farewell

From Middle English farewel, from fare wel!, an imperative expression, possibly further derived from Old English *far wel!, equivalent to fare (“to fare, travel, journey”) +‎ well. Compare Scots farewele, fairweill (“farewell”), Saterland Frisian Foarwäil (“farewell”), West Frisian farwol (“farewell”), German Fahrwol,Fahrwohl, East Frisian forwal[1], Dutch vaarwel (“farewell (sadly)”), Danish farvel (“farewell”), Norwegian farvel (“farewell”), Swedish farväl (“farewell”), Faroese farvæl (“goodbye”), Icelandic far vel (“farewell”). The extensive list of cognates suggests a postulated ultimate Proto-Germanic phrase of origin, possibly something akin to *far wela.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fɛəˈwɛl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /fɛəɹˈwɛl/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /fɑːɹˈwɛl/, /fæɹˈwɛl/[2]
• Rhymes: -ɛl
• Hyphenation: fare‧well

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farewell (plural farewells)

1. A wish of happiness or safety at parting, especially a permanent departure

   Synonyms: goodbye, adieu

   • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:

     The departure was not unduly prolonged. […] Within the door Mrs. Spoker hastily imparted to Mrs. Love a few final sentiments on the subject of Divine Intention in the disposition of buckets; farewells and last commiserations; a deep, guttural instigation to the horse; and the wheels of the waggonette crunched heavily away into obscurity.

   • 1960 November, L. Hyland, “The Irish Scene”, in Trains Illustrated, page 691:

     The last train—a three-coach A.E.C. unit—from Belfast to Crumlin and back, was bade farewell with fog signals as it carried a capacity crowd of last-trip travellers.

2. A departure; the act of leaving
   • c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act II, scene i]:

     See how the morning opes her golden gates, And takes her farewell of the glorious sun.

   • September 14, 1710, Joseph Addison, The Examiner No. 1

     Before I take my farewell of the subject.

farewell (not comparable)

1. Parting, valedictory, final.

   a farewell discourse;  the band's farewell tour

   • 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter I, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 731476803:

     “I'm through with all pawn-games,” I laughed. “Come, let us have a game of lansquenet. Either I will take a farewell fall out of you or you will have your sevenfold revenge”.

   • 1858, John Saunders, Westland Marston, The National Magazine (volume 3, page 133)

     But with the first gray light of dawn he arose; and before drawing the white sheet veilingly over, he took a last farewell look at that angel face.

farewell

1. Goodbye.

   He said "Farewell!" and left.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:

     So farewell hope, and with hope, farewell fear.

   • 1786 July 31, Robert Burns, “On a Scotch Bard Gone to the West Indies”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire: Printed by John Wilson, OCLC 922031953; reprinted Kilmarnock: James McKie, March 1867, OCLC 367976637, page 184:

     Fareweel, my rhyme-compoſing billie!
     Your native ſoil was right ill-willie;
     But may ye flouriſh like a lily,
     Now bonilie!
     I'll toaſt ye in my hindmoſt gillie,
     Tho' owre the Sea!

farewell (third-person singular simple present farewells, present participle farewelling, simple past and past participle farewelled)

1. To bid farewell or say goodbye.
   • 2009 February 9, Neil Wilson and staff writers, “Tributes for newsman Brian Naylor and wife, killed in fires”, in Herald Sun‎:

     He farewelled viewers with a warm sign-off after each bulletin: "May your news be good news, and goodnight."

• farewell-to-spring

• wellfare