Etymology From Middle English morfounden, morefounden (“to take cold”), from Middle French morfondre (“to chill, to cool”), from Franco-Provençal mor, more (“snout”) + Middle French fondre (“to melt”), where the first part comes from Vulgar Latin *murrum (“muzzle, snout”), and the second from Latin fundere. Cognate with French morfondre. The noun is inherited from Middle English mareffownd, mareffownde, likely from the Middle English morfounden, morefounden (“to take cold”).
1
Obsolete, Rare To affect (an animal or person) with catarrh or coldlike illness.
As doth an hors morfounded by the waye / Whiche none accompte doth set by sporre ne thynge1509, Antoine de la Sale, The fyftene joyes of maryage, London: Wynkyn de Worde, page 44:
The court is a perpetuall dꝛeame, a bottomeleſſe whoꝛlepole, an inchaunted phantaſy, and a maſe: when he is in, he cannot get out till he be moꝛfounded.1548, Antonio de Guevara, “That in the Court of Pꝛinces All ſay We Will Do It, but None Do It” (chapter xii), in Francis Bryan, transl., A Dispꝛaiſe of the life of a Courtier, and a commendacion of the life of the labouryng man, London, page 131:
3 more examples
SOmetimes it falleth out that Hawkes are moꝛfounded by ſome miſchaunce,and ſometimes alſo by giuing them to great a goꝛge,ſpecially when they be wette.1575, George Turberville, “Of the Hawke that is moꝛfounded by ſome miſchaunce”, in The Booke of Faulconrie or Hauking, for the Onely Delight and pleaſure of all Noblemen and Gentlemen, […] Chriſtopher Barker, page 326:
Fourthly, ſuruay the ſcituation of Spaine, which generally yeeldeth moe rockes and barren hils, than champain and plaine fieldes, from which (after the midſt of Iune) they reape no profite till the next ſpring: their trees and vines excepted, neither haue they any great vse of their riuer waters, which are ſo troubled and extreme colde in the firſt part of ſummer by ſnowes, that deſcend from the hils by the heate of the ſunne, that they do not onely morfound and kill horſes, but alſo men if they haue not the dayly vſe of Garlike, which is eſteemed very profitable for them that drinke corrupted water.1590, Edward Daunce, A Briefe Discovrse of the Spanish State vvith a Dialogue Annexed Intituled Philobasilis, London: […] Richard Field, page 5:
What shall we thynke to do? if we lye here all this wynter, longe and colde nyghtes, we shal be morfounded and frosen to dethe: […]1812 [1523], Jean Froissart, chapter CLXX, in John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners, transl., Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Brittany, Flanders, and the Adjoining Countries, London, page 516:
morfound
noun
Etymology From Middle English morfounden, morefounden (“to take cold”), from Middle French morfondre (“to chill, to cool”), from Franco-Provençal mor, more (“snout”) + Middle French fondre (“to melt”), where the first part comes from Vulgar Latin *murrum (“muzzle, snout”), and the second from Latin fundere. Cognate with French morfondre. The noun is inherited from Middle English mareffownd, mareffownde, likely from the Middle English morfounden, morefounden (“to take cold”).
Cough and morfound.1633 [1590], Leonard Mascal [i.e, Leonard Mascall], “The Remedies and Medicines for Speepe and other Cattell”, in The Gouernment of Cattell, London: […] Thomas Harper for Iohn Hariſon, page 223:
Let him bloud in the Eye-veins, Temple-veins, or through the Noſtrils, and rub the places with young Nettles bruiſed ; or give a ſpoonful of Treacle or Mithridate in Wine, good for the Morfound.1683, “Turning Evil, Morfound”, in A Treatise of Oxen, Sheep, Hogs and Dogs; With their Natures, Qualities, and Uſes, London: […] Obadiah Blagrave, page 28:
1 more example
Bleed pretty well in the Temple-Veins, or through the Noſtrils,and rub the place with the Juyce of young, Nettles, and halt a pint of White-wine, give an Ounce of Methridate as hot as can conveniently be taken.1698, A. S., “For the turning Evil and Morfound”, in The Husbandman, Farmer, and Grasier's, Compleat Inſtructor, London, page 70: