a. Obs. Forms: 1 earfeðe, -oðe, 2 erfeð, ærveð, 2–3 erveð, arveð, 3 (Orm.) arrfeþþ, earfð. [OE. earfeðe, earfoðe, cogn. w. ON. erfiðr; cf. OE. earfeðe sb. n., cogn. w. ON. erfiði, erviði, OS. arƀêdi n., arƀêd f., OFris. arbeid, OHG. arabeit, mod.G. arbeit labor, toil, Goth. arbaiþs.] Difficult, hard.

1

c. 885.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxix. § 4. Spræce … ða earfoþestan to ʓereccenne.

2

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Man. Astron., 19. Ne nære na ælmihtiʓ, ʓyf him æniʓ ʓefadung earfoðe wære.

3

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 231. His folc was swiðe ærfeð-telle.

4

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 185. Þat fiht was and is arueð to þolien.

5

c. 1200.  Ormin, 17334. Forrþi wass himm full arrfeþþ ȝet To sen whatt gate he mihhte Ben borenn efft off Haliȝ Gast.

6

c. 1220.  Leg. St. Kath., 999. Earfð to don.

7

c. 1230.  Ancr. R., 254. An honful ȝerden beoð erueð forte breken.

8