Friends and Friendship
G.D.O'Bradovich III
March 15, 2015
I recently inquired of a long term acquaintance why he thought that I have not written a paper in his name, while at times, it seems, even to the most casual observer, that I'll write pieces on the most trivial topics. He said that he never thought about it. I accepted that answer as honest and replied that it was perhaps because no subject inspired me to place a work under his name and, while that statement is true, it was not fully forthcoming. I stated that it is ironic that without the benefit of an unfettered access to the online version of the OED that my "An Attempt To Date" series would not be possible. Yet, there is no paper, hint or faint suggestion acknowledging his invaluable contribution to my philological and chronological research over the past two years.
It ironic of the human condition that "knowing" and "feeling" are mutually exclusive. regardless of how unreasoning individuals "feel" regarding this topic. Perhaps these qualities are combined, reconciled and transformed by an as yet unidentified alchemy called "friendship". As always, it remains for the Gentle Reader to determine the veracity of this suggestion.
The following references are courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary. Entries have been edited for space and secondary sources have been omitted.
Forms:
α. eOE friand (Kentish),
OE freod (prob. transmission error),
OE friodom (Northumbrian, dative plural, transmission error),
OE friond (chiefly non-West Saxon),
OE–eME freond,
OE (rare and chiefly late)–16 frend,
lOE frand (perh. transmission error),
eME ffreond,
ME frænd,
eME frent (south-west midl.),
eME freont (chiefly south-west midl.),
eME frieond,
eME frund,
eME vreond (south-west midl.),
ME froend (south-west midl.),
ME frond, ME frunde,
ME uriend (south-east.),
ME urind (south-east.),
ME uryend (south-east.),
ME vrend (chiefly south-west midl.),
ME vrende (south-west midl.),
ME 16 ffrend,
ME 16 freynde,
ME–15 ffrende,
ME–15 freende,
ME–15 freynd,
ME–15 frynde,
ME–16 freinde,
ME–16 frende,
ME–16 frinde,
ME–16 frynd,
ME–17 freind,
ME–17 (18– Eng. regional (north.)) freend,
ME–17 (18– Eng. regional (Northumberland) and U.S. regional) frind,
ME– friend,
15 ffrynde,
15 frendd,
15 friende,
15 fryende,
15 ureend,
16 ffreind,
16 ffriend,
16 ffrind,
16 freeund,
16 frennd;
Sc. pre-17 frend,
pre-17 frende,
pre-17 frennd,
pre-17 freyind,
pre-17 freynd,
pre-17 freynde,
pre-17 frind,
pre-17 frinde,
pre-17 frynd,
pre-17 17 freind,
pre-17 17– friend,
pre-17 18– freend.
β.
16 freine,
16 fren;
Eng. regional (Northumberland) 18– frin;
Sc. pre-17 freine,
pre-17 freyn,
pre-17 18– freen,
pre-17 19– frien,
18– freen',
18– frein,
18– frien';
Irish English (north.)
18– freen, 18– frien'.
Etymology:
Cognate with Old Frisian friūnd (West Frisian freon ),
Old Dutch friunt (Middle Dutch vrient, Dutch vriend ),
Old Saxon friund (Middle Low German vrünt ),
Old High German friunt (Middle High German vriunt , German Freund ),
and also (reflecting formal variation in early Germanic) Gothic frijonds
and Old Icelandic frændi , frjándi (Icelandic frændi ),
Old Swedish frände (Swedish frände ),
Old Danish (runic) frændi (Danish frænde ),
all ultimately showing uses as noun of the present participle of the Germanic base of free v.; compare -end suffix1. The antonym fiend n. shows a similar formation.
Meanings in other Germanic languages.
The meaning ‘person with whom one has developed a close and informal relationship of mutual trust and intimacy’ is common to the earliest stages of all the other West Germanic languages and Gothic; additionally, the meaning ‘lover’ is shown by Old Dutch and Old High German, and the meaning ‘relative’ by Old Frisian, Old Dutch, Old Saxon, and Old High German. ‘Relative’ is the only sense of the word in the Scandinavian languages, where sense A. 1 is expressed by the Scandinavian cognates of wine n.2
Form history.
The stem vowel in the West Germanic forms of the word apparently derives from a diphthong *iu , which arose by contraction of the vowel of the base of free v. (i.e. *ī , developed from earlier *ij ) with the vowel of the participial suffix (i.e. *u , developed from earlier *ō before *u of the inflectional ending in certain cases, e.g. the accusative plural); see A. Campbell Old Eng. Gram. (1959) §§120.3, 331.6 note 4, R. M. Hogg Gram. Old Eng. (1992) I. §3.19.(3), R. M. Hogg & R. D. Fulk Gram. Old Eng. (2011) II. §2.107.
In Old English, the expected form of the (unmutated) stem vowel is ēo (chiefly West Saxon and Mercian) and īo (chiefly Northumbrian and Kentish), as frēond , frīond . Kentish frīand shows unrounding of the second element of the diphthong. Forms such as frend are chiefly late and reflect incipient monophthongization of the diphthong.
In Middle English, forms with long close ē apparently coexisted alongside forms with short ĕ and forms with short ĭ (resulting from similar shortening of long close ē ). The testimony of early modern English orthoepists varies between short ĕ and short ĭ . The β. forms show loss of the final consonant.
In Old English the word inflects as a strong masculine, originally belonging to the class of agent nouns in -nd (see -end suffix1), which like the class of athematic root nouns (as e.g. mouse n., nut n.1), shows i-mutation of the stem in certain inflectional forms. Traces of the inherited inflection are also preserved in other West Germanic languages.
Compare the early West Saxon dative singular form frīend (late West Saxon frȳnd ; compare Old Saxon friund , Old High German friunt ) beside frēonde (also West Saxon), which is re-formed according to the regular strong masculine (a -stem) paradigm.
Nominative and accusative plural forms showing i-mutation are: early West Saxon frīend , late West Saxon frȳnd , frīnd (compare Old Saxon friund , Old High German friunt (Middle High German vriunt )); endingless nominative and accusative plural forms without i-mutation are: Mercian and occasionally West Saxon frēond , late Old English frēnd .
Beside such forms, re-formed strong masculine plurals frēondas , (Northumbrian) frīondas are found in Anglian (Northumbrian) and in sources showing Anglian influence, especially verse.
Reflexes of the Old English nominative and accusative endingless plural forms frīend , frȳnd , frēond , etc. survive in early Middle English as frend , freond , friend , frond .
Nominative and accusative plural forms ending in a vowel are very occasionally found in Old English, e.g. Northumbrian frēonde , frēondo , late Old English frēonde , and probably represent either analogical forms with -e (the nominative and accusative plural ending of disyllabic nd -stem nouns) or reduced forms of weak plurals; compare the early Middle English plurals friende , frende .
eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) ii. ix. 130
..he sceolde his freond þone betstan in neede ... Robert
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) iv. viii. 99
Hannibal ..., þæt he næfre ne wurde Romana freond.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 656
Ic ...þeos mynstres freond & þes abbotes ...
OE Crist III 912
... on gefean fæger, freond ond leoftæl, lufsum ond liþe leofum monnum ...
OE Cynewulf Elene 953
Elene gehyrde hu se feond ond se freond geflitu rærdon, tireadig ond trag, ...
OE Cynewulf Juliana 102
Wiðsæcest þu to swiþe sylfre rædes þinum brydguman... He is to freonde god.
OE Dream of Rood 144
Si me dryhten freond.
OE Laws of Cnut (Nero) ii. lxxiiia. 360
Gif ... ærran wer hæfde; & fon þa nehstan frynd to ðam landan & to þan æhtan.
OE Maxims II 44
Ides sceal dyrne cræfte, fæmne hire freond gesecean, gif heo nelle on folce geþeon ...
OE tr. Alexander's Let. to Aristotle §2. 224
... meder & geswystrum þu me eart se leofesta freond.
OE tr. Alexander's Let. to Aristotle §25. 240
He seoðþan wæs me freond & eallum Greca herige...
OE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. v. xvii. 464
He hine bæd & het, þæt he inlice þam biscope freond wære ...
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. xx. 13
Ða cwæð he andswarigende hyra anum, Eala þu freond ...
OE Wife's Lament 47
Min freond siteð under stanhliþe storme behrimed, ...
OE (Mercian) Rushw. Gospels: Matt. x. 21
..& ariseþ suna wið freondum ...
1200?c Ormulum l. 17960,
& wha se iss þatt bridgumess frend He stannt wiþþ himm.
1225a (▸c1200) Vices & Virtues 41
Of his aȝene wiue and ec of his auene frienden [MS friennden].
1393▸a Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 274
Unto hire dedly frend sche wrot.
1400a (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi l. 14569
To iurselem rede we þou wende, For þar es communli þi freind.
1400a (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3229
Frend,’ he said, ‘þou wend in hij vntil mesopotani.’
1400a(▸?a1350) Seege Troye (Sutherl.) l. 232
Of ffrendes [a1425 Linc. Inn freondis] haue ...
1400c (▸?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder l. 122
He degysed hym onon Þat hym ne knew frende ne fon.
1450a (▸a1400) Siege Jerusalem 98
... thou art in nede; Than ogh men frenshep to shewe in dede.
1481 W. Worcester tr. Cicero De Amicicia sig. c5,
Good men may neuir be frendes ...
1484 Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope ,
A trewe frend is oftyme better at a nede than a Royalme. Robert
1490 Boke yf Eneydos xviii. sig. Evj,
Playse the thenne to haue mercy of this poure desolate frende ...
1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) ii. viii. sig. k.viv,
... whiche were our fyrst frendes.
1508 J. Fisher Treat. Penyt. Psalmes ,
Frendes this day I shall not declare to you ony parte of the epystle.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. cclxiii,
Frende appease yourselfe, ...
1529 W. B. Scoones Four Cent. Eng. Lett. 11
Youre olde brynger up and lovying frende. Robert
1543 J. Bale Yet Course at Romyshe Foxe sig.
Fij, ... yt schuld haue the clergye to frynde.
1547 J. Harrison Exhort. Scottes sig. h.vv,
... of your best frendes.
1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes f. 78,
A faithfull frende is thing most worth. Robert
1561 Certayne Rules Christes Souldiers sig. Gii,
Make frendes with the foode of iniquity. not Robert
1572 T. Wilson Disc. Vsurye f. 10,
His treasure is his chiefe assuraunce and best frende. Robert
1574 E. Hellowes tr. A. de Guevara Familiar Epist. 44
The Citie of Sagunto was alwayes friend ...
1575 T. Lever Treat. Right Way from Danger of Sinne ii. sig Aviiiv,
...and named to be the friende of God.
1578 F. Lopez de Gómara Pleasant Hist. Conquest W. India 244
The Indian Comarcans being..friends ...
1580 T. Lupton Siuqila 118 The chiefe friende.... Robert
1584 B. R. tr. Herodotus Famous Hyst. To Rdr., I ende.
Your very friende. B. R.
1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 182/2 in Holinshed's Chron. II
He received his just reward of..a friend...
1592 A. Day Eng. Secretorie ii. sig. O3v, ...: to thy friends, inexorable.
1596 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) ix. lxv. 215
Henrie, Duke of Buckingham, third Richards friend-foe.
1598 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 iii. iii. 182,
I am good friends with ....Robert
1598 Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost v. ii. 404
O neuer will I..come in vizard to my friend,...
1599 J. Sylvester Miracle of Peace 45
The frend-foe strangers With vs, against vs.
1599 R. Barnfield in Shakespeare et al. Passionate Pilgrime sig. D7v,
...thy friend .. will helpe thee...
1600 E. Blount tr. G. F. di Conestaggio Hist. Uniting Portugall to Castill 33
... ioyning to a friend towne.
1600 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 i. i. 213
...and make friends with ....
1600 Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 26
Loren. Who comes so fast .. A friend.
1600 Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing i. i. 86
Mess. I will holde friends with ... Robert
1604 Abp. G. Abbot Reasons Dr. Hill Vnmasked iii. 121
... he was ... a friende to ... Robert
1610 Bible (Douay) II. 1 Macc. vii. 7
Let him punish al his frends and ayders.
1611 J. Davies Scourge of Folly 221
The friend that fainteth is a foe.
1612 H. Peacham Graphice ii. iv,
Shee is a friend to all studies, especially poetry.
1613 F. Beaumont Knight of Burning Pestle iii. sig. E4v,
... my best friend. Robert
1614 R. Tailor Hogge hath lost Pearle iv. sig. E4v,
I could now tell to friend ...
1620 J. Melton Astrologaster 74
In fawning and friend-seeming shewes.
1623 Xenophon Hist. 36
Passe you not with much labour many plaines, that are friend to vs?
1625 Relation J. Wilson in S. Purchas Pilgrimes IV. vi. xiv. 1261
... and agreed to ioyne with their friend ...
1631 B. Jonson Divell is Asse iv. vii. 22 in Wks. II
H' is friend to him, with whom I ha' the dependance.
1632 R. Brome Northern Lasse Prol. sig. A4v,
Gallants and Friends-spectators will ...
1637? T. Hobbes Art of Rhetoric iv. 76
A friend is he that loves, and he that is beloved.
1646 T. Edwards 3rd Pt. Gangræna Pref. sig. 4v,
... had so many friends in high places...
1651 N. Bacon Contin. Hist. Disc. Govt. 297
The People..had God to Friend in all.
1654 D. Dickson Brief Explic. Psalmes cv. 17. 51
... he ..should have a friend ...
1655 Vaticinia Poetica sig. A5,
His Friend seeming Foe.
1657 True Hist. Barbados By his own Industry, and activity,
(having youth and strength to friends,) ...
1658 Earl of Monmouth tr. P. Paruta Hist. Venice vii. 345
... and willingness to keep friends with ...
1659 S. Clarke Medulla Theologiæ vii. 57
By them [sc. afflictions] we are enabled to discerne our friends..;
He who is a friend in need, is a friend indeed.
1662 W. Bayly (title)
A general epistle to all Friends, who are called and gathered of God, called Quakers.
1672 R. Wiseman Treat. Wounds i. x. 130
The Child returned to her friends perfectly in health.
1675 Machiavelli Hist. Florence in Wks. iii. 61
Many other acts of beneficence ..and friends ....
1677 R. Cary Palæologia Chronica sig. hv,
... our studious Friend..is intent On Books and Reading.
1677 T. D'Urfey Madam Fickle iii. 26
Rust adds to an Antiquity, 'tis our Friend.
1678 J. Ray Coll. Eng. Proverbs (ed. 2) 142
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
1679 Established Test 24
He passes for one of their Friends.
1680 ? Five Merry Wives of Lambeth (single sheet)
Each had their private friend.
1681 J. Flavell Method of Grace xii. 258
O what a lovely friend is ...
1682 A. Behn City-heiress v. 52
Ha, who's there?.... If thou'rt a friend, approach.
1682 M. W. Rowlandson Soveraignty & Goodness of God xii. 32
...under the appearance of a Friend...
1683 R. Dixon Canidia iii. iv. 26
...Sacrifice to this Fiend, To pacifie their Foe, and make him their Friend.
1689 J. Hawles Remarks upon Tryals 9
... as amicus curiæ, a Friend to the Court, or a Friend to Justice.
1692 Jacobites Hudibras 12
...To dare to Try, Condemn, or Hang, Our best best Friends, ... Robert
1696 tr. J. Dumont New Voy. Levant 175
...whom they call Friends and Allies.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World ii. 23
... it be much better to be friends with ...
1699 Apol. Antonia Bourignon iii. 199
The Friend of God acts always with Meekness and Indifferency.
1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. ii. 112
... a Friend to all his other affections.
1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. vii. 177
The King had no Port to Friend, ...
1706 R. Estcourt Fair Example iv. i. 46
Because you are .. her Husband's Friend...
1708 J. Whiting (title)
A catalogue of Friends books; written by many of the people, called Quakers.
1708 Moral Reflexions Eng. Proverbs 202
For a Friend in Time of Need (and no other) is a Friend in Deed.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 39. ¶22
Modish came with his Friend to the Place of Combat;...
1710 Ld. Shaftesbury Soliloquy 30
The Minister, who was no Friend to the young Nobleman.
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 204. ⁋6
...with an Air of good Nature and Charity calls you Friend.
1713 J. Withers (title)
The Dutch better friends than the French.
1716 Pope tr. Homer Iliad II. viii. 250
Sole should he sit, with scarce a God to Friend.
1719 W. Wood Surv. Trade (ed. 2) 76,
I have shewn, how much it [is]... to be Friends to each other.
1721 Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov.
Friends agree best at a distance. By Friends here is meant Relations.
1726 Hist. Wars New-Eng
They..then march'd to Saco, where they slew David Hill a Friend Indian.
1727 Speech against Sir R— W—'s Proposal 10
In Regard to my Honourable Friend—I ask Pardon...
1731 Case of Opposition Stated 3
The Power of the State is at present employed against the Friends ...
1740 G. Fisher Instructor (ed. 5) 53
Your cordial and real Friend, ...
1740 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 592/1
... my noble Friend's...
1742 Hist. & Proc. House of Commons X. 95,
I am..glad of ... speaking...with my right honourable Friend.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones III. vii. x. 75 ..
‘Friend, I perceive some sad Disaster hath befallen thee.’
1753 Hist. Fanny Seymour xxvi. 166
... best Friend is....Robert
1763 Gentleman's Mag. Sept. 1763/1
..., his friend being present....
1765 Commissary i. 18
When a gentleman wanted a friend, I could supply him with choice in an hour.
1767 J. O'Keeffe She Gallant ii. i. 23
So, friend, ... I'll reward you ....
1769 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 580/1
My learned friend has likewise observed,...
1774 Impartial Hist. Rebellion xi. 129
The gen'ral..gave her leave, on the next day, Of her friends ...
1775 G. M. A. Baretti Easy Phraseol. 111/1
Chi siete voi? Amico o nimico? Who are you? Friend or foe?
1775 J. Adair Hist. Amer. Indians 167
...They first smoke out of the friend-pipe...
1776 Hibernian Mag. Aug. 537/1
... if counsel were called upon as Amici Curiæ, as indifferent friends ...
1782 J. Priestley Hist. Corruptions Christianity I. Pref. 20
... by a friend ... I shall be glad.
1782 J. Priestley Hist. Corruptions Christianity II. ix. 206
..were ... friends to marriage.
1786 Elfrida .
... the proverb ... that a friend in need is a friend indeed, what shall we not say in praise of ...
1791 M. De Fleury Divine Poems & Ess. 48
My glorious, all-sufficient friend.
1792 Deb. Abolition Slave-Trade 47
... my Right Honourable Friend who sits near me ...Robert
1796 M. Edgeworth Tarlton in Parent's Assistant (ed. 2) I. 23
Ay, go along with its best friend, ...Robert Morley
According to this website, "friends" is the 323rd most common word in the English language, while rupert.id.au has "friends" ranked at 284. Regardless of the ranking of "friend", it is an ancient word whose pedigree is confirmed in the Germanic language family.
While some critics correctly observe that the most time intensive aspect of my philological research is "copying and pasting" from the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary and manipulating certain aspects of the data, usually placing the information in chronological order for multiple entries, and changing the color of the fonts, I am inclined to think that some thought accompanies my efforts, even if the effort and results are not always observable, that is, they are occluded, from the causal reader.
It ironic of the human condition that "knowing" and "feeling" are mutually exclusive. regardless of how unreasoning individuals "feel" regarding this topic. Perhaps these qualities are combined, reconciled and transformed by an as yet unidentified alchemy called "friendship". As always, it remains for the Gentle Reader to determine the veracity of this suggestion.
The following references are courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary. Entries have been edited for space and secondary sources have been omitted.
Forms:
α. eOE friand (Kentish),
OE freod (prob. transmission error),
OE friodom (Northumbrian, dative plural, transmission error),
OE friond (chiefly non-West Saxon),
OE–eME freond,
OE (rare and chiefly late)–16 frend,
lOE frand (perh. transmission error),
eME ffreond,
ME frænd,
eME frent (south-west midl.),
eME freont (chiefly south-west midl.),
eME frieond,
eME frund,
eME vreond (south-west midl.),
ME froend (south-west midl.),
ME frond, ME frunde,
ME uriend (south-east.),
ME urind (south-east.),
ME uryend (south-east.),
ME vrend (chiefly south-west midl.),
ME vrende (south-west midl.),
ME 16 ffrend,
ME 16 freynde,
ME–15 ffrende,
ME–15 freende,
ME–15 freynd,
ME–15 frynde,
ME–16 freinde,
ME–16 frende,
ME–16 frinde,
ME–16 frynd,
ME–17 freind,
ME–17 (18– Eng. regional (north.)) freend,
ME–17 (18– Eng. regional (Northumberland) and U.S. regional) frind,
ME– friend,
15 ffrynde,
15 frendd,
15 friende,
15 fryende,
15 ureend,
16 ffreind,
16 ffriend,
16 ffrind,
16 freeund,
16 frennd;
Sc. pre-17 frend,
pre-17 frende,
pre-17 frennd,
pre-17 freyind,
pre-17 freynd,
pre-17 freynde,
pre-17 frind,
pre-17 frinde,
pre-17 frynd,
pre-17 17 freind,
pre-17 17– friend,
pre-17 18– freend.
β.
16 freine,
16 fren;
Eng. regional (Northumberland) 18– frin;
Sc. pre-17 freine,
pre-17 freyn,
pre-17 18– freen,
pre-17 19– frien,
18– freen',
18– frein,
18– frien';
Irish English (north.)
18– freen, 18– frien'.
Etymology:
Cognate with Old Frisian friūnd (West Frisian freon ),
Old Dutch friunt (Middle Dutch vrient, Dutch vriend ),
Old Saxon friund (Middle Low German vrünt ),
Old High German friunt (Middle High German vriunt , German Freund ),
and also (reflecting formal variation in early Germanic) Gothic frijonds
and Old Icelandic frændi , frjándi (Icelandic frændi ),
Old Swedish frände (Swedish frände ),
Old Danish (runic) frændi (Danish frænde ),
all ultimately showing uses as noun of the present participle of the Germanic base of free v.; compare -end suffix1. The antonym fiend n. shows a similar formation.
Meanings in other Germanic languages.
The meaning ‘person with whom one has developed a close and informal relationship of mutual trust and intimacy’ is common to the earliest stages of all the other West Germanic languages and Gothic; additionally, the meaning ‘lover’ is shown by Old Dutch and Old High German, and the meaning ‘relative’ by Old Frisian, Old Dutch, Old Saxon, and Old High German. ‘Relative’ is the only sense of the word in the Scandinavian languages, where sense A. 1 is expressed by the Scandinavian cognates of wine n.2
Form history.
The stem vowel in the West Germanic forms of the word apparently derives from a diphthong *iu , which arose by contraction of the vowel of the base of free v. (i.e. *ī , developed from earlier *ij ) with the vowel of the participial suffix (i.e. *u , developed from earlier *ō before *u of the inflectional ending in certain cases, e.g. the accusative plural); see A. Campbell Old Eng. Gram. (1959) §§120.3, 331.6 note 4, R. M. Hogg Gram. Old Eng. (1992) I. §3.19.(3), R. M. Hogg & R. D. Fulk Gram. Old Eng. (2011) II. §2.107.
In Old English, the expected form of the (unmutated) stem vowel is ēo (chiefly West Saxon and Mercian) and īo (chiefly Northumbrian and Kentish), as frēond , frīond . Kentish frīand shows unrounding of the second element of the diphthong. Forms such as frend are chiefly late and reflect incipient monophthongization of the diphthong.
In Middle English, forms with long close ē apparently coexisted alongside forms with short ĕ and forms with short ĭ (resulting from similar shortening of long close ē ). The testimony of early modern English orthoepists varies between short ĕ and short ĭ . The β. forms show loss of the final consonant.
In Old English the word inflects as a strong masculine, originally belonging to the class of agent nouns in -nd (see -end suffix1), which like the class of athematic root nouns (as e.g. mouse n., nut n.1), shows i-mutation of the stem in certain inflectional forms. Traces of the inherited inflection are also preserved in other West Germanic languages.
Compare the early West Saxon dative singular form frīend (late West Saxon frȳnd ; compare Old Saxon friund , Old High German friunt ) beside frēonde (also West Saxon), which is re-formed according to the regular strong masculine (a -stem) paradigm.
Nominative and accusative plural forms showing i-mutation are: early West Saxon frīend , late West Saxon frȳnd , frīnd (compare Old Saxon friund , Old High German friunt (Middle High German vriunt )); endingless nominative and accusative plural forms without i-mutation are: Mercian and occasionally West Saxon frēond , late Old English frēnd .
Beside such forms, re-formed strong masculine plurals frēondas , (Northumbrian) frīondas are found in Anglian (Northumbrian) and in sources showing Anglian influence, especially verse.
Reflexes of the Old English nominative and accusative endingless plural forms frīend , frȳnd , frēond , etc. survive in early Middle English as frend , freond , friend , frond .
Nominative and accusative plural forms ending in a vowel are very occasionally found in Old English, e.g. Northumbrian frēonde , frēondo , late Old English frēonde , and probably represent either analogical forms with -e (the nominative and accusative plural ending of disyllabic nd -stem nouns) or reduced forms of weak plurals; compare the early Middle English plurals friende , frende .
eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) ii. ix. 130
..he sceolde his freond þone betstan in neede ... Robert
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) iv. viii. 99
Hannibal ..., þæt he næfre ne wurde Romana freond.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 656
Ic ...þeos mynstres freond & þes abbotes ...
OE Crist III 912
... on gefean fæger, freond ond leoftæl, lufsum ond liþe leofum monnum ...
OE Cynewulf Elene 953
Elene gehyrde hu se feond ond se freond geflitu rærdon, tireadig ond trag, ...
OE Cynewulf Juliana 102
Wiðsæcest þu to swiþe sylfre rædes þinum brydguman... He is to freonde god.
OE Dream of Rood 144
Si me dryhten freond.
OE Laws of Cnut (Nero) ii. lxxiiia. 360
Gif ... ærran wer hæfde; & fon þa nehstan frynd to ðam landan & to þan æhtan.
OE Maxims II 44
Ides sceal dyrne cræfte, fæmne hire freond gesecean, gif heo nelle on folce geþeon ...
OE tr. Alexander's Let. to Aristotle §2. 224
... meder & geswystrum þu me eart se leofesta freond.
OE tr. Alexander's Let. to Aristotle §25. 240
He seoðþan wæs me freond & eallum Greca herige...
OE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. v. xvii. 464
He hine bæd & het, þæt he inlice þam biscope freond wære ...
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. xx. 13
Ða cwæð he andswarigende hyra anum, Eala þu freond ...
OE Wife's Lament 47
Min freond siteð under stanhliþe storme behrimed, ...
OE (Mercian) Rushw. Gospels: Matt. x. 21
..& ariseþ suna wið freondum ...
1200?c Ormulum l. 17960,
& wha se iss þatt bridgumess frend He stannt wiþþ himm.
1225a (▸c1200) Vices & Virtues 41
Of his aȝene wiue and ec of his auene frienden [MS friennden].
1393▸a Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 274
Unto hire dedly frend sche wrot.
1400a (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi l. 14569
To iurselem rede we þou wende, For þar es communli þi freind.
1400a (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3229
Frend,’ he said, ‘þou wend in hij vntil mesopotani.’
1400a(▸?a1350) Seege Troye (Sutherl.) l. 232
Of ffrendes [a1425 Linc. Inn freondis] haue ...
1400c (▸?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder l. 122
He degysed hym onon Þat hym ne knew frende ne fon.
1450a (▸a1400) Siege Jerusalem 98
... thou art in nede; Than ogh men frenshep to shewe in dede.
1481 W. Worcester tr. Cicero De Amicicia sig. c5,
Good men may neuir be frendes ...
1484 Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope ,
A trewe frend is oftyme better at a nede than a Royalme. Robert
1490 Boke yf Eneydos xviii. sig. Evj,
Playse the thenne to haue mercy of this poure desolate frende ...
1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) ii. viii. sig. k.viv,
... whiche were our fyrst frendes.
1508 J. Fisher Treat. Penyt. Psalmes ,
Frendes this day I shall not declare to you ony parte of the epystle.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. f. cclxiii,
Frende appease yourselfe, ...
1529 W. B. Scoones Four Cent. Eng. Lett. 11
Youre olde brynger up and lovying frende. Robert
1543 J. Bale Yet Course at Romyshe Foxe sig.
Fij, ... yt schuld haue the clergye to frynde.
1547 J. Harrison Exhort. Scottes sig. h.vv,
... of your best frendes.
1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes f. 78,
A faithfull frende is thing most worth. Robert
1561 Certayne Rules Christes Souldiers sig. Gii,
Make frendes with the foode of iniquity. not Robert
1572 T. Wilson Disc. Vsurye f. 10,
His treasure is his chiefe assuraunce and best frende. Robert
1574 E. Hellowes tr. A. de Guevara Familiar Epist. 44
The Citie of Sagunto was alwayes friend ...
1575 T. Lever Treat. Right Way from Danger of Sinne ii. sig Aviiiv,
...and named to be the friende of God.
1578 F. Lopez de Gómara Pleasant Hist. Conquest W. India 244
The Indian Comarcans being..friends ...
1580 T. Lupton Siuqila 118 The chiefe friende.... Robert
1584 B. R. tr. Herodotus Famous Hyst. To Rdr., I ende.
Your very friende. B. R.
1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 182/2 in Holinshed's Chron. II
He received his just reward of..a friend...
1592 A. Day Eng. Secretorie ii. sig. O3v, ...: to thy friends, inexorable.
1596 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) ix. lxv. 215
Henrie, Duke of Buckingham, third Richards friend-foe.
1598 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 iii. iii. 182,
I am good friends with ....Robert
1598 Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost v. ii. 404
O neuer will I..come in vizard to my friend,...
1599 J. Sylvester Miracle of Peace 45
The frend-foe strangers With vs, against vs.
1599 R. Barnfield in Shakespeare et al. Passionate Pilgrime sig. D7v,
...thy friend .. will helpe thee...
1600 E. Blount tr. G. F. di Conestaggio Hist. Uniting Portugall to Castill 33
... ioyning to a friend towne.
1600 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 i. i. 213
...and make friends with ....
1600 Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 26
Loren. Who comes so fast .. A friend.
1600 Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing i. i. 86
Mess. I will holde friends with ... Robert
1604 Abp. G. Abbot Reasons Dr. Hill Vnmasked iii. 121
... he was ... a friende to ... Robert
1610 Bible (Douay) II. 1 Macc. vii. 7
Let him punish al his frends and ayders.
1611 J. Davies Scourge of Folly 221
The friend that fainteth is a foe.
1612 H. Peacham Graphice ii. iv,
Shee is a friend to all studies, especially poetry.
1613 F. Beaumont Knight of Burning Pestle iii. sig. E4v,
... my best friend. Robert
1614 R. Tailor Hogge hath lost Pearle iv. sig. E4v,
I could now tell to friend ...
1620 J. Melton Astrologaster 74
In fawning and friend-seeming shewes.
1623 Xenophon Hist. 36
Passe you not with much labour many plaines, that are friend to vs?
1625 Relation J. Wilson in S. Purchas Pilgrimes IV. vi. xiv. 1261
... and agreed to ioyne with their friend ...
1631 B. Jonson Divell is Asse iv. vii. 22 in Wks. II
H' is friend to him, with whom I ha' the dependance.
1632 R. Brome Northern Lasse Prol. sig. A4v,
Gallants and Friends-spectators will ...
1637? T. Hobbes Art of Rhetoric iv. 76
A friend is he that loves, and he that is beloved.
1646 T. Edwards 3rd Pt. Gangræna Pref. sig. 4v,
... had so many friends in high places...
1651 N. Bacon Contin. Hist. Disc. Govt. 297
The People..had God to Friend in all.
1654 D. Dickson Brief Explic. Psalmes cv. 17. 51
... he ..should have a friend ...
1655 Vaticinia Poetica sig. A5,
His Friend seeming Foe.
1657 True Hist. Barbados By his own Industry, and activity,
(having youth and strength to friends,) ...
1658 Earl of Monmouth tr. P. Paruta Hist. Venice vii. 345
... and willingness to keep friends with ...
1659 S. Clarke Medulla Theologiæ vii. 57
By them [sc. afflictions] we are enabled to discerne our friends..;
He who is a friend in need, is a friend indeed.
1662 W. Bayly (title)
A general epistle to all Friends, who are called and gathered of God, called Quakers.
1672 R. Wiseman Treat. Wounds i. x. 130
The Child returned to her friends perfectly in health.
1675 Machiavelli Hist. Florence in Wks. iii. 61
Many other acts of beneficence ..and friends ....
1677 R. Cary Palæologia Chronica sig. hv,
... our studious Friend..is intent On Books and Reading.
1677 T. D'Urfey Madam Fickle iii. 26
Rust adds to an Antiquity, 'tis our Friend.
1678 J. Ray Coll. Eng. Proverbs (ed. 2) 142
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
1679 Established Test 24
He passes for one of their Friends.
1680 ? Five Merry Wives of Lambeth (single sheet)
Each had their private friend.
1681 J. Flavell Method of Grace xii. 258
O what a lovely friend is ...
1682 A. Behn City-heiress v. 52
Ha, who's there?.... If thou'rt a friend, approach.
1682 M. W. Rowlandson Soveraignty & Goodness of God xii. 32
...under the appearance of a Friend...
1683 R. Dixon Canidia iii. iv. 26
...Sacrifice to this Fiend, To pacifie their Foe, and make him their Friend.
1689 J. Hawles Remarks upon Tryals 9
... as amicus curiæ, a Friend to the Court, or a Friend to Justice.
1692 Jacobites Hudibras 12
...To dare to Try, Condemn, or Hang, Our best best Friends, ... Robert
1696 tr. J. Dumont New Voy. Levant 175
...whom they call Friends and Allies.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World ii. 23
... it be much better to be friends with ...
1699 Apol. Antonia Bourignon iii. 199
The Friend of God acts always with Meekness and Indifferency.
1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. ii. 112
... a Friend to all his other affections.
1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. vii. 177
The King had no Port to Friend, ...
1706 R. Estcourt Fair Example iv. i. 46
Because you are .. her Husband's Friend...
1708 J. Whiting (title)
A catalogue of Friends books; written by many of the people, called Quakers.
1708 Moral Reflexions Eng. Proverbs 202
For a Friend in Time of Need (and no other) is a Friend in Deed.
1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 39. ¶22
Modish came with his Friend to the Place of Combat;...
1710 Ld. Shaftesbury Soliloquy 30
The Minister, who was no Friend to the young Nobleman.
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 204. ⁋6
...with an Air of good Nature and Charity calls you Friend.
1713 J. Withers (title)
The Dutch better friends than the French.
1716 Pope tr. Homer Iliad II. viii. 250
Sole should he sit, with scarce a God to Friend.
1719 W. Wood Surv. Trade (ed. 2) 76,
I have shewn, how much it [is]... to be Friends to each other.
1721 Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov.
Friends agree best at a distance. By Friends here is meant Relations.
1726 Hist. Wars New-Eng
They..then march'd to Saco, where they slew David Hill a Friend Indian.
1727 Speech against Sir R— W—'s Proposal 10
In Regard to my Honourable Friend—I ask Pardon...
1731 Case of Opposition Stated 3
The Power of the State is at present employed against the Friends ...
1740 G. Fisher Instructor (ed. 5) 53
Your cordial and real Friend, ...
1740 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 592/1
... my noble Friend's...
1742 Hist. & Proc. House of Commons X. 95,
I am..glad of ... speaking...with my right honourable Friend.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones III. vii. x. 75 ..
‘Friend, I perceive some sad Disaster hath befallen thee.’
1753 Hist. Fanny Seymour xxvi. 166
... best Friend is....Robert
1763 Gentleman's Mag. Sept. 1763/1
..., his friend being present....
1765 Commissary i. 18
When a gentleman wanted a friend, I could supply him with choice in an hour.
1767 J. O'Keeffe She Gallant ii. i. 23
So, friend, ... I'll reward you ....
1769 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 580/1
My learned friend has likewise observed,...
1774 Impartial Hist. Rebellion xi. 129
The gen'ral..gave her leave, on the next day, Of her friends ...
1775 G. M. A. Baretti Easy Phraseol. 111/1
Chi siete voi? Amico o nimico? Who are you? Friend or foe?
1775 J. Adair Hist. Amer. Indians 167
...They first smoke out of the friend-pipe...
1776 Hibernian Mag. Aug. 537/1
... if counsel were called upon as Amici Curiæ, as indifferent friends ...
1782 J. Priestley Hist. Corruptions Christianity I. Pref. 20
... by a friend ... I shall be glad.
1782 J. Priestley Hist. Corruptions Christianity II. ix. 206
..were ... friends to marriage.
1786 Elfrida .
... the proverb ... that a friend in need is a friend indeed, what shall we not say in praise of ...
1791 M. De Fleury Divine Poems & Ess. 48
My glorious, all-sufficient friend.
1792 Deb. Abolition Slave-Trade 47
... my Right Honourable Friend who sits near me ...Robert
1796 M. Edgeworth Tarlton in Parent's Assistant (ed. 2) I. 23
Ay, go along with its best friend, ...Robert Morley
According to this website, "friends" is the 323rd most common word in the English language, while rupert.id.au has "friends" ranked at 284. Regardless of the ranking of "friend", it is an ancient word whose pedigree is confirmed in the Germanic language family.
While some critics correctly observe that the most time intensive aspect of my philological research is "copying and pasting" from the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary and manipulating certain aspects of the data, usually placing the information in chronological order for multiple entries, and changing the color of the fonts, I am inclined to think that some thought accompanies my efforts, even if the effort and results are not always observable, that is, they are occluded, from the causal reader.