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

DD1

Attestation

Fairly widespread in ME.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

WA 3228, 4761, 4991

Bibliography

MED fērlīen (v.), OED ferly (v.); see ferly (adj.).