ferly
Americannoun
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something unusual, strange, or causing wonder or terror.
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astonishment; wonder.
adjective
adjective
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ferly
First recorded before 900; Middle English fæ(i)rlich, feorlic(h), from Old English fǣrlīc, equivalent to fǣr “sudden danger” + -līc, adjective suffix; cognate with German gefährlich, Dutch gevaarlijk “dangerous”; see origin at fear, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Many a ferly fares to the fair-eyed," quoth he; "and also I will tell thee in thine ear that this Lady may not be so great as her name is great.
From Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair by Morris, William
Ye are sae grave, nae doubt ye're wise; Nae ferly tho' ye do despise The hairum-scairum, ram-stam boys, The rattling squad: I see ye upward cast your eyes— Ye ken the road!
From Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Burns, Robert
Ah, John, by me thou sets no store, And that’s a ferly thing; How oft send I my men before, And tarry myself behind?
From Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - Fourth Series by Sidgwick, Frank
On solemn oath Vidyāpati reveals A yet more ferly thing: Pondering ever on your ways Is the root of her undoing.
From Vidy?pati: Bang?ya pad?bali; songs of the love of R?dh? and Krishna by Vidy?pati Th?kura
By Allah, ne'er beheld my eyes a face so ferly fair * Amid mankind whoever are, Arab or Ajamí.
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 08 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
In saxty years o' care and toil, What ferlies do we see!
From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume III The Songs of Scotland of the Past Half Century by Rogers, Charles
Light down, light down now, Thomas," she said, "And lean your head upon my knee; Light down, and rest a little space, And I will show you ferlies three.
From Ballad Book by Bates, Katherine Lee
Light down, light down, now, true Thomas, And lean your head upon my knee, Abide and rest a little space, And I will show you ferlies three.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 379, May, 1847 by Various
"Gien yer lordship likes to see yer ain ferlies, I ken whaur some o' them lie," he said.
From Malcolm by MacDonald, George
But these particular ferlies, Nie, took the shape of tiny wee shells of all the colours in the rainbow, and funny wee fishes, some not bigger than a pin-point.
From O'er Many Lands, on Many Seas by Stables, Gordon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
