Far adv. World English Historical Dictionary

Far adv. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1901, rev. 2022. Far adv. Forms: 1–4 feor(r, (3 south. veor), 2–3 (9. dial.) fur, 3–6 for, (3 forre), 2–6 fer(r(e, 3–4 south. ver(re, (2 fir, 3 fear, feȝer, feir, 4 fere, 5 feer), 3–7 farr(e, (4–7 fare), 3– far. Compar. 1 fier(r, fyr(r, 2, 4 fir, 3–4 (9 dial.) fur, 4–5 furre, fyrre, 7 furr, 5 far, 2–6 ferrer, (4–6 ferrere), 2–3 ferror, 4–7 farrer, 5–6 farrar. Superl. 1 fyrrest, 3–5 ferrest, 3–6 farrest, (4 furrest, 7 farst). [OE. feor(r corresponds to OFris. fir, OS. fer (Du. ver), OHG. fer. ON. fiarre, Goth. fairra:—OTeut. *ferr- (the OTeut. form of the suffix is not determinable with certainty; a distinct but synonymous type appears in OS. and OHG. ferro, MHG. verre), f. OTeut. root fer- :—OAryan per-, whence Gr. πέρᾱν, Skr. paras, beyond.

1   The forms with final -e in 13–14th c. belong etymologically to the derivative FERREN; subserviently the monosyllabic ferre, farre, is a mere variant spelling of fer, far. The OE. comparative fierr, fyrr (:-*ferriz began in 12th c. to give place to a new formation on the positive, ferrer, -or; this survived till the 17th c. in the form farrer; after that period the comparative and superlative remained only in dialects, being superseded in educated use by farther, farthest: see FARTHER.]

2   1.  At a great distance, a long way off. Const. from, (colloq.) off. Also with advbs. away, off, out.

3   a.  in space.

4 c. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., I. i. § 3. We witan heonan noht feor oþer ealond.

5 c. 1025.  Interl. v. Rule St. Benet, I. 85. Þa eallunga feor synd on ȝeswince.

6 c. 1205.  Lay., 543.        Achalon heihte an flum Þe nes noht feor from heom.

7 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4933 (Cott.).        ‘Theues,’ coth ioseph, ‘of a cuntre þat heþen es far.’

8 c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 7650. And ilk planete es ferrer þan other fra us.

9 c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 184. Sum ferrer and sum nerrer.

10 c. 1420.  Sir Amadace (Camd.), xvi.        Tille a marchand of this citè, Was fer oute in a-nothir cuntre.

11 c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 156. Fer, or fer a-way, procul.

12 c. 1485.  Digby Myst. (1882), IV. 112. I was not farre hence.

13 1490.  Caxton, Eneydos, x. 40. Whiche caused grete fere & drede vnto the countreys nygh neyghbours, & also ferre of.

14 1549.  Compl. Scot., vi. 80. He vil see ane schip farrar on the seye.

15 1550.  Crowley, Epigr., 211.        By a Spittlehouse, no farre from   where his dwelling was.

16 1647.  H. More, Song of Soul, II. ii. II. iii.          The host of heaven alwayes would idle stand In our conceit, nor could the Sun revive The nether world, nor do his Lords command: Things near seem further off; farst off, the nearst at hand.

17 1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 17.        The painted Lizard, and the Birds of Prey, Foes of the frugal Kind, be far away.

18 1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 63, 12 May, ¶ 7. Not far from these was another set of merry people engaged in a diversion, in which the whole jest was to mistake one person for another.

19 1808.  Scott, Marmion, II. i.        It curled not Tweed alone, that breeze, For, far upon Northumbrian seas,   It freshly blew and strong.

20 1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 10, Charmides. Those who are just entering are the advanced guard of the great beauty of the day, and he is likely to be not far off himself.

21 1879.  J. Burroughs, Locusts and Wild Honey (1884), 263. The Green Mountains, the main range of which is seen careering along the horizon far to the southwest.

22   b.  Far and near or nigh: in every part, everywhere. Far or near: anywhere. Far nor near: nowhere.

23 a. 1000.  Crist, 390 (Gr.). Feor and neah.

24 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 137. To … beon iwurðegede fir and neor.

25 a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 921. East and west, feor and neor.

26 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 17288 + 213 (Cott.). Marie … loked farre & neghe.

27 c. 1430.  Hymns Virg. (1867), 107.        Þere is no man feer ne neer Þat may him sillfe saue vnschent.

28 1587.  Turberv., Trag. T. (1837), 96. The brute was blowne abrode both farre and nye.

29 [1629.  (see 5).]

30 1631.  Gouge, God’s Arrows, iii. § 67. 305. Memorable matters, worthy to be knowne farre and neare, in ages present and to come, are divulged and propagated, to the greater praise of God.

31 1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 295. I … have sought thee farr and nigh.

32 1694.  R. L’Estrange, Æsop’s Fables, clvi. I have been Hunting up and down far and near, since your Unhappy Indisposition, to find out a Remedy for ye.

33 1797.  Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, xiii. But I could see nothing of them far or near.

34   c.  in past time. Cf. FAR-OFF.

35 1362.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 226.        And in a freres frokke he was yfounde ones, Ac it is ferre agoo in seynt Fraunceys tyme.

36 1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 442. Farre then Deucalion off.

37   d.  fig. with reference to unlikeness, alienation of feeling, etc. Often elliptically in phrase (So) far from —ing (used when something is denied and something opposite asserted). Also interjectionally, Far from it.

38 1534.  Whittington, trans. Tullyes Offices, I. C v. This maner is as ferre distaunt from offyce … that [etc.].

39 1611.  Bible, Ps. lxxiii. 27. They that are farre from thee, shall perish.

40 1648.  Boyle, Seraph. Love, xix. (1700), 116. God’s love is so far from resembling the usual sort of Friends, who, when they have accompanied us to the Grave, do there leave us.

41 a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies, I. 150. See the laziness of posterity, so far from imitating the industry of their ancestors, that they belibell the pure effects of their pains as hellish atchivements.

42 1840.  De Quincey, Essenes, III. Wks. 1890, VII. 166. So far, therefore, from shocking his [the Jew’s] prejudices by violent alterations of form, and of outward symbol, not essential to the truth symbolized, the error of the early Christians would lie the other way.

43 1873.  Black, Pr. Thule, xiv. 221. Whatever these two ladies may have thought, they were very obviously intrested; and if they were amused, it was in a far from unfriendly fashion.

44 1874.  G. W. Dasent, Tales from Fjeld, 128. He was not far off losing both wit and sense. Ibid., 154. He was not far off being half-dead of thirst.

45 1882.  Wicksteed, trans. Kueuen’s Hibbert Lect., III. 127. The truly religious tone … not unmixed, indeed, far from it, but unmistakable.

46   e.  Phrases. Far be it from (me, etc.): a form of deprecation = ‘God foibid that (I, etc.).’ I’ll be far (enough) if, etc.: a strong negation or refusal (vulgar). Far to † find, seek: (a) hard to discover, out of the way; (b) of persons: at a loss.

47 1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xliv. 17. Josephe answerde, Fer be it fro me, that Y thus do.

48 1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XI. 77. Beþ þre fayre vertues · and beeþ nauht ferr to fynde.

49 1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 163. Bee it farre from me to vtter any such speache.

50 1667.  Earl of Cardigan, in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 9. Farre be it from me … to enter into dispute with your Lordship.

51 1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 168, 6 May, ¶ 4. Far be it that I should attempt to lessen the Acceptance which Men of this Character meet within the World.

52 1752.  Foote, Taste, II., Wks. 1799, i. 23. I’ll be fur enough if it en’t a May-game.

53 1836.  J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., viii. (1852), 225. Far, infinitely far, be such imputation from our thoughts.

54 1874.  Gladstone, Ritualism and Ritual, in The Contemporary Review, XXIV. Oct., 667. The force of the general proposition, which is that as a people we are, in the business of combining beauty with utility, singularly uninstructed, unaccomplished, maladroit, unhandy. If instances must be cited, they are not far to seek.

55 1879.  Geo. Eliot, Theophrastus Such, xvi. 285. Many minds, dizzy with indigestion of recent science and philosophy, are far to seek for the grounds of social duty.

56 1888.  Sheffield Gloss., s.v. ‘I’ll be far if I do’ means ‘I will not.’

57   2.  To a great distance; to a remote place.

58 c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, ix. 22. Tohwon dryhten ȝewite ðu feor.

59 c. 1205.  Lay., 1720. He ferde to feor ut from his iueren.

60 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2616. Wilt ðu, leuedi, ic go fear out.

61 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 2781. To fle … fer away from þe see.

62 c. 1450.  Life of St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 2184. Farrer fra men to be remoued.

63 1601.  J. Weever, The Mirror of Martyrs, D ij.        And that I wisht the popes dominion, Might stretch no furr then Callis Ocean.

64 1610.  Shaks., Temp., II. i. 109.        My sonne is lost, and (in my rate) she too, Who is so farre from Italy remoued, I ne’re againe shall see her.

65 1667.  Milton, P. L., XI. 723.                            He ceas’d Contending, and remov’d his Tents farr off.

66 1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), IV. 329. A … habitation, from which it seldom ventures far.

67   b.  To a great distance in various directions; over a large area; widely.

68 c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues (1888), 45. Carite sprat his bowes on bræde and on lengðe swiðe ferr.

69 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 216. Þi fame shall goo fer.

70 c. 1440.  York Myst., xi. 80. So sall þe folke no farrar sprede.

71 1692.  J. Barnes, Pref. Verses, in E. Walker, Epictetus’ Mor. An Heathen, far for vertue Fam’d.

72   † c.  To cast far: to make far-reaching plans. (Cf. FAR-CASTER.) So to bethink far. Obs.

73 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8269 (Cott.). Ferr and depe he vmbi-thoght.

74 c. 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 485. Fer he [þe devell] casteþ to-forn · þe folke to destroye.

75   3.  To or at an advanced point of progress. a. in space. (Down to the 15th c. the vb. go is often omitted after will, shall, may, can, etc.)

76 a. 1300.  Fragm. Pop. Sc. (Wright), 210.        Whan the sonne hath thider i-drawe the mist thurf hire hete, Hit ne mai no fur for the colde, ac bicometh ther al to wete.

77 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 17288 + 392 (Cott.).        Iesus made hom semblant as he wald ferrer goo.

78 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 308. Ferrere mot he nouht, Scotlond forto se.

79 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Friar’s T., 89. Sayde this yiman, ‘Wiltow fer to day?’

80 c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 303. It is sett undir a mannes ers to drawe out þe emeroides þat sittiþ hed fer yn.

81 c. 1450.  Life of St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 6091. Ay þe ferrer þat he gase.

82 c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., 276. No far thou shalle.

83 1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 1. How farre purpose you to trauell this way.

84 1709.  Steele & Addison, Tatler, No. 114, 31 Dec., ¶ 1. We were now got pretty far into Westminster.

85 a. 1801.  R. Gall, The Tint Quey, Poems, 173.          But here, or we gae farer ben, Ablins it’s fitting to let ken To them wha reads, that this same Lucky Was e’en a dour an’ thrawart bucky.

86 1814.  Southey, Roderick, III. We travell’d fast and far.

87 1845.  trans. Sue’s Wandering Jew, xvii. 86. Long bamboos which are driven far into the ground.

88   b.  fig. with reference to progressive action or condition: To a great length or degree. Far gone: in an advanced stage. To go far to (produce a certain effect): to tend greatly. † To speak a person far: to go to great lengths in his praise.

89 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11011 (Gött.). Bot elizabeth was ferrer gane.

90 1360–80.  Wyclif, Tracts, xxii. (1879), 311. Þei shewen ferrere how þei ben disciplis of fals pharisees.

91 c. 1430.  Chev. Assigne, 311. I kan sey þe no furre.

92 1545.  Brinkelow, Compl., 8. This matter is so farre gone, that there is no remedy.

93 1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, Q. iij b. Least by presuming to farre, I should loose my selfe.

94 1579.  Twyne, Phisicke agst. Fortune, II. xc. 278 a. Who is so mad … vnlesse he be to farre gone, that standeth not in feare of them?

95 1579.  Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 382. Maister Heskins store is farre spent, and therefore he maketh much of the remnants.

96 1611.  Shaks., Cymb., I. i. 24. You speake him farre.

97 1668.  Hale, Pref. Rolle’s Abridgm., 3. Where the subject of any Law is single … prudence … may go far at one Essay to provide a fit law.

98 1704.  Swift, T. Tub, Apol. As Wit is the noblest and most useful Gift of human Nature, so Humour is the most agreeable; and where these two enter far into the Composition of any Work, they will render it always acceptable to the World.

99 1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 34, 28 June, ¶ 4. There’s no carrying a Metaphor too far, when a Lady’s Charms are spoke of.

100 a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. 377. To do all they could to hinder him to engage too far.

101 c. 1813.  Mrs. Sherwood, Stories Ch. Catech., iv. 19. Both … very tipsy … one … so far gone, that she could not walk straight.

102 1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), IV. 233. This was going too far, unless there were some equitable circumstances in the case.

103 1845.  M’Culloch, Taxation, II. x. (1852), 361. This high duty … went far to enable the distillers to fix the price of spirits.

104 1847.  Grote, Greece, II. xlvii. (1862), IV. 191. The Corinthians had gone too far … to admit of listening to arbitration.

105 1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 46, Lysis. You [Hippothales] are already far gone in your love.

106   c.  in time. † With genitive, Far days, nights: late in the day or night (cf. Gr. πόρρω τῆς ἡμέρας, τῆς νυκτός); in later use also far-day, -night (cf. 8 c).

107 a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 3900. Be þai had fyneschid þis fiȝt · was ferre in with euyn.

108 c. 1440.  Generydes, 64.        She seid he was welcome to that ostage, There were nomore but she and other twayn, One of them was a man right ferre in age, The toder was hyr mayden in sertayne.

109 a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 45. She happed to abide so longe on a Sonday that it was fer dayes.

110 1533.  Bellenden, Livy, I. (1822), 135. He wes waik, and fer run in yeris.

111 1561.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, K iij b. It was farre in nighte.

112 1577–87.  Holinshed, Chron., III. 1148/2. It is far nights.

113 1602.  2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., III. ii. (Arb.), 42. But the day is farre spent, M. Recorder.

114 1631.  Mabbe, Celestina, VIII. 98. O how farre daies is it?

115 1662.  J. Davies, Voy. Ambass., 278. It was far-night ere we got away, which oblig’d the English to bring us home to our Lodgings.

116 1732.  Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 26. The day being now far spent, Alciphron proposed to adjourn the Argument till the following.

117 1870.  E. Peacock, Ralf Skirl., III. 2. Far gone as the day was, Mr. Skirlaugh and Ralf at once galloped over to Brackenthwaite in the hope of finding the Lord Burworth had returned.

118 1885.  Manch. Exam., 10 Sept., 5/5. A heavy downpour which continued far into the night.

119   4.  By a great interval, widely. a. of separation in place; fig. of estrangement or alienation.

120 c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 3483. His mercy was to ferre bihynde.

121 1548.  Gest, Pr. Masse, I v a. How then can our prayers be fruyteful and effectual which he directed to the heaven Sainctes who be farrer distanted or soundred from us then eyther London or Yorke from Cambredge?

122 1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 12. These two Sees were farre asonder, that is to say, Caunterbury and Yorke.

123 1603.  Knolles, Hist. Turks, 649. Following not far after himself.

124 1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 305.        Thus, form’d for speed, he challenges the Wind; And leaves the Scythian Arrow far behind.

125 1730–46.  Thomson, Autumn, 1284.        Let some far distant from their native soil, Urg’d, or by want, or harden’d avarice, Find other lands beneath another sun.

126 1813.  Scott, Rokeby, I. xvii.        But Mortham’s lord grew far estranged From the bold heart with whom he ranged.

127   b.  qualifying adjs., advbs., or their equivalents, implying excess, defect, or variation from a standard. † In 16–17th c. often prefixed to adjs or advbs. of negative import, as in far unfit = far from fit.

128 a. 1375.  Joseph Arim., 552. Þei were weri of-fouȝten and feor ouer-charged.

129 1521.  Fisher, Wks. (1876), I. 348. This man gothe fer wyde from the streyght waye.

130 1555.  Philpot, Lett., in Coverdale, Lett. Martyrs (1564), 229. God knoweth it is written farre vneasely: I pray god you maye pyike out some vnderstanding of my minde towards you.

131 1564.  Grindal, Fun. Serm. Emp. Ferdinand, Rem. (1843), 29. In times past men made preparations afore death, but (God knoweth) far out of square.

132 1614.  R. Tailor, The Hog hath Lost His Pearl, II., in Dodsley, O. Pl. (1780), VI. 348. Hog. Then, my lord, your father is far impatient.

133 1631.  J. Weever, Ancient Funerall Monuments, 532. A match thought farre vnfit for such a man.

134 1835.  Sir J. Ross, Narr. 2nd Voy., xli. 545. It has been seen that we were often far underfed, and I have shown, what all know, how this conduces to the injurious effects of cold on the body.

135 1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 207, Euthydemus. They were not far wrong.

136   c.  of inequality or unlikeness. Often with comparatives or superlatives; sometimes more emphatically far (and) away. Also with vbs., as to differ, exceed, excel, etc. Far other: widely different. † To distinguish far: to make a wide distinction.

137 c. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. xiv. § 2. Feor on oþre wisan.

138 a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 3922.        Þ come a beste of a busche · with a blak heued, Mad & merkid as a Meere · þe mast of þe werd, Fere fersere þan an olifant.

139 1496.  Act 12 Hen. VII., c. 6. They be sold far under the Price that they be worth.

140 1545.  Joye, Exp. Dan., v. 75 a. He passed farre his grandfather in synne.

141 1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 20.        Better vnborne than vntought, I haue heard said, But ye be better fed then taught farre awaie.

142 1563.  Shute, Archit., D i a. The Antiques haue made also a base, which differeth not farre from the declaration of Vitruuius and after this facion they haue ordeined their Base ye height therof to be a Modulus.

143 1587.  Golding, De Mornay, xxiv. 373. He directeth his loue and his vehement desires to another marke, as one that behild a farre other beautie, coueted a farre other honor, and tasted a farre other pleasure than of the worlde.

144 1593.  Shaks., The Rape of Lucrece, 80.        In that high taske hath done her Beauty wrong, Which farre exceedes his barren skill to show.

145 1611.  Bible, Transl. Pref., 2. A farre most excellent weight of glory.

146 1646.  Dk. Hamilton, in H. Papers (Camden), 124. No Englishman will euer in his heart hold it a necessary condition of the peace of England that Scotland must be satisfied with it, farre leese that it be of the Scots framing.

147 1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 862.        With other echo late I taught your Shades To answer, and resound farr other Song.

148 a. 1687.  Petty, Pol. Arith., i. (1691), 26. In France … the Hugonots are … far the greatest Traders.

149 1695.  Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth (1723), 9. Of this various Matter, thus formed into Strata, the far greatest Part of the Terrestrial Globe consists.

150 1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 92, 10 Nov., ¶ 1. But with us it is far otherwise, for we reject many eminent virtues, if they are accompanied with one apparent weakness.

151 1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, II. vi. 156. You will allow it to consist with me, as a Roman, to distinguish far between a Protestant and a Pagan.

152 1743.  J. Morris, Serm., ii. 53. Paul uses this argument to prove charity far preferable.

153 1773.  Mad. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), I. 187. The delight … more far away than I have ever received.

154 1880.  T. A. Spalding, Eliz. Demonol., 22. A slight surrender of principle was a far surer road to success.

155 1883.  W. E. Norris, Thirlby Hall, xxxiv. You are far and away the greatest scoundrel I ever saw.

156 1885.  Law Reports, 29 Ch. Div. 528. The testator’s estates were … incumbered … to an amount far beyond their value.

157   † 5.  From a remote source. Obs. exc. in Comb.: see FAR-FETCHED, etc.

158 1629.  Maxwell, trans. Herodian (1635), 65. For this purpose all kinde of wilde beasts were brought farre and neere.

159 1697.  trans. C’tess D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 34. She was call’d Mira, and it is from her Name came the Mira of the Spaniards, which is to say, Look you; for as soon as ever she appear’d, all the People attentively beheld her, and cryed out, Mira, Mira, and here’s the Etymology of a Word drawn far enough.

160   6.  Preceded by as, how, so, thus, the word (like many other quantitative advbs. and adjs.) often undergoes a change of meaning, the notion of definite quantity being substituted for the primary notion of great quantity. Hence the following modifications of the preceding senses:

161   a.  To or at a definite distance.

162 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1238.        Bi al-so fer so a boȝe mai ten ðor sat his moder.

163 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 506 (Cott.). How farr es in to hell pitte.

164 1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 42, 18 April, ¶ 4. I should likewise be glad if we imitated the French in banishing from our stage the noise of drums, trumpets, and huzza’s; which is sometimes so very great, that when there is a battle in the Hay-Market theatre, one may hear it as far as Charing-Cross.

165 1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. xxvii. 215. I had not thought it possible to see so far through so dense a storm.

166   b.  Up to or at a particular point of advance.

167 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 2253 (Cott.).        Now we haue vs sped sa ferr Vr wil may he noght vs merr.

168 c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, ii. 60. Sith that it is soo ferre come that ye wyll not here vs, we shall kepe owr peas.

169 1535.  Coverdale, 1 Chron. xvii[i]. 16. Who am I? and what is my house, yt thou hast broughte me thus farre?

170 1611.  Bible, Jer. li. 64. Thus farre are the words of Ieremiah.

171 1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 105. If a Man would endeuour to raise or fall his Voice still by Half-Notes, like the Stops of a Lute; or by whole Notes alone, without Halfes; as farre as an Eight.

172 1724.  De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 172. The king was almost as far as Banbury, and there calls a council of war.

173 1833.  C. F. Crusé, Eusebius, I. v. 29. Thus far Josephus.

174 1841.  Elphinstone, Hist. Ind., I. 469. Menander … went on as far as the Isamus.

175 1855.  Thackeray, Newcomes, I. 221. She could make an ormolu bracelet go as far as another woman’s emerald clasps.

176 Mod.  So far no great harm has been done.

177   c.  To a certain extent or degree.

178 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16386 (Cott.). Sacles es he sa feir se sum i can.

179 c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 2209.        Hated bothe of olde and yong. As fer as Gaweyn the worthy, Was preised for his curtesie.

180 1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 1. As fer as my wrecchednes wold suffyse.

181 1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 116. The bay [horse] is most of price as farre as I see at this daye.

182 1579.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 191. For thou … wilt not permit any (as farre as in thee lyeth) to be well employed.

183 1601.  J. Manningham, in Shaks. C. Praise, 35. Vpon a tyme when Burbidge played Richard III. there was a citizen grone soe farr in liking with him, that before shee went from the play shee appointed him to come that night unto hir by the name of Richard the Third.

184 1638.  Dk. Hamilton, in H. Papers (Camden), 18. How fare I shall be abill to prevail uith him I can not yett tell.

185 1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., I. viii. 35. He may be so far a good man, as to be free from giving offence.

186 1751.  Jortin, Serm. (1771), I. iii. 46. Such persons may so far conduce to the temporal prosperity of a nation.

187 1821.  J. Q. Adams, in C. Davies, The Metric System, III. (1871), 119. But this law, so far as it prescribed a new bushel, had never been executed: the old standard bushels remained.

188 1835.  Thirlwall, Greece, I. 423. To decide how far he deserved it.

189 1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 427, Laws. Ath. Concerning all principles of honour and justice, let us endeavour to ascertain how far we are consistent with ourselves.

190   7.  quasi-sb. a. † Of, on far: see AFAR. † Upon far: at a distance. From far: at a distance (cf. FERREN). By far: by a great interval (= sense 4); see BY 18 b. In so far: to such an extent.

191 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 6655 (Cott.). Þam thoght him hornd apon farr. Ibid., 13457 (Cott.). Fra ful ferr can þai til him seke. Ibid., 27643 (Cott.). Sin es fowler þan any deuil in hell by fer.

192 c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 17. If Y lete hem go fastinge home, þei shal faile in þe weye, for sum of hem comen fro ferre.

193 c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xix. 86. To þat ymage men commez fra ferre in pilgrimages.

194 1513–75.  Diurn. Occurrents (1833), 276. Thair wes the greiter slauchter be over far maid vpoun the Inglis.

195 1647.  H. More, Philos. Devot., 43. Lo! from farre I you salute.

196 1737.  Whiston, Josephus’ Antiq., I. xix. § 10. Thus far of his apology was made.

197 1764.  Goldsm., The Traveller, 28.        That, like the circle bounding earth and skies, Allures from far, yet, as I follow, flies.

198 1871.  Smiles, Charac., x. (1876), 281–2. Biography, because it is instinct of humanity, is the branch of literature which—whether in the form of fiction, of anecdotal recollection, or of personal narrative—is the one that invariably commends itself to by far the largest class of readers.

199 1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., I. viii. 104. Eloquence, whose value is apt to be overrated in all free countries, imagination, profundity of thought or extent of knowledge, are all in so far a gain to him that they make him ‘a bigger man,’ and help him to gain over the nation an influence which, if he be a true patriot, he may use for its good.

200   † b.  To have far to: to have a long way to go to, be far from. Obs.

201 1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 477. Þe vyker had fer home & faire toke his leue. Ibid. (1393), C. XII. 196. Folwe forþ þat fortune wol; thou hast ful fer to elde.

202   8.  Combinations.

203   a.  When far (in senses 1–5) qualifies a ppl. adj. used attributively, it is usually hyphened, thus giving rise to an unlimited number of quasi-compounds, as far-beaming, -branching, -embracing, -extending, etc.

204 1533.  More, Answ. Poysoned Bk., Wks. 1047/1. Making one perfit person and one farpassing perfyt person of God and man together.

205 1596.  Spenser, State Iret., 2. The manner rather of desperate men farre driven.

206 1598.  Chapman, Iliad, I. 19. Far-shooting Phœbus.

207 1601.  Yarington, Two Lament. Traj., III. ii., in Bullen, O. Pl., IV.        I will forsake my countrie, goods, and lands, I, and my selfe will even change my selfe, In name, in life, in habit, and in all, And live in some farre-moved continent.

208 a. 1649.  Drumm. of Hawth., Poems, Wks. (1711), 31.          Amidst these Saphyre far-extending Heights, The never twinkling, ever wandring Lights Their fixed Motions keep.

209 1688.  Addr., in Lond. Gaz., No. 2536/1. Your far distanced New England Subjects.

210 1725.  Pope, Odyss., XIX. 127.            O Queen! whose far-resounding fame, Is bounded only by the starry frame.

211 1735.  Somerville, The Chace, I. 272.                        Their Arms Far-gleaming, dart the same united Blaze.

212 1779–81.  Johnson, L. P., Swift, Wks. III. 404. Variegated by far-sought learning.

213 1784.  Cowper, Task, I. 184.                        Mighty winds, That sweep the skirt of some far-spreading wood Of ancient growth.

214 1812.  Byron, Ch. Har., II. xli. Leucadia’s far-projecting rock of woe.

215 1820.  Keats, Eve St. Agnes, xxix.        The boisterous, midnight, festive clarion, The kettle-drum, and far-heard clarionet, Affray his ears, though but in dying tone.

216 1827.  Hare, Guesses (1859), 69. Expressing profound and farstretching thoughts in the simplest words.

217 1857.  Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, 139. Consider what a far-branching, far-embracing good you have wrought.

218 1864.  Engel, Mus. Anc. Nat., 232. Far-spread popularity.

219   b.  rarely in similar quasi-comb. with vbl. sbs., as far-flashing, -withdrawal.

220 1821.  Shelley, Hellas, 331.            The far-flashing of their starry lances Reverberates the dying light of day.

221 1866.  Howells, Venetian Life, xvii. The moon was full, and snowed down the mellowest light on the gray domes, which, in their soft, elusive outlines and strange effect of far withdrawal, rhymed like faint-heard refrains to the bright and vivid arches of the façade.

222   c.  Special combinations: far-back a., ancient; far-being vbl. sb., the state of being at a distance; † far-born a., born long ago; far-darter, one who sends darts to or from a great distance; † far-day, the latter part of the day [cf. 3 c]; far-eastern a., belonging to the extreme east; far-farer (rare), = far-goer; far-foamed a., fringed with foam for a great distance; far-goer, one who goes far, lit. and fig.; far-gone a., advanced to a great extent; far-northern a., lying in the extreme north; far-point (Optics), the extreme range; far-seeing a., = FAR-SIGHTED 1; far-seen a., seen at a distance; also Sc. = FAR-SIGHTED; far-shot a. = far-shooting; far-southern a., at the extreme south; † far-went a., that has wended or travelled far; far-western, belonging to the extreme west.

223 1890.  Child, Eng. & Sc. Ball., VII. ccix. 126/2. It is clear that some *far-back reciter of the Scottish ballad had knowledge of the later English broadside.

224 1580.  Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 124. The desolation of the *far-being from comfort.

225 1672.  Wycherley, Love in Wood, III. i. Cros. Nine-and-thirty years old, Mistress! I’d have you to know I am no *far born child.

226 1598.  Chapman, Iliad, I. 91.                This is cause why heaven’s *Far-darter darts These plagues amongst us.

227 1868.  Morris, Earthly Par. (1870), I. II. 500.        But dimly he remembered, and the sight Of the Far-darter.

228 1655.  H. Vaughan, Silex Scintillans, I. (1858), 74.                    The Manna was not good After Sun-rising; *far-day sullies flowres.

229 1861.  G. W. Dasent, Burnt Njal, II. 354. There were other and better Vikings—such was Thorwald Kodran’s son, the *far-farer, who, sprung from a good family in Iceland.

230 1820.  Keats, Hyperion, II. 172.        In murmurs, which his first-endeavouring tongue Caught infant-like from the *far-foamed sands.

231 1841.  Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), VI. 358. Going over, as was done at Nottingham, to the party which the *far-goers at least of the deliberants, believe to be the least undeserving of the two.

232 1778.  Conquerors, 39.        As drunken men who brave the dang’rous fight O’er sparkling glasses in the *far-gone night.

233 1831.  T. L. Peacock, Crotchet Castle, xvi. 258. She fixed her eyes on him, with a mingled expression of mistrust, of kindness, and of fixed resolution, which the far-gone innamorato found irresistible.

234 1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxiii. 309. Still less am I disposed to express an opinion as the influence which ocean-currents may exert on the temperature of these *far-northern regions.

235 1876.  Bernstein, Five Senses, 72. The *far-point of the eye.

236 1848.  Lytton, Harold, VIII. ii. Though wise and *farseeing, Harold was not suspicious.

237 1730–46.  Thomson, Autumn, 790.        From lofty Caucasus, far seen by those, Who in the Caspian and black Euxine toil.

238 1827.  Keble, Chr. Y., Monday bef. Easter.                    Two silent nights and days In calmness for His far-seen hour He stays.

239 1615.  Chapman, Odyss., VIII. 453.        Earth-shaking Neptune, useful Mercury, And *far-shot Phœbus.

240 1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxiii. 228. It [a flag] had accompanied Commodore Wilkes in his *far-southern discovery of an Antarctic continent.

241 1609.  Bp. W. Barlow, Answ. Nameless Cath., 191. The Gibeonites came to Iosua like *far-went Trauellers.

242 1589.  Puttenham, Arte Eng. Poesie, 121. [Northern English] is not so Courtly nor so currant as our Southerne English is, no more is the *far Westerne mans speach.

243 1844.  Bp. S. Wilberforce, Hist. Amer. Ch. (1846), 341. The peculiar services of a far-western clergyman.

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