Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

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cunnian

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
cunnian, p. ode, ade , ede; pp. od , ad , ed ; v. a.
Wright's OE grammar
§536;
to prove, try, inquire, search into, seek for, explore, examine, investigate, tempt, venture ; probare, tentare, explorare, requirere, experiri, periclitari
Show examples

  • Woldon cunnian , hwæðer. . .

    they would prove, whether. . . ,

    • Andr. Kmbl. 257
      • ;
    • An. 129
      • .

  • Mót ic nú cunnian

    may I now inquire?

    • Bt. 5, 3
      • ;
    • Fox 10, 34
      • .

  • Uncúþne eard cunnian

    to seek for an unknown home,

    • Exon. 28b
      • ;
    • Th. 87, 1
      • ;
    • Cri. 1418: Beo. Th. 2893
      • ;
    • B. 1444
      • .

  • Se cunnaþ Dryhtnes meahta

    he tempteth the Lord's might,

    • Salm. Kmbl. 454
      • ;
    • Sal. 227
      • .

  • He ðín cunnode

    he has proved thee,

    • Cd. 163
      • ;
    • Th. 204, 16
      • ;
    • Exod. 420: Bd. 3, 2
      • ;
    • S. 525, 15
      • .
with gen. To have, experience of,
to make trial of; periclitari, experiri
Show examples

  • Gódes and yfles ðǽr ic cunnade

    there I had experience of good and evil,

    • Exon. 85b
      • ;
    • Th. 321, 26
      • ;
    • Wíd. 52
      • .

  • Gif wada cunnedon

    ye made a trial of the fords,

    • Beo. Th. 1021
      • ;
    • B. 508
      • .
III.
Etymology
[
Orm. cunnenn to try, attempt :
O. H. Ger. kunnén experiri, tentare
.]
Derived forms
a-cunnian , be- , ge-
Linked entries
v.  a-cunnian be-cunnian ge-cunnian conned.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “cunnian.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/6842.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • cunnian, v.

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