(färˈÞər)
adverb A comparative of
far.
- To or at a more distant or remote point: ran farther than the others.
- To or at a more advanced point or stage: I went no farther that day.
- Usage Problem To a greater extent or degree: carried the idea farther.
adjective A comparative of
far.
More distant; remoter: the farther shore.
Usage Note: Since the Middle English period many writers have used
farther and
further interchangeably. According to a relatively recent rule, however,
farther should be reserved for physical distance and
further for nonphysical, metaphorical advancement. Thus 74 percent of the Usage Panel prefers
farther in the sentence
If you are planning to drive any farther than Ukiah, you'd better carry chains, and 64 percent prefers
further in the sentence
We won't be able to answer these questions until we are further along in our research. In many cases, however, the distinction is not easy to draw. If we speak of
a statement that is far from the truth, for example, we should also allow the use of
farther in a sentence such as
Nothing could be farther from the truth. But
Nothing could be further from the truth is so well established as to seem a fixed expression.
