† Afear, afere, afeir adv. and conj.

prop. phr. Obs. or dial. [A prep.¹ in + FEAR.] A. adv. In fear.

1

c. 1386. Chaucer, Monkes T., 190. Ever he is afere To doon amys.

2

1460. Pol. Rel. & Love Poems (1866), 60. I am defied and putte a-ferre.

3

B. conj. For fear, lest. (Still used in Scotl.)

4

1552. Lyndesay, Pagyngo (1866), 232. Afeir that he be nocht offendit.

5