Adjacent Words

fervour definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the state of being emotionally aroused and worked up; "his face was flushed with excitement and his hands trembled"; "he tried to calm those who were in a state of extreme inflammation" [syn: excitement, excitation, inflammation, fervor, fervour]
2: feelings of great warmth and intensity; "he spoke with great ardor" [syn: ardor, ardour, fervor, fervour, fervency, fire, fervidness]

Merriam Webster's

chiefly British variant of fervor

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (US fervor) 1 vehemence, passion, zeal. 2 a glowing condition; intense heat. Etymology: ME f. OF f. L fervor -oris (as FERVENT)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fervor Fer"vor, n. [Written also fervour.] [OF. fervor, fervour, F. ferveur, L. fervor, fr. fervere. See Fervent.] 1. Heat; excessive warmth. The fevor of ensuing day. --Waller. 2. Intensity of feeling or expression; glowing ardor; passion; holy zeal; earnestness. --Hooker. Winged with fervor of her love. --Shak. Syn: Fervor, Ardor. Usage: Fervor is a boiling heat, and ardor is a burning heat. Hence, in metaphor, we commonly use fervor and its derivatives when we conceive of thoughts or emotions under the image of ebullition, or as pouring themselves forth. Thus we speak of the fervor of passion, fervid declamation, fervid importunity, fervent supplication, fervent desires, etc. Ardent is used when we think of anything as springing from a deepseated glow of soul; as, ardent friendship, ardent zeal, ardent devotedness; burning with ardor for the fight.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Note: in AM, use 'fervor' Fervour for something is a very strong feeling for or belief in it. (FORMAL) They were concerned only with their own religious fervour. = enthusiasm N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp