ferd

See also: ferð, fərd, and פֿערד

English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /fɜː(ɹ)d/
Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)d

Etymology 1

Either from Middle English ferde (“went, fared”), past participle of faren, or from Middle English ferde (“army”), from Old English fierd; see fyrd.

Alternative forms

fard, faird

Noun

ferd (plural ferds)

(Scotland, Northern England, obsolete) Effort, impetus, speed; a violent onset.
- 1775, Baillie, Letters:
  It was our great desire to have at once been at handy-strokes, well understanding that the ferd of our hot spirits could not long abide in edge.
- 1832, John Nevay, “The Cotter's Birth-Day”, in Margaret De Courcy, Beatrice De Courcy, editors, The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music, and Romance, page 381:
  A dainty husband, an' the best o' men, Fresh in his eild as the gree simmer glen. An' still he maks a ferd his bread to earn— His aim to hae a canty but-an'-ben, Wi' something aye to spare to ilka bairn, That they the gude auld hospitality might learn.

References

“ferd”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC.
“ferd”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC.

Etymology 2

From Middle English feren (“to fear”). More at fear.

Noun

ferd (usually uncountable, plural ferds)

(obsolete) Fear.

Adjective

ferd (comparative more ferd, superlative most ferd)

(obsolete) Afraid.
- 1804, Sir Walter Scott, Sir Tristrem:
  Out of Deuelin toun, The folk wel fast ran, In a water to droun, So ferd were thai than;

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

ferd (not comparable)

(Scotland, obsolete) Fourth.
- 1565, Proces of Divorce twixt Erle Bothwell and his Wife:
  George the ferd Erle of Hunlie and second of that name his sone, three. And Jane Gordoun his dochtir, the ferd.
- 1571, J Chepman, Decreet of Spulzie:
  Gevin vunder our signet, at Edinburgh, the xxiij day of Marche, and of our regnne the ferd yer.
- 1614, Register of Town Council of Edinburgh, vol x:
  The first & secund regents sall haif quarterlie ilkane threttein schilling four penneis. The thrid fyfteen sehillings and the ferd and principall twenty shillings.

Anagrams

Fred, derf

Middle English

Etymology 1

Originally the past participle of feren (“to frighten”).

Alternative forms

feerd, feerde, ferde, ferid

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /fɛːrd/

Noun

ferd (uncountable)

fear, terror

Derived terms

Descendants

Yola: ferde

References

“fērd(e, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Verb

ferd

past participle of feren (“to frighten”).

Etymology 2

Noun

ferd

Alternative form of ferde (“army”)

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse ferð.

Noun

ferd f or m (definite singular ferda or ferden, indefinite plural ferder, definite plural ferdene)

journey, voyage, expedition
være i ferd med (also written as iferd): to be on the point of, to be busy with

Derived terms

References

“ferd” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
“ferd” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse ferð.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /fæːr/, /fæːɽ/

Noun

ferd f (definite singular ferda, indefinite plural ferder, definite plural ferdene)

journey, travel
Korleis var ferda di til Sambandsstatane?
How was your journey to the United States?
group of people
vere i ferd med: to be on the point of, to be busy with

Declension

Declension of ferd (strong ō-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
feminine	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	ferd	ferda	ferder	ferdene
compound-genitive	ferda-	―	ferde-	―

Derived terms

Verb

ferd

imperative of ferda

References

“ferd” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.