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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Far, adv. Also: farre, fare. [ME. far, farr(e, fare, var. of fer, ferre Fer adv.]

1. At a great distance. a1400 Leg. S. v. 615.
In to a cunctre far away As he rad apon a day 1422 Stirlings of Keir 208.
Alswel undyr erde as abown, alswel far as nere c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 494.
To the bernis far but sueit blenkis I cast 1513 Doug. vii. viii. 93.
The dyn was hard eik ellis quhar ful far 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4180 (B).
I knaw … .How thay mak thair conventionis On montanis far fra ony townis 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 74.
With toft and croft, … and rychtwys pertenens … pertening thairto, … als weill fare as nere 1567 G. Ball. 35.
Thair rais fra hand Ane derth … Baith far and neir 1570 Buch. Wr. 45.
Johnne Gordoun lying not far of the town with a greit power

2. To a great distance. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 931.
Me ware leware … Be banyste far owt of myn land Ib. xxix. 682.
Thar-for send he far & ner a1500 Henr. Orph. 248 (A).
He passit furth … Far and full ferthere than I can tell c1500-c1512 Dunb. xx. 14.
Fra vyle folkis draw thé far on syd c1552 Lynd. Mon. 968.
Quhare wes thy wytt, that wald nocht flee Far frome the presens of that tree? 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. ix.
Bewar now, or far now, To pas into this place

3. To a great extent; in a high degree. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv. 68.
Scho Far mar besynes cane do [etc.] c1460 Wisd. Sol. 631.
Till inquere our far in … materis of Godis priuate c1420 Ratis R. 307.
It is our mekill thing; It passis fare atour mesour c1460 Consail Wys Man 69.
Than war thaim fare better be ded c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliii. 21.
Thir lairdis ar me think richt far Sic ladeis behaldin to 1535 Stewart 37852.
Rycht far he wes commouit at that thing 1567 Sat. P. v. 34.
Thairof be suire, Or els ȝe ar rycht far to blame 1600-1610 Melvill 316.
Far by our expectatioun we war maist gratiouslie accepted c1616 Hume Orthog. 8.
It is not far unlyke the sheepes bae

b. As far, (in) sa far, to such an extent (as). 1386 Rotuli Sc. II. 85/2.
The lordes sal gar it be amendyt as far forth as thay trespasse a1500 Prestis of Peblis 770.
In sae far as the saull forthy Far worthier is than the blait body 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 94.
Als far as catal … Had in thar pastur eyt and knyp away 1533 Gau 91/16.
That ve may turnne that to the best als far as possibil is to ws 1558 Reg. Cupar A. II. 268.
[He] sall ere … Robertsonis land for this instant crope, safar as is vnerit 1567 G. Ball. 79.
He is our aduocate, … In sa far as ane man is he

4. Quasi-n. a. Of far, from a distance. On (or upon) far, at a distance. Be far, far off. a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 85.
He … mad his quyntans apon far With hyr, thinkand to cum ner Ib. xxxiii. 289.
George of far mad taknyng, That thai suld nocht drede for ony thinge 1513 Doug. ii. i. 54.
On far, ‘O wrachit pepill’, gan he cry Ib. iii. iii. 109.
At the last … we se On far the land appeir c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2049.
No man mycht juge, that stude on far, Quho gat the better nor the war a1568 Balnevis Bann. MS. 138 b/49.
Thairfoir be war, hald thé on far Sic chaifwair for to pryis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8620.
In all that realme, nouther be far nor neir

b. Be far, by far, greatly, very much. a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 655.
That … be far lykare ware to be Warldly sang and vanyte Than [etc.] c1420 Wynt. v. 2786.
In-to this but dowt we ar Starkare than oure-selff be fare a1500 Seven S. 1241.
I had lever be far de 1535 Stewart 11000.
He of new reformit had that strenth … Farar befar nor euir it wes befoir 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 297.
Ȝe will not find me out … The number that ȝe spak be far