further

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (`further' is used more often than `farther' in this abstract sense)

   further complicated by uncertainty about the future

2. 2
   adv

   in addition or furthermore

   if we further suppose

3. 3
   adj

   more distant in especially degree

   nothing could be further from the truth

4. 4
   verb

   To help forward; to assist.

   In happie houre we haue ſet the Crowne Upon your Kingly head, that ſeeks our honor, In ioyning with the man, ordain’d by heauen To further euerie action to the beſt.

5. 5
   verb

   To encourage growth; to support progress or growth of something; to promote.

   Further the economy.

6. 6
   adj

   More distant; relatively distant.

   See those two lampposts? Run to the further one.

7. 7
   adj

   More, additional.

   I have one further comment to make.

8. 8
   adv

   To, at or over a greater distance in space, time or other extent.

   I can run further than you.

Etymology

From Middle English further, forther, from Old English forþor, furþor (“further”, adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *furþer, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (a common preposition), equivalent to fore + -ther (a vestigial comparative ending still present in such words as other, either, whether, and, in altered form, in after); or as sometimes stated, as forth + -er. Cognate with Scots forder, furder (“further”), Saterland Frisian foarder (“further”), West Frisian fierder (“further”), Dutch verder (“further”), German fürder (“further”).