Forms; 1 furðra (Northumb. forðora), 2 furþur, 4–5 furþer(e, 3–7 forþer(e, -ther, Orm. forrtherr, (5 forthre), 6–7 furder, 4–7 forder, 6 forthir, 6– further. See also FARTHER. [OE. furðra = OFris. fordera, OS. forthoro (MLG. vordere), OHG. ford(e)ro, fordaro, fordoro (MHG. vordere, mod.G. vorder):—OTeut. *furþeron- wk., f. *furþero- str. (the acc. neut. of which appears in FURTHER adv.):—pre-Teut. pṛ-tero-, f. root of FORE adv. + comparative suffix as in af-ter, o-ther.
On this assumption the Eng. further adj. and adv. have nothing but their ultimate root in common with the Goth. faurþis adv.:—OTeut. *furþ-iz or *furþ-joz, f. the stem of FORTH + comparative suffix = -ER3. A different hypothesis (Kluge in Paul’s Grdr., ed. 2, I. 483) is that further and its cognates are f. the stem of FORTH + compar. suffix (not -izon- but) -eron-, -uron-, as in inner, outer (see -ER3 A. 2). The OHG. furdir adv. is explained by Kluge as repr. a locative *furþirî.]
† 1. That is before another in position, order, or rank; esp. of an animal’s limbs or a part of the body: Front. Obs. (Cf. FARTHER B. 1.)
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., John xiii. 16. Soþlice ic eow secȝe nys se ðeowa furðra þonne his hlaford.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 28169. He was for-þer mar þen j.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 187. A wounde receyved in þe furþer partie of his body [in anteriori parte corporis].
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 113. Brood twoward þe forþere side of þe heed & scharpere twoward þe hyndere syde.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, E ij b. The ij. forther legges the hede layde by twene.
1539. Invent. R. Wardrobe (1815), 36. Lynit the forthir quarteris with blak taffiteis.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 134. Gif ane horse slayes ane man passand before him, with his forther feete.
† b. With reference to time: Former. Also in comb. furthur-ealdefader (cf. L. proavus): great grandfather. Obs.
1155. Proc. Henry II., in Anglia, VII. 220. Þæt hi beon ælc þare lande wurþa þe hi eafdon in Edwardes kinges deȝe & on Willelmes kinges mines furþur ealdefader.
1557. N. T. (Genev.), Jas. v. 7. Beholde the housband man wayteth for the precious frute of the earth, and hath long patience there vpon, vntyl he receaue the forther and the latter rayne.
1561. Christ. Hindall, Depos., in Bp. Chester Eccl. Crt., 1561–6, lf. 10 b. Mr. Holden did knowe of his forther wief beynge on lyve.
1562. Child Marriages, etc. (1897), 192. She was temptid by daily sute of the said Dilon, & did forget her forther promesse.
2. More extended, going beyond what already exists or has been dealt with; additional, more. † Further age: advanced age. † Further way: a further-continued road. (Cf. FARTHER B. 2.)
a. 1300. Cursor M., 10327. Child to gett, Bituix and þair forþer eild.
1495. in Yorksh. Archæol. Soc. (Record Ser. 1895), XVII. 127. Oure forthre pleasir in that behalf.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 50 b. For a forther knowledge of this tree, you must vnderstande that [etc.].
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., xxiii. 58. Without any further delay, the King sent them away.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., Forme of Proces, 22. He … judicially renunces all forder probation.
1634. W. Tirwhyt, trans. Letters of Mounsieur de Balzac, 44. Without further ambiguitie.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 174.
| Now to the ascent of that steep savage hill | |
| Satan had journeyed on, pensive and slow, | |
| But further way found none. |
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 65, 15 May, ¶ 2. Without further Preface, I am going to look into some of our most applauded Plays, and see whether they deserve the figure they at present bear in the imaginations of men or not.
1794. Paley, Evid. (ed. 2), I. v. 97. We find … two of them … seized … and threatened with further punishment.
1838. De Morgan, Ess. Probab., 201. I now proceed to some further instances.
1861. Buckle, Civiliz., II. iv. 315. This was a further stimulus to Scotch industry.
3. More distant, remoter, esp. the remoter of two. Of a horse: The off (side). (Cf. FARTHER B. 3.)
1578. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 396. One grey trotting curtoll mare, crapped on the further yeare.
1611. Bible, 2 Esdras xiii. 41. They would leaue the multitude of the heathen, and goe foorth into a further countrey, where neuer mankind dwelt.
1669. A. Browne, Ars Pictoria, 90. Work your further Mountains so that they should seem to be lost in the Air.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. iii. 58. With kicks and bangs he ply’d The further and the nearer side [of a horse].
1821. Joanna Baillie, Metr. Leg., Wallace, lvi. In the further rear.
1869. Tennyson, Coming of Arthur, 396. Not ever to be question’d any more Save on the further side.
† 4. absol. Further of the day: a later hour.
1546. Langley, Pol. Verg. De Invent., ix. 113 b. Fyrst at mydnight … the seconde in the mornyng … the thyrd at further of the day.
