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Heralding Heretic Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
further/farther
Greetings,
I was wondering about the use of further and farther. I know further is used for metaphorical purposes and farther for physical distance, like:
Her distress intensified even further.
or
How much farther is the lake?
But what if it is a combination of both?
For example the following sentence:
In hindsight, I am glad we did not ascend the flight of stairs any further.
With the knowledge that in this sentence 'flight of stairs' is a metaphor for something else, do I use further or farther?
An other example is:
He was lured further into the sinister lair of depression.
Thanks.
I was wondering about the use of further and farther. I know further is used for metaphorical purposes and farther for physical distance, like:
Her distress intensified even further.
or
How much farther is the lake?
But what if it is a combination of both?
For example the following sentence:
In hindsight, I am glad we did not ascend the flight of stairs any further.
With the knowledge that in this sentence 'flight of stairs' is a metaphor for something else, do I use further or farther?
An other example is:
He was lured further into the sinister lair of depression.
Thanks.
Top answer
I don't think I ever use the word "farther". I use "further" for all meanings. According to Oxford Dictionaries, "further and furthest are now common in both senses [physical and abstract]".
- I don't think I ever use the word "farther".
- I use "further" for all meanings.
- According to Oxford Dictionaries, "further and furthest are now common in both senses [physical and abstract]".
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13 Answers
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I don't think I ever use the word "farther". I use "further" for all meanings. According to Oxford Dictionaries, "further and furthest are now common in both senses [physical and abstract]".
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Heralding HereticGreetings,I was wondering about the use of further and farther.This is one of the US/UK differences in English. The word "farther" is just used in American English http://grammarist.com/usage/farther-further/
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AnonymousThe word "farther" is just used in American EnglishWhat is that supposed to mean?
Both words are used in both varieties. In both, 'farther' is far less common than 'further.
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Farther is much more common in American English. It's not, normally used in the UK.
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AnonymousIt's not, normally used in the UK.I disagree with this. It less common than "further", and increasingly so, but it is simply not true to say that it is "not normally used". Assuming you believe the source data, the graphs below show very similar patterns of relative use and relative decline of "farther" across AmE and BrE:
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GPY AnonymousIt's not, normally used in the UK.I disagree with this. It less common than "further", and increasingly so, but it is simply not true to say that it is "not normally used". Assuming you believe the source data, the graphs below show very similar patterns of relative use and relative decline of "farther" across AmE and BrE:
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AnonymousThe distinction does not exist in the U.K. and elsewhere in the (British) Commonwealth of Nations, where further is preferred for all senses of the word and farther is rare.http://grammarist.com/usage/farther-further /I certainly agree that "further" is preferre
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AnonymousThe distinction does not exist in the U.K. and elsewhere in the (British) Commonwealth of Nations, where further is preferred for all senses of the word and farther is rare.http://grammarist.com/usage/farther-further /Anon, get away from that site and check
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Looks like I stirred up quite a discussion. 
Can I conclude that I can use further in both physical and metaphorical use? O
Can I conclude that I can use further in both physical and metaphorical use? O
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