Obs. Forms: 1 hwearflan, hweorfan, hwierfan, hwerfan, hwyrfan, 2 hwærfan, 3 whærfen, whæruen, weruen, hwarefen, warfen, (Orm.) wharrfenn. [Three (for the most part) synonymous vbs. existed in OE.: (1) hweorfan = OFris. hwerva to turn, OS. hwerƀan to turn, change (MLG. werven to be active or busy, gain, obtain), OHG. hwerban, hwerfan (MHG. werben, werfen) to be active, turn, return, set or be in motion, ON. hverfa to turn, return, disappear, Goth. hwairban to go; (2) hwearfian = OS. hwarƀôn, OHG. warbôn, warpôn to wander, proceed, ON. hvarfa to turn round, wander, Goth. hwarbôn; (3) hwierfan, hwirfan, etc. = OS. gihwerƀian to turn, change, OHG. hwarban, hwerban (MHG. werben) to turn, roll, return, giwerben to turn, divert, ON. hverfa to cause to turn: all f. χwerƀ-: χwarƀ- to turn (cf. prec. and WHARF sbs.1 and 2).]
1. trans. To change, turn. Cf. BLINDWHARVED.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxxvi. 256. He hwierfde his stemne nalles his mod.
c. 1200. Ormin, 13289. & forrþi wass he wurrþ þatt Crist Hiss name himm shollde wharrfenn. Ibid., 14137. Forr þatt he wollde … þurth þe ȝife off Haliȝ Gast Uss wharrfenn all fra sinne.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 173. Gief hie wunienge hwarefeð, hie turneð fram iuele to werse.
c. 1205. Lay., 6319. Alfred … whærfde hire nome on his dæȝe and cleopede heo Mærcene laȝe. Ibid., 30738. Wið him warfte Brien al his iweden.
[13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2220 He rusched on þat rurde,… & wyth quettyng a-wharf, er he wolde lyȝt.]
2. intr. To turn, revolve.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxix. § 3. Þære eaxe þe eall þes rodor on hwerfð.
c. 1200. Ormin, 3641. Al þiss middellærdess þing Aȝȝ turrneþþ her & wharrfeþþ … swa summ þe wheol.
3. To roam, wander.
c. 890. Wærferth, trans. Gregory’s Dial. IV. lix. (1900), 347. Swa oft swa he wæs hwearfiende mid þam ilcan scipe.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 87. He wandrede wide weruende longe sechende him.
c. 1205. Lay., 31680. Eiðer freten oðer, swa hund deð his broðer, and leten heore whelpes whæruen heom bi-sides elc oðer quelle.
4. To proceed, turn out, happen.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., iv. Ʒif seo wyrd swa hweorfan mot on yfelra manna ʓewill.
c. 1200. Ormin, 8420. Swa shall itt tanne wharrfenn Bitwenenn Cristess hallȝhe þeod & deofless laþe genge.
Hence † Wharfed (wherrfedd, warrfedd) ppl. a., perverse; whence ǁ Wharfedlaik, perversity, error.
c. 1200. Ormin, 9721. Forrþi þatt wherrfedd follc hemm hallt Forr gode & forr rihhtwise. Ibid., 9825. & tatt wass mikell wherrfeddleȝȝc Þatt dide hemm swa to wenenn.
