An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/ver-

by Friedrich Kluge

ver-, pref.; in its most frequent significations it is derived from MidHG. ver-, OHG. fir- (far-), which are probably a combination of several other unaccented forms. Comp. the unaccented prefixes Goth. faír-, fra-, faúr- (see also fressen), which appeared in OHG. as fir- (far-). Goth. faír, fra, and faur appear to correspond respectively to Gr. περί, πρό, and παρα, though their meanings do not coincide. Comp. Sans. pári, ‘round about,’ párâ, ‘away,’ purâ, ‘before,’ prá, ‘before, away.’ — Most of the compounds with ver- (E. for-) are based on Goth. fra-, which denoted ‘the opposite, deterioration, change.’