Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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hnesce

  • adjective
Dictionary links
Grammar
hnesce, hnæsce, hnysce; adj.
Wright's OE grammar
§434; §439;
Nesh, soft, delicate, tender, effeminate
Show examples

  • Hnysce hwítel

    linna,

      Ælfc. Gl. 63; Som. 68, 113; Wrt. Voc. 40, 23.

  • Hnesce on móde tó flǽsclícum lustum

    yielding easily to the lusts of the flesh,

      Homl. Th. ii. 220, 4.

  • Gefrédan hwæt biþ heard hwæt hnesce

    to feel what is hard, what soft,

      372, 32: Elen. Kmbl. 1226; El. 615.

  • Heó is hnesce on æthrine

    it is soft to the touch,

      Herb. 15, 1; Lchdm. i. 108, 1.

  • Síe ðǽr eác lufu næs ðeáh tó hnesce

    sit itaque amor, sed non emolliens,

      Past. 17, 11; Swt. 127, 2.

  • Hwæt getácnaþ ðonne ðæt flǽsc búton unfæsð weorc and hnesce

    quid enim per carnes nisi infirma quædam ac tenera,

      34, 6; Swt. 235, 15.

  • Ðonne hys twig byþ hnesce

    cum ramus ejus tener fuerit,

      Mt. Kmbl. 24, 32.

  • Ǽghwæt hnesces oððe heardes,

      L. de Cf. 9; Th. ii. 264, 6: Salm. Kmbl. 574; Sal. 286.

  • Ðonne geþafaþ him mon on ðære hnescean ólecunge

    eique mollities favoris adhibetur,

      Past. 19, 1; Swt. 143, 21.

  • Swá hé ðone hnescan þafettere on réceléste ne gebrenge

    ut remissis ac lenibus non crescat negligentia,

      60; Swt. 453, 25.

  • Ne gedafenaþ ús ðæt wé symle hnesce beón on úrum geleáfan

    it befits us not to be ever delicate in our belief,

      Homl. Th. i. 602, 12.

  • Mann hnescum gyrlum gescrýdne

    hominem mollibus vestitum,

      Mt. Kmbl. ii. 8; Lk. Skt. 7, 25.

  • Heó biþ hnesceum leáfum

    it is a plant with soft leaves,

      Herb. 6, 1; Lchdm. i. 96, 14.

  • Ic hæbbe hnesce litlingas

    parvulos habeam teneros,

      Gen. 33, 13.

  • Syle him etan hnesce ægere

    give him lightly boiled (?) eggs to eat,

      Lchdm. iii. 134, 22.

  • Ǽlc wuht biþ innanweard hnescost

    every creature is softest inside,

      Bt. 34, 10; Fox 150, 6.

  • Drihten nǽfre ne forsyhþ ða eáþmódan heortan ne ða hnescestan

    the Lord never despises the humble heart nor the weakest,

      Blickl. Homl. 99, 5.
Etymology
[A. R. nesche: Orm. nesshe: Chauc. nesh: Goth. hnaskwus soft.]
Linked entries
v.  hnæsce heard.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “hnesce.” 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/19362.

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Full form

Word-wheel

  • hnesce, adj.

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