An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/ver-
ver-, prefix; in its most frequent significations it is derived from Middle High German ver-, Old High German fir- (far-), which are probably a combination of several other unaccented forms. Compare the unaccented prefixes Gothic faír-, fra-, faúr- (see also fressen), which appeared in Old High German as fir- (far-). Gothic faír, fra, and faur appear to correspond respectively to Greek περί, πρό, and παρα, though their meanings do not coincide. Compare Sanscrit pári, ‘round about,’ párâ, ‘away,’ purâ, ‘before,’ prá, ‘before, away.’ — Most of the compounds with ver- (English for-) are based on Gothic fra-, which denoted ‘the opposite, deterioration, change.’