Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

BÆC

  • noun [ neuter ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
BÆC, g. bæces; pl. nom. acc. bacu, bæc; g. baca; d. bacum; n. A
Wright's OE grammar
§54; §292; §310; §345;
BACK; dorsum, tergum [dorsum is opposed to venter, especially in animals; and tergum to frons, v. hricg]
Show examples
  • Mínra feónda bæc ðú onwendest to me

    inimicorum meorum dedisti mihi dorsum,

    • Ps. Th. 17, 38
    • .
  • Fýnd míne ðú sealdest me on bæc vel hricc

    inimicos meos dedisti mihi dorsum,

    • Ps. Spl. 17, 42
    • ;
  • myn enemys thou ȝeue to me bac,

    • Wyc. 17, 41
    • .
  • Ðá wendon hí me heora bæc to

    then turned they their backs to me,

    • Bt. 2; Fox 4, 13
    • .
  • Hí me towendon heora bacu

    they turned their backs on me,

    • Bt. Met. Fox 2, 29
    • ;
    • Met. 2, 15
    • .
  • Ǽr hí bacum tobreden

    before they turn their backs to each other,

    • Exon. 92 a; Th. 345, 20
    • ;
    • Gn. Ex. 192
    • .
  • ¶ On bæc

    retro,

    • Jn. Bos. 6, 66
    • :
  • and

    under bæc

    retrorsum,

    • Ps. Spl. 43, 12
    • :

    at his back, behind, backward,

    v. under-bæc.
  • Clǽne bæc hæbban

    to have a clean back, to be free from deceit,

    • L. A. G. 5; Th. i. 156, 6
    • .
  • Gang on bæc,

    • Mt. Bos. 4, 10
    • .
  • Gá on bæc

    go behind or away;

    vade retro,

    • Mk. Bos. 8, 33
    • .
Etymology
[
Orm. bac, bacch
:
Chauc. back
:
O. Sax. bak, n
:
N. Frs. beck, n
:
O. Frs. bek, n
:
O. Ger. pacho, bacho, m
:
O. Nrs. bak, n
:
Scot. back a body of followers
. Is it allied to the root in bígan to bow, as the N. Ger. buckel dorsum is to biegen?]
Derived forms
ofer-bæc, on-, under-
Similar entries
v. under-bæc.
Linked entries
v.  baca bacu bæc-slitol ge-bæcu bec.
Full form

Word-wheel

  • BÆC, n.