ar fad

Irish

Alternative forms

• ar fhad (Cois Fharraige)

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Aran) IPA^(key): /ɛɾʲ ˈfˠɑd̪ˠ/, /əɾʲˈfˠɑd̪ˠ/
• (Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /ɛɾʲ ˈfˠad̪ˠ/

Adverb

ar fad

1. still (up to a time, as in the preceding time)

   An bhfuil sé beo ar fad?

   Is he still alive?

2. all, fully

   Glaofaidh mé an mhuintir eile ar fad.

   I’ll call all the others.

   Ní drochdhuine ar fad é.

   He is not all bad.

3. always

   Tá teach na mbocht ansin ar fad.

   There is always the workhouse.

   Is ag bisiú ar fad atá sé.

   It is getting better and better.

4. quite, clean (to the greatest extent, fully, completely)

   Sin scéal eile ar fad.

   That is quite another thing.

   Rinne mé dearmad ar fad air.

   I clean forgot.

   a mhalairt ar fad ― quite the contrary

5. altogether (without exception, wholly, completely)

   Tá sé lasmuigh de mo raonsa ar fad.

   It’s off my beat altogether.

6. away (on; in continuance; without intermission or delay)

   Bhí an tine ina caor ar fad.

   The fire was blazing away.

7. long, in length (with units of measurement)
   • 1988, Mícheál Ó Siadhail, Learning Irish, Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 100:

     Tá an t-oileán é féin timpeall’s trí mhíle ar leithead agus míle ar fhad.

     The island itself is about three miles wide and one mile long.

Synonyms

• (still): i gcónaí, fós
• (all): go léir
• (always): i gcónaí

Derived terms

• an cúrsa ar fad a thabhairt (“to come full circle”)