further

Etymology

From Middle English further, forther, from Old English forþor, furþor (“further”, adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *furþer, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (a common preposition), equivalent to fore + -ther (a vestigial comparative ending still present in such words as other, either, whether, and, in altered form, in after); or as sometimes stated, as forth + -er. Cognate with Scots forder, furder, Saterland Frisian foarder, West Frisian fierder, Dutch verder, German fürder.

verb

1. (transitive) To help forward; to assist.
   Upon this he brought me a cotton bag and giving it to me, said, "Take this bag and fill it with pebbles from the beach and go forth with a company of the townsfolk to whom I will give a charge respecting thee. Do as they do and belike thou shalt gain what may further thy return voyage to thy native land." 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 558
2. (transitive) To encourage growth; to support progress or growth of something; to promote.
   Further the economy.
   to further the peace process

adj

1. (comparative form of far) More distant; relatively distant.
   See those two lampposts? Run to the further one.
   He was standing at the further end of the corridor.
2. More, additional.
   I have one further comment to make.
   This time Cudicini was left helpless when Natcho stepped up to expertly curl the ball into the top corner. That was the cue for further pressure from the Russian side and it took further Cudicini saves to keep the score down. November 3, 2011, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport

adv

1. (comparative form of far) To, at or over a greater distance in space, time or other extent.
   I can run further than you.
   I live a little further out of town.
   How was your company doing ten years further back?
2. (comparative form of far) To a greater extent or degree.
   Of the two civilisations, this one was further advanced.
   I do not propose to discuss it any further. - Please, let me explain just a little further.
3. Beyond what is already stated or is already the case.
   Chapter 10 further explains the ideas introduced in Chapter 9.
   Don't confuse things further.
   Further, affiant sayeth naught. (A formal statement ending a deposition or affidavit, immediately preceding the affiant's signature.)
   The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives.[…]who, if anyone, is policing their use[?] Such concerns were sharpened further by the continuing revelations about how the US National Security Agency (NSA) has been using algorithms to help it interpret the colossal amounts of data it has collected from its covert dragnet of international telecommunications. 2013-07-26, Leo Hickman, “How algorithms rule the world”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 26
4. (conjunctive) Also; in addition; furthermore; moreover.
   It is overlong, and further, it makes no sense.
   Further, besides sensible things and Forms he says there are the objects of mathematics, which occupy an intermediate position,[…]. 1924, Aristotle, translated by W. D. Ross, Metaphysics, Book 1, Part 6
5. (with to) Following on (from).
   Further to our recent telephone call, I am writing to clarify certain points raised.
   This example is further to the one on page 17.
   The Court notes that the applicant’s registration by the StB as their “agent” lies at the heart of the application. Although the Court has no jurisdiction ratione temporis to examine the registration as such, it observes that, further to his registration, the applicant was issued with a negative security clearance and his name and reputation were called into question. 14-02-2006, European Court of Human Rights, Turek v. Slovakia, number 57986/00, marginal 110