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:
He hailsed me with mikel pride; Ic haved wel mykel ferly wat he was; 15 I saide,—"Wel mote the betyde, That litel man with large face."
From English and Scottish Ballads, Volume I (of 8) by Various
Bot I haf grete ferly, that I fynd no man, That has writen in story, how Hauelok this lond wan.
From The Lay of Havelok the Dane by Unknown
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 Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
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 Sidgwick, Frank
Whereupon the Heelandman bought a Kilmarnock nichtcap, price elevenpence happeny, frae Mr. Weft, and paid him wi' part of the very note that brocht on the ferly I hae just been relating.
From The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 275, September 29, 1827 by Various
"What do you mean by ferlies?" asked the marquis.
From Malcolm by MacDonald, George
Light down, light down, now, True Thomas,And lean your head upon my knee;Abide and rest a little space,And I will shew you ferlies three.
From A Collection of Ballads by Lang, Andrew
But look afore ye, True Thomas, And I shall show ye ferlies three; Yon is the gate leads to our land, Where thou and I sae soon shall be.
From A Book of Old Ballads — Complete by Nichols, Beverley
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
The langer we live we see the mair ferlies.
From The Proverbs of Scotland by Hislop, Alexander
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.
