English

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

Middle English torfer, torfere, torfayr, a borrowing from Old Norse torfǽra (a difficult road or passage) whence the Icelandic torfæra (an obstacle; a difficult drive, a difficult route) and torfær (of a path: difficult to negotiate), torfǽrr (hard to pass, adj), from tor- (hard, difficult) + fara (to go, pass). More at tore, fare.

Noun

edit

torfer (uncountable)

  1. (dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Difficulty, trouble.