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of a wife. [Obs.] [Written also fear and feere.] Chaucer. And Cambel took Cambrina to his fere. Spenser. In fere, together; in company. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A portable bier or shrine, variously adorned, used for containing relics of saints. Mollett.

Bearing or conducting inwards to a part or organ; -- opposed to efferent; as, afferent vessels; afferent nerves, which convey sensations from the external organs to the brain.

An ensign; a standard bearer. [Obs.] J. Fletcher.

A bedfellow. [Obs.] Chapman.

An apparatus for conveying and distributing heat, especially by means of hot water circulating in tubes.

One who chaffers; a bargainer.

A circle; anything circular. His ponderous shield . . . Behind him cast. The broad circumference Hung on his shoulders like the moon. Milton.

Pertaining to the circumference; encompassing; encircling; circuitous. Parkhurst.

So as to surround or encircle.

A surveying instrument, for taking horizontal angles and bearings; a surveyor's compass. It consists of a compass whose needle plays over a circle graduated to 360º, and of a horizontal brass bar at the ends of which are standards with narrow slits for sighting, supported on a tripod by a ball and socket joint.…

One who suffers with another. Wycherley.

One who keeps treasures in a coffer. [R.]

One who is conferred with, or who takes part in a conference; as, the conferees on the part of the Senate.

more things together; comparison. [Obs.] Helps and furtherances which . . . the mutual conference of all men's collections and observations may afford. Hocker.

Relating to conference. [R.] Clarke.

A yielding of judgment or preference from respect to the wishes or opinion of another; submission in opinion; regard; respect; complaisance. Deference to the authority of thoughtful and sagacious men. Whewell. Deference is the most complicate, the most indirect, and the most elegant of all compliments. Shenstone.…

Serving to carry; bearing. [R.] "Bodies deferent." Bacon.

Expressing deference; accustomed to defer.

With deference.