ferly
Americannoun
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ferlies
plural
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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:
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
A ferly strife fell them between, As they went by the way, Little John said he had won five shillings And Robin Hood said shortly nay.
From Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - Fourth Series by Frank Sidgwick
A ferly strife fel them betwene,As they went bi the way;Litull Johne seid he had won v shyllyngs,And Robyn Hode seid schortly nay.
From A Collection of Ballads by Andrew Lang
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 Sir Richard Francis Burton
I passed a beardless pair without compare * And cried, 'I love you, both you ferly fir!'
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 05 by Sir Richard Francis Burton
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 Katherine Lee Bates
The langer we live we see the mair ferlies.
From The Proverbs of Scotland by Alexander Hislop
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 Charles Rogers
It was, perhaps, more than the "ferlies" she missed, but I don't know.
From Olivia in India by O. Douglas
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
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.
