Forms: 4–6 feruente, vervente, (5 ferfent, furvaunte, 6 farvente, fervant), 4– fervent. [a. F. fervent, ad. L. fervent-em, fervens, pr. pple. of fervēre to boil, glow.]
1. Hot, burning, glowing, boiling.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3871. Flawmes feruent as fyre.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 311. In þis caas we mowen use hoot fervent oile.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), p. lxix.
| We sit in shadowe, the sunne is not fervent, | |
| Call for it after, then shall I be content. |
1572. J. Jones, Bathes of Bath, II. 10. Actuall fyre, working upon the water itself cannot put into it a greater degree of heat, then the degree of fervent heate.
1611. Bible, 2 Pet. iii. 10. The Elements shall melt with feruent heat.
1704. J. Pitts, Acc. Mohometans, 56. I have seen many in the Country, to work all Day very hard, in the most fervent Harvest-time.
1849. Mrs. Somerville, Connect. Phys. Sc., xxvii. 300. The short but fervent summers at the polar regions.
1874. S. Cox, Pilgr. Ps. vii. 147. A fervent waste in which it is lost.
fig. 1529. More, Dyaloge, I. Wks. 118/2. Let them all … lerne that god deliteth to se the feruent hete of ye hartis deuocion boile out by ye body.
† b. In mediæval pharmacy, of drugs: = HOT.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. lxxvii. (1495), 908. Some thynges that drawyth laxeth also and be feruent as Scamonea.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. xxx. 187. The common Camomill … is not so fervent as the Romaine Camomill, but more pleasant.
† c. Of cold: Intense, severe. Obs.
1448. F. Fox, Chron. (Camden), 116. Hit was a fervent coolde weder.
1473. Warkw., Chron. (Camden), 3. Ther was one fervent froste thrugh Englande.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 337.
| The fervent frost so bitter wes and bald, | |
| Into the tyme with sic acces of cald. |
1634. Harington, Salernes Regim., 182. A fervent cold Countrey.
2. Of persons, their passions, dispositions, or actions: Ardent, intensely earnest. From 17th c. almost exclusively with reference to love or hatred, zeal, devotion or aspiration.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2154.
| Than was Priam … | |
| More feruent to fight. |
14[?]. Why I Can’t be a Nun, 7, in E. E. P. (1862), 138.
| For they were as ferfent as ony fyre | |
| To execute her lordys byddyng. |
1534. Tindale, 1 Pet. iv. 8. Butt above all thinges have fervent love a monge you. For love covereth the multitude of sinnes.
1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 25 b. We of this Church who haue bene feruenter xxx. yeares ago than we be at this day, cannot excuse ourselues in this behalfe before the maiesty of God.
1591. Spenser, Gnat, 296.
| He spide his foe with felonous intent, | |
| And feruent eyes to his destruction bent. |
1673. Lady’s Call., II. § 1 ¶ 23. 65. By the ferventest praiers implore … God.
1738. Wesley, Ps. xiii. 8.
| Thou wilt, Thou wilt! my Hope returns: | |
| A sudden Sp’rit of Faith I feel, | |
| My Heart in fervent Wishes burns, | |
| And GOD shall there for ever dwell. |
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 215. If he can support the trouble, the pain, and the damage cheerfully, it proves the glow of his kindness the ferventer, and consequently heightens the obligation and the endearment to such as are sensible what it is that supports him.
1856. Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, I. 944.
| Many fervent souls | |
| Strike rhyme on rhyme, who would strike steel on steel | |
| If steel had offered, in a restless heat | |
| Of doing something. |
b. Of conflict, uproar, formerly also of pestilence, a wild beast, etc.: Hot, fierce, raging. Now rare.
1465. Marg. Paston, in Lett., No. 523, II. 226. The pestylens is so fervent in Norwych that [etc.].
1494. Fabyan, Chron., IV. lxvii. 46. Whiche persecucion … was so sharpe & feruent, that [etc.].
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 139. When the battel is hottest, and in all places most fierce and fervent.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 543. There appeared unto them a Boar of a monstrous shape, wonderfull fat, with horrible hair, a skin set with standing bristles, rough upon the back, and his mouth continually foaming out abundance of froath, and the sound of his gnashing teeth ringing like the ratling of armor; having fire-burning eyes, a despiteful look, a violent force, and every way fervent.
1814. Wordsw., White Doe of Ryl., I. 43.
| A moment ends the fervent din, | |
| And all is hushed, without and within. |
