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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.

Fere, Feir, n.⁴ Also: feyr(e, feayr, fear(e. [Reduced from Effere n.]

1. Bearing, demeanour. = Effere n. 3. c1420 Wynt. iv. 409.
Scho that saw his hawtane fere, Apon this wys maid hym awnsuere ?1438 Alex. ii. 3741.
For all ȝour fere, I hope to se ȝour great mannance faill halely! 1456 Hay I. 271/14.
Sen he schupe him … with syk a fere and in syk maner c1475 Wall. ix. 101.
Tell me his feyr and how I sall him knaw a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 160.
He was ladlike of laitis, and licht of his fere 1513 Doug. ix. i. 68.
Turnus … With glave in hand maid awful feir and bost 1528 Lynd. Dreme 447.
Quha wald behauld his countynance and feir, Mycht call hym weill the god of men of weir 15.. Clar. ii. 1106.
He steirit his coursour with ane knichtlie feir

b. pl. Ways of bearing oneself; manners. = Effere n. 3 b. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2501.
Fro he kend him be his feris He kist him sone Ib. 3003.
With brokin speche and with waik feris c1420 Wynt. i. 1024 (W).
Than wild and wod for thai meris Waxis thai capillis of wantone feris 1456 Hay II. 7/19.
The worthy man, quhilk be his feris and port semyt till have bene a man of grete valoure c1460 Consail Wys Men 397.
Fra fulys ferys and thar havinge Thow kep the weil a1500 Prestis of Peblis 470.
He feinȝeit him ane fule, fond in his feiris c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 61.
Ane pykthank in a prelottis clais … fenȝeing the feris off ane lord 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 14.
He was Greik be all hys othir feris Ib. ix. iii. 156.
In case thai … thame avant tharof with felloun feris

2. In fere of were, in warlike array. Cf. Effere n. 5 and Bodin p.p. 1405 Douglas Corr. 65.
Eftyr the qwhilk crye yhour men of Inglande has rydyne in Scotlande wyth gret company like in fere of were 1456 Hay I. 166/28.
Thou hes cummyn apon me in fere of were 1457 Acts II. 50/2.
That na man … ride nor rowt in feir of weir with na man but the King 1471 Acta Aud. 20/2.
The conuocatioun … of … liegis to the novmer of lx of personys in fere of were of men of armys 1513 Doug. xii. iv. 13.
In athir hand held he, in feir of weir, The braid hed brangland on the jevillyng speir 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 231.
The said Williame Lauson & Iohne Lauson com agane in feyre of weyre wytht wappynnis a1578 Pitsc. II. 291/8.
Never ane gave credeit to ane vther, bot evirie man raid in feir of weer 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 131.
It is treason, gif anie man rises in feare of war against the King his persone violentlie 1674 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 274.
Patrick Smith … and the other defenders … came in fear of war to the lands of Branlyne

3. Manner, way, state. c1475 Wall. vii. 293.
The justice innys thow spy … , And in quhat feir that thai thair lugyne mak Ib. viii. 574.
Of all thair fer was mekill for to tell