word I sal deye. |
c. 1450. Mirour Saluacioun, 4006. Be oure forme fadere and modere.
absol. and ellipt.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. x. 2. Ðis synt soðlice þæra twelf Apostola naman; se forma ys Simon, þe ts genemned Petrus, and Adreas hys broðor, Jacobus Zebedei, and Johannes hys broður.
c. 1175. Cott. Hom., 243. Of þe formen seieð sanctus paulus. Non est nobis coluctatio aduersus carnem et sanguinem. et cetera.
c. 1205. Lay., 25151.
| Þe uorme wes Belin, | |
| þat wes a Bruttise king. |
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 38. Hit arn fettled in on forme, þe forme & þe laste.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., II. 447.
| As iij is nyne, as ij is ten, the forme | |
| Thelleveth is with, let Pallady say for me. |
b. Previous to the present; former, early.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22229 (Cott.).
| War hefd kingrikes in form tide, | |
| Wit pouste florist mast o pride. | |
| Ibid. (c. 1340), 8583 (Trin.). | |
| In his kyngdome þe forme dawes | |
| Among his folk he set his lawes. |
c. quasi-sb. The beginning.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 499. Þe forme to þe fynisment foldez ful selden.
2. Foremost in position, rank, etc.
14[?]. Rom. Alexander, in Roland & V. (1836), p. xx.
| Antiogus hadde the form gard, | |
| Tholomeu the rereward. |
1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 594.
| As fersly frownynge as he had ben fyghtyng, | |
| And with his forme foote he shoke forthe this wrytyng. |
3. quasi-Comb., in forme-fader (a) (our) first father, Adam; (b) = FOREFATHER; forme-moder, (our) first mother, Eve; forme-mete, early meat, breakfast; forme-ward, vanguard.
c. 1175. Cott. Hom., 231. Me hine sceolde derewrlice forð clepien and do hine wasse and ȝiefe him his formemete þat him to lang ne þuhte to abiden oð se laford to þe none inn come.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 195. Vre forme fader gult, we abuȝeð alle.
13[?]. K. Alis., 5733.
| Of the forme-ward he herd grete cry | |
| For hy weren assailed of olifauntz. |
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, cxviii. 21. Þere proude ere oure formfadirs, þat god blamyd.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 807.
| He … descended a-doune · to þe derk helle, | |
| And fet oute our formfaderes · & hy full feyn weren. |
c. 1440. York Myst., xxiii. 81.
| Oure fforme-ffadyrs full fayne | |
| Wolde se this solempne sight, | |
| Þat in þis place þus pleyne | |
| Is mustered thurgh õie myght. |
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xxx. 403.
| Forto A-Mendyn Al the grete wronge | |
| That oure form Modir dyde A forn ful longe. |
