Page:Alexander Macbain - An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language.djvu/237

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OF THE GAELIC LANGUAGE.
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parative for math, but evidently once for fern, good, *verno-s, Lat. supernus (cf. -no- of magnus disappearing in major, and -ro- of Celtic mâros in G. ). Stokes refers ferr to vers, raise, *uersos-, height, top; Lat. verruca, steep place, Lit. wirzùs, top, Skr. varshman-, height, várshîyas, higher. Cf. W. goreu, best (= Lat. supremus).

feàrsaid, a spindle, Ir. fearrsaid, M. Ir. fersaid, *versatti-, *verttati-, W. gwerthyd, Cor. gurthit, O. Br. guirtilon, fusis, M. Br. guerzit, root vert, turn; Lat. vertô, vortex; Ger. werden, to be, Eng. worth, be, M.H.G. wirtel, spindle ring. Skr. vártate, turn, roll, vartulâ, spindle ball.

fearsaideag, thrift or sea gilly-flower; from ovs. fearsad, estuary, sand-bank, passage across at ebb-tide, whence place-name Fersit, and in Ireland Belfast; for root se feart.

feart, attention, notice; Br. gortos, to attend, root vert, vort; Ger. warten, attend, Eng. ward, from ware, Nor. varða, ward. An extension of root ver, watch, Lat. vereor, etc.

feart, a virtue, efficiency, deed, Ir. feart, O. Ir. firt, pl. ferta, W. gwyrth; from Lat. virtus (Windisch, Stokes).

feart, a grave, Ir. feart, O. Ir. fert, tumulus, *verto-; root ver, cover, enclose, which see under fearann. Cf. Skr. vṛti, enclosure, hedge.

fearthuinn, rain, Ir. fearthuinn, E. Ir. ferthain, inf. to feraim, I pour, give, *veraô, rain: Lat. ûrína, urine, Gr. οὖρον (do.): Norse úr, a drizzle, Ag. S. wär, sea; Skr. vā́ri, water, Zend, vâra, rain. See dòirt.

feascradh, shrivelling, so Ir. (O'R.):

feasd, am feasd, for ever, Ir. feasda, henceforward, E. Ir. festa, ifesta, now, from this point forward, i fecht-sa; from feachd by metathesis of the s. See fathast.

feasgar, evening, Ir. feascar, O. Ir. fescor, *vesqero-, W. ucher, *eksero- for *esqero-; Lat. vesper; Gr. ἑσπέρος.

feathachan, slight breeze; see feothachan.

féile, generosity, hospitality, Ir. féile, E. Ir. féle; from fial, q.v.†

féile, charm, incantation, E. Ir. éle, héle, mo fhele; from Norse heill, auspice, omen, Eng. hale, etc.; allied to O. Ir. cél, augurium, W. coel, omen, O. W. coil (Zim., Zeit.33 147). For G. féile, see Inv. Gaelic Soc. Tr. 17 243. Stokes regards Zimmer's derivation from N. a failure, and compares W. wylo, wail, weep, as Ir. amor, music = W. afar, grief, and G. ceòl = Ger. heulen, howl. Rhys cfs. W. eli, oil, ointment.

féile, féileadh, a kilt, E. Ir., O. Ir. fíal, velum: O. Ir. ronfeladar, he might clothe us; from Lat. vêlum, a covering, vêlare, Eng. veil. In Islay, Jura, etc., it is an t-sibhleadh. McL. and D.
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