Forms: 3–6 ferder, ferdre, 4 ferþer(e, 4–6 ferthere, 4–8 farder, 5– farther. [ME. ferþer (whence by normal phonetic development farther) is in origin a mere variant of FURTHER, due prob. to the analogy of the vb. ferþren:—OE. fyrðrian to FURTHER. The primary sense of further, farther is ‘more forward, more onward’; but this sense is practically coincident with that of the comparative degree of far, where the latter word refers to real or attributed motion in some particular direction. Hence further, farther came to be used as the comparative of far; first in the special application just mentioned, and ultimately in all senses, displacing the regular comparative farrer. In standard Eng. the form farther is usually preferred where the word is intended to be the comparative of far, while further is used where the notion of far is altogether absent; there is a large intermediate class of instances in which the choice between the two forms is arbitrary.]
A. adv.
1. More forward; to or at a more advanced point.
a. in space, or in a course of procedure or development.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6831 (Gött.). Help him or þu ferþer wend.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 1491. He no may ferþer far.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IV. iii. (1495), 81. The kynde dryenesse of the erthe suffryth not the fletynge reeses of the see passe ferder.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 11748.
| Thou art no farder, in faith, thy fame for to lose, | |
| Þan I my lyffe were leuer leue in þe plase. |
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 276. We may no farther walk ne wake.
1508. Fisher, Wks. (1876), I. 281. And or or we procede ony ferder of our psalme let vs here deuoutly and affectually saye for his soule and all crysten soules euery of vs one paternoster.
1548. Hall, Chron., 161 b. The capitaines folowed no farther the chace.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle, II. 845.
| The foole | |
| Was never farther then the grammer schoole. |
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, i. (1723), 5. Having little Prospect of an Opportunity of carrying on these Observations any farther.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 130. I shall run no farther into this Argument.
1883. Ht. Martineau, Charmed Sea, i. 5. If you can bear your load no farther, say so.
1876. Gladstone, Homeric Synchr., 12. I wish now to carry the affirmative portion of my propositions greatly farther.
b. in time: Longer.
1548. Forrest, Pleas. Poesye, 26. As Ferdre in reigne grue their contynuance.
1640–1. Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 42. Until the next Committie day, and farder during thair plessor.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 120, 18 July, ¶ 5. Some Creatures cast their Eggs as Chance directs them, and think of them no farther.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. vii. 45. Then we need argue no farther.
c. Farther gone: at a more advanced stage.
1708. Swift, Sacramental Test, Wks. 1824, VIII. 355. The Observator is … farther gone of late in lyes than his Presbyterian brother.
2. To a greater extent, more completely.
1513. More, in Grafton, Chron., II. 774. Yet feare I no farther then the law feareth.
1585. James I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 21. Not doubting … but you will accept my … trauellis in good parte, (sen I requyre no farder).
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 33.
| Sit downe | |
| For thou must now know farther. |
1789. Bentham, Princ. Legisl., xvii. § 7. Punishment cannot act any farther than in as far as the idea of it … is present in the mind.
3. In addition, also, besides, moreover.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 345. Se we ferõer hou õis stiward may erre in ordenaunce of the Chirche.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xxviii. (1483), 75. But an aungel knoweth al thing in contrary wyse, for he knoweth al thynge only in the Maker, therfor there is nought ferther to seken by discours.
1486. Certificate, in Surtees Misc. (1890), 46. And ferder entenditte to examyne in that behalve.
1562. Winȝet, Cert. Tractates, i. Wks. 1888, I. 13. Farder, sen all man hes this word reformatioun in mothe, wissing to reforme vtheris,—that al man haue iuste occasioun also to reforme ane, that is him self—we maist humelie and ernestlie beseikis thy Maiestie.
1652. Milton, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 99. And have this farder, which I thought my parte to let you know of, that [etc.].
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. i. 2. Nay farther, the common Motive of foreign Adventures was taken away.
1794. Fletcher’s Wks., VII. Pref., 6. The Reader is farther requested, to remember that [etc.].
4. To or at a greater distance; by a greater interval. To wish (any one) farther.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II 107. Ech man shulde sue him or ferþere or nerþere.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., IV. xvii. 280. It is ferder from the lyght more than eny of the other [colours] be.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. lii. 76. The leaves be … standing farder asunder one from another.
1586. Cogan, Haven Health, cxxxiii. (1636), 135. For this rule is generall, that flesh of a drie complexion, is better neere calving time than farder from it.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. Wakef., xiv. (1806), 71. He could hop on one leg farther than I.
1782. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, 12 Aug. Miss Plauta … only wished the maid farther for never finding us out till we began to be comfortable without her.
1821. Keats, Isabella, iii.
| He knew whose gentle hand was at the latch, | |
| Before the door had given her to his eyes; | |
| And from her chamber-window he would catch | |
| Her beauty farther than the falcon spies. |
1847. Halliwell, s.v. I’ll be farther if I do it, i. e. I won’t do it.
1876. J. Parker, Paracl., I. vii. 106. Can anything be farther from theology, as popularly understood, than stone-cutting or wood-carving?
5. Comb., as farther-spreading adj.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., IV. liii. 90. The expression of something stronger, with deeper, farther-spreading roots, knit into the foundations of sacredness for all men.
B. adj.
† 1. Prior, anterior; front; = FURTHER a. 1. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. ii. (1495), 104. Kynde settith in the eyen in the ferder and the ouer partie of the beest.
1534. Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, I. (1540), 16. Where as there be two maners of contencions … the ferther is appropried unto man, the seconde unto wylde beestes. Ibid., III. 117. Of the two farther maners Panecius did declare in thre bookes. Of the thyrde maner he wrote [etc.].
2. More extended, going beyond what already exists or has been dealt with, additional, more.
c. 1520. Sir W. Godolphin, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., III. II. 218. I coud not macke no fferder serche.
1548. Hall, Chron., 117 b. Avoydyng farther effusion of christen bloud.
1641. Hinde, J. Bruen, xlvi. 146. To give a taste of some for the clearing of this point, and the farther satisfaction of such as delight therein, I think it very meet and convenient at this present.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, Apol. There is one farther Objection made by those who have answered this Book, as well as by some others, that Peter is frequently made to repeat Oaths and Curses.
1768. Goldsm., Good-n. Man, IV. i. For fear he should ask farther questions.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. 209. The king took no farther notice of what had happened.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xii. Down he sat without farther bidding.
3. More distant, remoter.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 332. The farther syde of London.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., 83. The Hierocæsarienses fetchte their matter from a farther beginning.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., III. xxxiv. 207. By the sense of their force, to hinder them from a farther prospect.
1675. Ashmole, Diary (1774), 348. Great pain in my farther tooth, on the left side of my upper jaw.
1743. Pope, Thebais, 420.
| Whose ghost yet shivering on Cocytus’ sand, | |
| Expects its passage to the farther strand. |
1754. Sherlock, Disc. (1759), I. xiv. 367. These Gifts were subservient to a farther End, and that Christian Faith does not terminate here.
