Both farther and further have the same meaning and are very similar. However, there are certain differences between the two words that make one more commonly used than the other. These differences make further the undisputed winner in this verb bloodbath. Read on to discover the difference between these two words and which is the best choice for your writing. But before you go ahead and use further in your writing, it’s important to remember that further is not as common as farther.
Further is a word that’s associated with physical distance
While further and farther are both related to distances, they don’t mean the same thing. Further can refer to both physical and figurative distances, and both have different purposes. Further is more commonly used as an adverb to mean “further” or “more”. It also refers to progress towards a goal. However, there are instances where farther and further are used interchangeably.
In many contexts, the opposite of further is closer or nearer, although the specific meaning of these words depends on which part of speech the word is used in. When further is an adverb, the antonyms include nearer and closer. If it’s used as an adjective, the opposites are less and fewer. As a verb, the opposites of further are hinder and impede.
They have almost identical meanings
Although further and farther are similar in their common usage, they can differ slightly in their meaning. Further is a more vague term, whereas further relates to a specific distance. Although both words can be used to describe distances, the first one is more appropriate for certain contexts. For example, if we’re describing distances from a place, we might use further instead of farther. The same can be said for a time period, which may also be more specific than other locations.
Further is an adverb, while the opposite of further is near or closer. While the specific meaning of farther depends on its part of speech, further has a variety of synonyms. The words closer and nearer are antonyms for further in most contexts, while the verb farther is paired with the antonym farther. If you want to use a different word, make sure to check the antonyms.
They are not commonly used
In the English language, further are two words that have similar definitions, but they aren’t often used in the same way. While both words are adverbs, farther is considered formal in American English. While they are both correct as adjectives and adverbs, there are some situations in which “further” is better than “further”.
There are two main difference between further. Farther refers to physical distance, while further refers to figurative distance. While the two words are sometimes used interchangeably, further is generally preferred in sentences when the meaning is more specific. For example, farther is preferred as an adverb that means “further” or “further.” In addition, further can be used as an adjective that means “further away” or as a verb that means “further away.”
They are used differently in Shakespeare
The words further are used differently in Shakespeare. The first Lord uses this word to describe a place where the poor stag languishes. The next line states, “that from the hunter’s aim it had ta’en a hurt.” In this example, the word further is used differently than further. It is not clear to the reader what Shakespeare is trying to say. However, it is clear that Shakespeare uses the word in a different way from other writers.
Shakespeare adapted a number of word order innovations from his contemporaries, including blank verse. The Elizabethans had much more leeway when it came to word order, so Shakespeare took advantage of that. Inversion of word orders placed metrical stress on the words, which Shakespeare took advantage of. Shakespeare also relied heavily on vocal inflection, which is hard to translate into writing. Order inversion helped him make up for this shortcoming.