Forms: 5–6 fourn-, furnis(s)he, -ys(s)he, (6 fornyssh, furnesshe, -ice), 6–7, 9 Sc. furneis, -ess, -ich, -ise, -yse. [a. OF. furniss- lengthened stem of furnir, also fornir, fournir (F. fournir) = Pr., Sp., Pg. fornir, It. fornire, app. a Com. Rom. alteration of an earlier *formire, *fromire (Pr. formir, furmir, fromir), ad. WGer. *frummjan (OS. frummian, OHG. frummen, MHG. vrümen) to further, promote, accomplish, supply, f. *frum- (as in OHG., OS. fruma fem., profit, advantage) ablaut-var. of *fram- forward: see FROM.]
† 1. trans. To accomplish, complete, fulfil. Also with that and obj. clause: To bring about, ensure.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 87. I shal not departe me but that I shal furnisshe myn auowe. Ibid. (c. 1489) Blanchardyn and Eglantine ix. (1890), 39. The knyght, that was right curtyes, guyded hym & conduyted a whyle, and shewed hym the waye that he muste holde for to furnysshe his entrepryse. Ibid., xxxiv. 126. For to see and furnysshe that this were doon, the kynge dyde make redy suche shippes as apparteyned therunto.
1494. Fabyan, Chron. lxxxiv. 62. To furnysshe or perfourme the Story of Vortiger.
c. 1500. Melusine, xx. 111. Behighte no thing but that ye may fournysshe & hold it.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lxxxi. 245. I sawe that I hadde furnysshed your message.
1551. R. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., I. (1895), 212. A man maye see … furnished … those thinges whiche husbandemen doo commenly in other countreys.
† 2. To fill, occupy, garrison (a place, etc.). Const. of, with, also simply. Obs.
c. 1500. Three Kings’ Sons (E.E.T.S.), 33. The houses were all fornyssht with folkes.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xxxviii. 52. The cyte was strong, and well furnysshed of men a warr.
1526. Househ. Ord. (1790), 153. There shall be a boord in the same furnished with lords spirituall and temporall, to be served with the service called the King’s service.
1533. Cranmer, in Furniv., Ballads fr. MSS., I. 384. Four rich charettes, one of them empty, & three other furnished with divers ancient old ladies.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., X. 278. The Gouernour commandes to furnice the castell of Edr. be al meines.
1692. Ray, Dissol. World, Pref. (1732), 11. A World already filled & furnished.
† b. To fill, occupy (a position); also with out.
1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 257. Because there is a place voide and to be furnished.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut. xviii. 108. That they haue neede to be instructed or els that they cannot furnish out the place to performe their dutie.
† 3. To supply, provide for (needs, occasions, expenses). Obs.
1496. in Ld. Treas. Accts. Scotl. (1877), I. 304. Item … to furnys Margret Drummondis costis in Linlithquho.
1555. L. Saunders, Lett., in Coverdale, Lett. Mart. (1564), 191. My nede concerning bodely necessaryes, is as yet furnyshed by Gods provision.
1666. Marvell, Corr., lii. Wks. 1872–5, II. 192. The House is much in earnest to furnish his Majestye’s present occasions.
4. To provide or supply with (something necessary, useful, or desirable, either material or immaterial). † Also const. in (cf. FIND v. 19), of.
1529. Wolsey, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 10. Of evry thyng mete for houssold onprovydyd and furnyshyd.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, xlvi. 154. Whan the shyppe was fournyshyd with vytaylles, than he put therin his horses.
1550. Crowley, Way to Wealth, 326. Let your wiues … furnishe them selues with al pointes of honest housewifery.
1553. Brende, Q. Curtius, X. 5. He sent commaundement to the kynges of Cipres, to furnishe them of Iren, hempe, and sayles.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., V. 301. Scotland had furnist Jngland in all necessaries to the Weiris.
1610. Shaks., Temp., II. ii. 147. Ste. Come, sweare to that: kisse the Booke: I will furnish it anon with new Contents: Sweare.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrimes, II. ix. xv. § 9. 1600. The Sultanas, and all great Personages eate none but Parmezan, of which the Bailo of Venice doth alwayes furnish them, and that very plentifully, for they loue it well, and eate heartily of it when they goe abroad vpon pleasure or a hunting.
1674. N. Cox, Gentl. Recreat., III. (1677), 38. Ending at May, at which time the Trees begin to be furnished with Leaves.
1700. Wallis, in Collect. (O. H. S.), I. 319. A man may be furnished with genteel accomplishment.
1754. Erskine, Princ. Sc. Law (1809), 18. An inhabitant of a borough-royal, who has furnished one who lives without the borough, in meat, clothes, or other merchandise.
1772. Mackenzie, Man World, II. iv. (1823), 470. There was too much innocence in the breast of Lucy, to suffer it to be furnished with disguise.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 638. The officers who commanded the troops in the districts through which his course lay had orders to furnish him with whatever military aid he might require.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 192, Laws, Introduction. By his [Plato’s] conquests in the world of mind not only are our thoughts widened, but he has furnished us with the instruments of thought.
† b. intr. for refl. To provide oneself with (something). Obs.
1631. Nath. Ward, Lett., in The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America (1843), 93. I expect measure hard enough and must furnish apace with proportionable armour.
c. (Chiefly in pass.) To provide (an instrument, organ, etc.) with (some appendage subsidiary to its function).
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 15. They [rockets] may be both within and without furnished with crackers.
1816. J. Smith, The Panorama of Science and Art, II. 352. Each of the bladders should be furnished with a stop-cock, and as there is some risk of a violent explosion, bladders may be used with more propriety than any other vessels.
1830. R. Knox, Béclard’s Anat., 19. In the vertebrate animals, the latter office is performed by articulated and mobile bones situated in their interior, and which for this purpose are furnished with a great mass of muscles, which are wanting in the invertebrate animals, or are attached to their hardened skin.
1886. A. Winchell, Walks & Talks Geol. Field, 252. Its [the Pterosaur’s] long and lizard-like tail, vertebrated to the extremity, is furnished with proper quills, but can not conceal its kinship with the reptiles.
† 5. simply. To supply with what is necessary.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. iv. 9.
| Lor. ’Tis now but foure of clock, we haue two houres | |
| To furnish vs. |
1611. Bible, Ps. lxxviii. 19. Yea, they spake against God: they said, Can God furnish a table in the wildernes?
1633. J. Done, Hist. Septuagint, 76. It is succoured and furnished by the neerenesse of the Port of Ascalon [etc.].
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., Man. II. iii. 318. The outer [branch] … furnishes the Cheeks and Muscles of the Face.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 185/1. The Abbots Table must be furnished for Strangers.
1743. Lond. & Country Brew., II. (ed. 2), 93. The English … thinking themselves compleatly furnished by Barley and Oat-Malt-Liquors, have supinely neglected the Improvement of the best of all others.
† b. To decorate, embellish. Obs.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, III. i. 103.
| Ile shew thee some attires, and haue thy counsell, | |
| Which is the best to furnish me to morrow. |
1690. Earl Halifax, Epist. Earl Dorset, 185, Wks. (1715), 28.
| The wounded Arm wou’d furnish all their Rooms, | |
| And bleed for ever Scarlet in the Looms. |
c. in Hop-growing. (See quot.)
1848. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., IX. II. 555. It is not … necessary for the hop-tiers to wait until there are three bines for every pole long enough to tie, that is, for the hills to furnish, as they term it…. When every pole is furnished with three bines pull the remainder out of the hills. Ibid., 556. I have known bine that has been kept back … by cold weather … so as not to furnish the poles before the middle of June.
† 6. esp. To prepare for work or active service; to equip (a person), caparison, harness (a horse), fit up (a weapon, etc.), fit out (a ship). Obs.
1548. Privy Council Acts (1890), II. 197. The municions folowing … Hand-goones furnesshed, cc.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist., V. ix. (1619), 494. Chosroes, being now furnished to battell.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. i. 39. He then, that is not furnish’d in this sort, Doth but vsurpe the Sacred name of Knight.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., IX. 242. How sune the schip was now furniched, sayle thay lous.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, II. i. 18. He shall not suffer any souldier to come thither without his Armes fully furnished.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 244. Bucephalus … being sadled and furnished … could endure none but Alexander.
1657. R. Ligon, Barbadoes (1673), 22. It was far better, for a man that had money, goods, or Credit, to purchase a Plantation there ready furnish’d, and stockt with Servants, Slaves, Horses, Cattle, Assinigoes, Camels, &c. with a Sugar work, and an Ingenio.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 34. There is sufficient to furnish them against all attempts whatsoever.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), 127. Six led Horses, all of excellent shape, and nobly furnish’d.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 2. Every ordinary sailor is able to do it, if his merchants are but qualified to furnish him for so long a voyage.
7. To fit up (an apartment, a house) with all requisite appliances, including a supply of movable ‘furniture’ (see FURNITURE 7), which in mod. use is the predominant notion.
[1611. Bible Luke xxii. 12. He shall shew you a large vpper roume furnished. (Strictly to sense 5.)]
1650. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 270. A stately chamber furnished to have entertained a prince.
1762. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint., I. i. 2. The apartments are lofty and enormous and they knew not how to furnish them.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, V. xli. 159. He had taken more pains to furnish his house, than his mind.
1874. Micklethwaite, Modern Parish Churches, 342. A church may be furnished, as well as built, by degrees; but it ought never to be without its essential furniture, temporary if not permanent.
absol. 1837. W. F. Hook, in Life (1879), I. 407. My lady is very busy a-furnishing.
8. To provide, contribute, afford, supply, yield.
The general currency of this sense appears to date from the 18th c. and is perh. due to mod. Fr. influence. The Sc. instances (16–17th c.) quoted below may belong to 6.
[1563. Winȝet, Wks. (1890), II. 6. I may nocht furnise to this excellent werk euery kind of necessar waippin and werklume.
1640–1. Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 142. The Committie finding that Johne Wilsone, runaway, in Crocemichael, is unable to goe upon service, thairfore dismiss him … and ordaines the said paroche of Crocemichael to furneis ane uther in his place.]
1754. Sherlock, Disc. (1759), I. iii. 110. Philosophy has furnished Difficulties on every Side.
1759. Goldsm., Bee, No. s. Unfort. Merit, ¶ 9. The host … refused to furnish him a dinner without previous payment.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., Wks. V. 78. The idea of inheritance furnishes a sure principle of conservation.
1809. Med. Jrnl., XXI. 390. The exhalents … furnish a fluid similar in use to the secretion of the lachrymal gland.
1849. Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, iv. § 29. 119. The pinnacles furnish the third term to the spire and tower.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 453, Phaedo. For if the soul exists before birth, and in coming to life and being born can be born only from death and dying, must she not after death continue to exist, since she has to be born again? surely the proof which you desire has been already furnished.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., I. iii. 25, note. Rhode Island … has furnished the most abundant analogies to the Greek republics of antiquity.
9. dial. = BURNISH v.2 Hence in Stable slang, of a horse: To fill out, gain in strength and ‘condition.’ [Cf. FURNISHED 2 b.)
1862. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, II. x. 103. The horse had furnished so since then!
1883. Standard, 19 May, 3/3. Being a big horse he is not quite furnished yet.
Mod. (Suffolk) ‘She is tall for age, and thin; now, it is to be hoped, she will begin to furnish.’
10. With adverbs.
a. Furnish forth. Used by Shakespeare with the sense = 5, 6 above; echoed by later writers (by Scott in the more recent sense 8).
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. ii. 251. Will your Lordship lend mee a thousand pound, to furnish me forth? Ibid. (1602), Ham., I. ii. 181. The Funeral Bake-meats Did coldly furnish forth the Marriage Tables.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., I. xxii. Our broad nets have swept the mere, To furnish forth your evening cheer.
1825. Cobbett, Rur. Rides, 188. I got myself well furnished forth as a defence against the rain.
b. Furnish out. (a) To supply what is lacking in; to complete. (b) To supply adequate materials or provision for. (c) To send out with proper equipment or training. Now rare.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. (1586), 184 b. When … you are to furnish out the number, you must [etc.].
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, ii. (1887), 5. To furnish out all knowledge in the cunning, and all iudgement in the wise.
1607. Shaks., Timon, III. iv. 116. There’s not so much left to furnish out a moderate Table.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, V. v. (1647), 236. They … improved their interest with all their benefactours, to furnish out a fleet.
1662. H. More, Philos. Writ., Pref. Gen. (1712), 22. Whose great example … furnished out many undaunted Champions of the Christian Faith.
1702. Addison, Dialogues upon … Medals, i. 16. How many Heroes would Moor-fields have furnished out in days of old?
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 1, ¶ 15. He may yet have enough to furnish out an essay.
1847. L. Hunt, Men, Women, & B., I. xiv. 268. Modern customs and manners too often leave to the imagination the task of furnishing out the proper quantity of beauty, where it might have existed in perfection.
† c. Furnish up. (a) To supply the necessary material for, make up, bring into a complete form. (b) To fit up with proper equipment. Obs.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 9. Here was stuf gud plente to furnish up a trim tragedi.
1593. Abp. Bancroft, Daung. Posit., III. 111. Before a Nationall Synode be celebrated, let it be called three monethes afore, that they may prepare and furnish vp those thinges, that belong vnto it.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 26 a. Withal dilligence and warinesse he furnished vp his Nauy to the sea.
1785. Crabbe, Newspaper, 221. As many rows, as furnish up a sheet.
