ferd

• IPA^(key): /fɜː(ɹ)d/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)d

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

• fard, faird

ferd (plural ferds)

1. (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.

• “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.

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

ferd (usually uncountable, plural ferds)

1. (obsolete) Fear.

ferd (comparative more ferd, superlative most ferd)

1. (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;

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

ferd (not comparable)

1. (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.

• Fred, derf

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

• feerd, feerde, ferde, ferid

• IPA^(key): /fɛːrd/

ferd (uncountable)

1. fear, terror

• ferdful
• ferdnesse

• Yola: ferde

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

ferd

1. past participle of feren (“to frighten”).

ferd

1. Alternative form of ferde (“army”)

From Old Norse ferð.

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

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

• folkeferd n
• gjenferd n
• pilegrimsferd
• triumfferd

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

From Old Norse ferð.

• IPA^(key): /fæːr/, /fæːɽ/

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

1. journey, travel

   Korleis var ferda di til Sambandsstatane?

   How was your journey to the United States?

2. group of people
3. vere i ferd med: to be on the point of, to be busy with

• ferdsel
• gjenferd n
• pilegrimsferd
• triumfferd

ferd

1. imperative of ferda

• “ferd” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.