Etymology

Formed on ferly (adj.).

PGmc Ancestor

(1) *fēr-; (2) *fera; (3) *fer(e)r-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

 ferligr ‘monstrous’
(ONP ferligr (adj.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

OE Cognate

(1)  fǣrlic ‘sudden, unexpected; sudden, rapid (action); accidental’; (2) cp. firen ‘wicked deed, violence, torment’; (3) feorr 'far, removed'

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

DD1c

Attestation

More characteristic of N and E and alliterative texts than ferly (adj.).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Gaw 23, 2414; Pe 1086; Cl 1529, 1563, 1629; Erk 145; WA 395, 501, 925

Bibliography

MED fērlī (n.) , OED ferly (adj. and n.) , HTOED , Dance ferly (n.)