feraladj.1
/ˈfɪərəl/, U.S. /ˈfɪrəl/ 1.
a. Of a deadly nature; deadly, fatal.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > cause of death > [adjective]
deadlyc893
deathlyOE
deathfula1250
mortalc1390
capitalc1426
exitialc1475
fey1488
mortuala1500
perishinga1500
fatal?1518
ferial1528
mortiferousa1538
deadc1540
exitious?1545
deathlike1548
mortifying1555
starvingc1600
lethal1604
speedingc1604
vital1612
irrecoverable1614
feral1621
lethiferous1651
mortific1651
mortifical1657
daggering1694
exitiose1727
fateful1764
kill-devil1831
unsurvivable1839
lethiferal1848
tachythanatous1860
the world > life > death > killing > [adjective]
fatalc1386
slaying1398
killing1435
dispatchinga1564
exanimating1607
dispatchful1608
feral1621
murdering1790
martyring1830
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy i. i. ii. xi. 45 Thence come..vitious Habits,..ferall Diseases.
1652 J. Gaule Πυς-μαντια 303 Cæsar himselfe had noted, that the Ides of March would be ferall to him.
1773 J. Ross Fratricide (MS) ii. 298 The feral tempter..Stalks noiseless round him.
b. Astrology. (See quots.)The astrologers identified this with feral adj.2
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > heavenly body > as influence on mankind > [adjective] > malign
maliciousa1398
maligna1475
malevolent1593
maleficial1601
malefical1603
malignanta1616
feral1647
malefic1652
malevolous1652
1647 W. Lilly Christian Astrol. xvi. 89 Feral Signes are ♌ [Leo] and last part of ♐ [Sagittarius].
1647 W. Lilly Christian Astrol. clvi. 648 ♂ in the seventh in ferall signes, argues death by Distraction.
1658–1706 E. Phillips New World Eng. Words Feral Signs are Leo and the last part of Sagittarius, so call'd, not only upon Account of the representing the Figure of wild Beasts, but also [etc.].
1819 J. Wilson Compl. Dict. Astrol. The ☽ is also said to be feral, when she is void of course, having separated from a planet, and applying to no other.
2. Of or pertaining to the dead; funereal, gloomy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [adjective] > gloomy or depressing
darkOE
unmerryOE
deathlyc1225
dolefulc1275
elengec1275
dreicha1300
coolc1350
cloudyc1374
sada1375
colda1400
deadlya1400
joylessc1400
unjoyful?c1400
disconsolatea1413
mournfula1425
funeralc1425
uncheerfulc1449
dolent1489
dolesome1533
heavy-hearted1555
glum1558
ungladsome1558
black1562
pleasureless1567
dern1570
plaintive?1570
glummish1573
cheerless1575
comfortless1576
wintry1579
glummy1580
funebral1581
discouraging1584
dernful?1591
murk1596
recomfortless1596
sullen1597
amating1600
lugubrious1601
dusky1602
sable1603
funebrial1604
damping1607
mortifying1611
tearful?1611
uncouth1611
dulsome1613
luctual1613
dismal1617
winterous1617
unked1620
mopish1621
godforsaken?1623
uncheerly1627
funebrious1630
lugubrous1632
drearisome1633
unheartsome1637
feral1641
drear1645
darksome1649
sadding1649
saddening1650
disheartening1654
funebrous1654
luctiferous1656
mestifical1656
tristifical1656
sooty1657
dreary1667
tenebrose1677
clouded1682
tragicala1700
funereal1707
gloomy1710
sepulchrala1711
dumpishc1717
bleaka1719
depressive1727
lugubre1727
muzzy1728
dispiriting1733
uncheery1760
unconsolatory1760
unjolly1764
Decemberly1765
sombre1768
uncouthie1768
depressing1772
unmirthful1782
sombrous1789
disanimating1791
Decemberish1793
grey1794
uncheering1796
ungenial1796
uncomforting1798
disencouraginga1806
stern1812
chilling1815
uncheered1817
dejecting1818
mopey1821
desponding1828
wisht1829
leadening1835
unsportful1837
demoralizing1840
Novemberish1840
frigid1844
morne1844
tragic1848
wet-blanketty1848
morgue1850
ungladdeneda1851
adusk1856
smileless1858
soul-sick1858
Novemberya1864
saturnine1863
down1873
lacklustre1883
Heaven-abandoneda1907
downbeat1952
doomy1967
the world > life > death > obsequies > [adjective] > of or relating to funeral
funeralc1405
funebral1581
funereal1598
funebrial1604
necial1606
exequial1613
funebrious1630
funebrous1654
funerary1661
feral1881
1641 J. Gauden Love of Truth 26 Those Owles, and Bats, and ferall Birds, that love darknesse.
1649 Εἰκων Βασιλικη 134 Such a degree of splendour, as those ferall birds shall be grieved to behold.
1678 H. Vaughan Thalia Rediviva 72 A night, where..feral fires appear instead of Stars.
1705 G. Berkeley Descr. Cave of Dunmore in Wks. (1871) IV. 504 Ravens, screech-owls, and such like feral birds.
1785 H. Headley Ruins Broomholm Priory 14 in Fugitive Pieces 4 Oft the Bird of Night Lengthens her feral note.
1881 F. T. Palgrave Visions of Eng. 302 In feral order slow, The slaughter-barges go.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
feraladj.2
/ˈfɛrəl/, /ˈfɛrl̩/, /ˈfɪərəl/, U.S. /ˈfɛrəl/, /ˈfɪrəl/ 1. Of an animal: Wild, untamed. Of a plant, also (rarely), of ground: Uncultivated.Now often applied to animals or plants that have lapsed into a wild from a domesticated condition.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > domestic animal > [adjective] > untamed
wildc725
untemeda1000
savagea1275
ramagec1300
untameda1340
untamea1382
ramageousa1398
tameless1597
unreclaimed1614
indomite1617
immansuete1656
feral1659
myall1848
wilding1853
maroon1890
undomesticated1972
the world > the earth > land > landscape > wild or uncultivated land > [adjective]
westeeOE
wildc893
wastyc1230
wastec1290
untilled1297
void1398
wilsomea1400
desolate1413
wastablea1450
unlaboured1474
untilthed1495
spare1508
unmanured1541
unculted1548
uncultured1555
Hyrcan1567
untoiled1578
manureless1595
griggy1597
Wealdish1598
Hyrcanian1600
unwrought1600
wealy1601
uncultived1605
incult1624
unmanaged1634
incultivateda1657
uncultivate1659
uncultivated1684
unreclaimed1753
wildered1810
irreclaimed1814
natural1827
feral1882
1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 213 It is impossible to reduce this feral creature.
1859 C. Darwin Origin of Species i. 24 The dovecot pigeon..has become feral in several places.
1875 C. Lyell & L. Lyell Princ. Geol. (ed. 12) II. iii. xxxv. 281 Domesticated animals allowed to run wild or become ‘feral’.
1877 E. Coues & J. A. Allen Monogr. N. Amer. Rodentia (U.S. Geol. Surv. Territories, vol. XI) 200 A corresponding variability is as normal to some purely feral animals as to the semi-domesticated species.
1882 W. T. T. Dyer in Nature 23 Feb. 390/2 The Jardin des Plantes deals not merely with plants in their feral, but also in their cultivated state.
1882 A. Geikie Geol. Sketches 377 The feral ground, or territory left in a state of nature and given up to game, lies mostly upon rocks.
2. Of, pertaining to, or resembling a wild beast; brutal, savage.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > savagery > [adjective]
grimlyc893
retheeOE
grim971
bitterOE
bremec1175
grillc1175
grimfula1240
cruel1297
sturdy1297
fiercea1300
fellc1300
boistousa1387
felonousc1386
savagea1393
bestiala1398
bremelya1400
felona1400
hetera1400
cursedc1400
wicked14..
vengeablec1430
wolvishc1430
unnatural?1473
inhuman1481
brutisha1513
cruent1524
felonish1530
mannish1530
abominate1531
lionish1549
boarish?1550
truculent?c1550
unhumanc1550
lion-like1556
beastly1558
orped1567
raw?1573
tigerish?1573
unmanlike1579
boisterous1581
savaged1583
tiger-like1587
yond1590
truculental1593
savage wild1595
tigerous1597
inhumane1598
Neronian1598
immane1599
Phalarical1602
ungentle1603
feral1604
savagious1605
fierceful1607
Dionysian1608
wolvy1611
Hunnish1625
lionly1631
tigerly1633
savage-hearted1639
brutal1641
feroce1641
ferocious1646
asperous1650
ferousa1652
wolfish1674
tiger1763
savage-fierce1770
Tartar1809
Tartarly1821
Neroic1851
tigery1859
Neronic1864
unmannish1867
inhumanitarian1947
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > fierceness > [adjective]
grimlyc893
wrothc893
reighOE
grima1000
grillc1175
witherc1175
grimfula1240
sturdy1297
wild1297
fiercea1300
man-keenc1300
stoutc1300
cruelc1330
fell?c1335
wicked1375
felonousc1386
felona1400
cursedc1400
runishc1400
keen?c1425
roid?c1425
wolvishc1430
ranishc1450
malicious1485
mankind1519
mannish1530
lionish1549
truculent?c1550
lion-like1556
tigerish?1573
tiger-like1587
truculental1593
Amazonian1595
tigerous1597
feral1604
fierceful1607
efferous1614
lionly1631
tigerly1633
feroce1641
ferocious1646
asperous1650
ferousa1652
blusterous1663
wolfish1674
boarisha1718
savage-fierce1770
Tartar1809
Tartarly1821
wolfy1828
savagerous1832
hawkish1841
tigery1859
attern1868
Hunnish1915
1604 T. Wright Passions of Minde (new ed.) v. 268 Some..arrive at a certayne ferall or savage brutishnesse.
1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 299 That feral and savage kinde of people which are..of a Cannibal..nature.
1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 368 Against the Spaniard, and the rest of our feral, and remote Antagonists.
1838 Blackwood's Mag. 43 789 A..more potent charm..which converts the feral into the human being.
1847 R. Gilfillan in Tait's Edinb. Mag. 14 622 It is not the feral or fiendish element in human nature.
3. Used as n.: A wild-beast. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by nature > [noun] > wild animal
wild deerc825
wildc1275
Satanasc1300
wild beastc1325
unbeasta1400
savage?a1425
feral1639
man-keen1652
yelper1823
wildling1841
tiger1859
rogue1872
ferine1895
wilding1897
1639 G. Daniel Ecclus. xiii. 61 What [alliance] 'twixt those ferals of Societie, Hiena and the Dog?
Derivatives
feˈrality n. the state of being feral.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > domestic animal > [noun] > undomesticated > state or condition
wildshipc1275
wildnessc1440
untamedness1592
the (also a) state of nature1798
untameness1871
ferality1885
the world > the earth > land > landscape > wild or uncultivated land > [noun] > quality of
wildnessc1374
wildernessc1449
wasteness1608
inculture1653
uncultivation1796
ferality1885
1885 J. S. Stallybrass tr. V. Hehn Wanderings Plants & Animals 21 There often sets in..a period of ferality, when the land presents the appearance..of being exhausted by culture.
1885 J. S. Stallybrass tr. V. Hehn Wanderings Plants & Animals 39 The freedom in which young horses were bred must have frequently led to complete ferality.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.11621adj.21604