Not now in decent use. Also 3 verte-n, 4 farten, 5 farton, 6 farte. [Common Teut. and Indo-germanic: OE. *feortan = OHG. ferzan (MHG. verzen, and with ablaut variants vurzen, varzen, mod.G. farzen), ON. freta:—OTeut. *fertan:—OAryan *perd- (Skr. pard, pṛd, Gr. πέρδειν, Lith. pérdzu, Russ. пердеть; the L. pēdĕre is unconnected).]

1

  1.  intr. To break wind (see BREAK v. 47).

2

c. 1250.  Cuckoo Song.

        Bulluc sterteþ,
bucke uerteþ.

3

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Miller’s T., 152.

        But, sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous
Of fartyng, and of speche daungerous.

4

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 150. Farton, pedo.

5

c. 1532.  Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr. 941/1. To farte or to burste, crepiter.

6

1610.  B. Jonson, Alch., I. i. 1. Subtle. Thy worst. I FART at thee.

7

1740.  Gray, Lett., Wks. 1884, II. 59–60. How he lights among a certain fat nation, called Clouds: how they are always in a sweat, and never speak, but they f—t; how they flock about him, and think him very odd for not doing so too.

8

  fig. [after L. oppedere.]

9

1580.  Baret, Alv., F 149. To fart against one: and Metaphoricè, To denie with a lowd voice, oppedere.

10

1671.  H. M., trans. Erasm. Colloq., 503. I cannot sufficiently admire, that there are not some men who fart against those men.

11

  2.  trans. To send forth as wind from the anus.

12

1632.  Massinger, Maid of Hon., IV. iv. Tho’ the devil fart fire, have at him!

13

1710.  Brit. Apollo, III. 3/1. What is meant, when we say, a Man Farts Frankinsence.

14

  Hence Farted ppl. a. Farter, one who breaks wind. Farting vbl. sb., in quot. used attrib. Farting ppl. a.

15

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 150. Fartare. Ibid., Fartynge, peditura, bombizacio.

16

1580.  Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Cest vn gros … vesseur, a great farter.

17

1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 35. The same starching [brothell] houses (I had almost said farting houses) do serue the turn.

18

1648.  Herrick, Hesper., I. 216.

        Nor think these ages that do hoarsely sing
The farting tanner and familiar king.

19

1653.  Urquhart, Rabelais (1694), II. xxvii. 166. Are your Farts so fertil?… here be brave farted Men.

20

1660.  Howell, Lex. Tetraglot., A Farter; Peteur.

21

1664.  Cotton, Scarron., Poet. Wks. (1765), 9.

        He was, in fine, the loud’st of Farters;
Yet could command his hinder Quarters.

22