Ferd

//fɜː(ɹ)d// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
A journey, voyage. Scotland
2
Fear. obsolete, uncountable, usually
3
Provisions for a journey, especially food. Scotland
4
A fast pace; a rush or hurry. Scotland
5
Effort, impetus, speed; a violent onset. Northern-England, Scotland, obsolete
"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."

Adjective

1
Afraid. obsolete
"Out of Deuelin toun, The folk wel fast ran, In a water to droun, So ferd were thai than;"
2
Fourth. Scotland, not-comparable, obsolete
"George the ferd Erle of Hunlie and second of that name his sone, three. And Jane Gordoun his dochtir, the ferd."

Synonyms

Example

"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."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English ferde (“military expedition”), from Old English fierd; see fyrd. Cognate with Dutch vaart (“voyage”), German Fahrt (“journey”).

Etymology 2

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

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.