fer

[fur; unstressed fer]

preposition, conjunction Informal.

-fer

a combining form meaning “that which carries” the thing specified by the initial element, used in the formation of compound words: aquifer; conifer; foraminifer.

Origin of -fer

< Latin, derivative of ferre to bear¹, in L generally forming adjectives; the corresponding E adjectives add -ous; see -ferous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for fer

at, bad, blue, crestfallen, crummy, dejected, desolate, despondent, destroyed, disconsolate, dispirited, down, downcast, downhearted, dull, dysphoric, bleeding, dragged

Examples from the Web for fer

Contemporary Examples of fer

Go ask anybody who remembers A&P, Gimbels, Digital Equipment, Kodak, or Borders, fer chrissakes.
The Abysmal, Pathetic Obamacare Rollout
Nick Gillespie
October 17, 2013

Historical Examples of fer

He must have tabasco in his head, fer he's got the divil's own timper.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser
I know it was hern, fer I seen her bring it in, an' I went straight an' ondone it.
Chip, of the Flying U
B. M. Bower
"I paid it to Squire Hall to-day and he has it fer ye," said Hiram, dully.
Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates
Howard Pyle
He's got one eye out; lost it lookin' fer a pension, I believe.
Uncles Josh's Punkin Centre Stories
Cal Stewart
And they sed, "Wall, Mr. Hoskins, we're surveyin' fer the railroad."
Uncles Josh's Punkin Centre Stories
Cal Stewart

British Dictionary definitions for fer

-fer

n combining form

indicating a person or thing that bears something specifiedcrucifer; conifer

Word Origin for -fer

from Latin, from ferre to bear

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012