Obs. Forms: 1 frǫmweard (adj.), 3 frommard, south. vrommard, 3–4 framward, 4–6 fromwarde, 3– fromward. [f. FROM + -WARD.]
A. adj. = Turned from or away. (See also B. 1 attrib.)
1. Departing, about to depart. (Only OE.)
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xi. § 2. Ælc þara þe þas woruld ȝesælþa hæfþ oþer tweȝa oþþe he wat þæt he him fromwearde beoþ oððe he hit nat.
c. 1000. Seafarer, 71. Adl oþþe yldo oþþe ecȝhete fæȝum fromweardum feorh oðþringeð.
2. Froward.
c. 1275. A Luue Ron, 41, in O. E. Misc., 94.
| Þeo luue þat ne may her abyde … | |
| hit is fals and mereuh and frouh | |
| And fromward in vychon tide. |
1576. Peterson, trans. Della Casa’s Galateo, 25. I call them Fromward people, which will in all things be ouertwart to other men.
B. adv.
1. In a direction which leads from, or is turned from, a given place or object.
a. 1547. Surrey, Ps. lv. 1. Give ear to my suit, Lord! fromward hide not thy face.
1552. Huloet, s.v. Becke … Wyth a becke fromwarde or to warde.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iv. 354. They from-ward turn.
1711. Lond. Gaz., No. 4917/4. The forepart of his Mane longest, the one part being short, lies toward, the other fromward.
attrib. 1645. Wither, Vox Pacif., 41.
| Who can unite again a Broken-bone, | |
| Whose parted ends, are set the fromward way? |
2. Of time: Onward from a given date.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xviii. 197. And fro thens fromward, thei ben alle obeyssant to him.
3. fig. In a different or diverse way, contrarily.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 134. Heo makieð frommard hore nest—softe wiðuten, & þorni wiðinnen. Ibid., 248. Lo! nu, hu urommard beoð þe ontfule to ure Louerd!
C. prep.
1. In a direction which leads from or is turned from (an object), away from.
c. 1205. Lay., 1899. Geomagog … þudde Corineum frommard [1275 framward] his breoste.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 112. Þe hole half & te cwike dole drowen þet vuele blod ut frommard þe unhole.
c. 1300. Beket, 886. And kniȝtes that were ek with him al framward him drowe.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIV. ii. (Tollem. MS.). Mounteynes ben … rered fromwarde þe erþe towarde þe heuen.
1493. Festivall (W. de W., 1515), 50 b. All his steppes towarde and fromwarde the holy churche.
1551. Recorde, Cast. Knowl. (1556), 93. You may gether that Peru & Calecut be in 2 contrarye coastes of the earthe, and therfore seeme to go wyth their feet the one against the other, and their heddes the one fromwarde the other, whiche sorte of people therefore are called of the Greeks and Latines also αντίῶοδεσ, Antipodes, as you myght say Counterfooted, or Counterpasers.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 127. As cheerefully going towards, as Pyrocles went frowardly fromward his death.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., I. vi. 23. When the Endeavour is fromward something, it is generally called AVERSION.
1673. Phil. Trans., VIII. 5194. Shooting it self forth into several points or stiriæ … from-ward its Center.
1713. Derham, Phys. Theol., IV. xii. 221, note. The Feathers being placed fromward the Head toward the Tail, in close and neat Order.
b. with tmesis, from … ward.
1565–73. Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Auersus, Auersis … cornibus,… with the corners from the sunne warde.
1603. J. Davies, Microcosmos (Grosart), I. 22/2.
| For as, when in the Morne, Sol farre-off shines, | |
| Yet cheeres vs with approaching hetherward | |
| (But makes vs heavie going from-vs-ward) | |
| So Wales will much reioice, when thy sweete face | |
| Doth (though farre off) with favour her regard. |
1633. T. James, Voy., 13. The Ice had broken from the Ship-ward.
1703. T. N., City & C. Purchaser, 29. Batter. A term used by Workmen, to signifie that a Wall, a piece of Timber, or the like, doth not stand up right, but leans from-you-ward, when you stand before it.
2. Contrary to, different from.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 100. Hercneð nu … al an oþer speche, & frommard tisse vorme.
So Fromwards adv. and prep.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 142. Gif hunta ȝebite mannan, sleah þry scearpan neah fromweardes.
1634–5. Brereton, Trav. (1844), 109. Those are also called to account that are met walking fromwards the Church.
1664. Relat. Proc. at Hertford Assize, Aug., 7. With his face from-wards the place where they usually met.
1674. N. Fairfax, A Treatise of the Bulk and Selvedge of the World, 119. A pend or earnest strift fromwards, which we call springsomness or bearing.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., V. i. 316. Towards or fromwards the Zenith.
1855. Morton, Cycl. Agric., II. 723. Fromward (West Eng.), land is ploughed ‘framwards’ when the horses are turning to the right.
1880. Jefferies, Gt. Estate, 159. The carters … saying ‘toward’ for anything near or leaning towards you, and ‘vrammards’ for the reverse.
