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Anglo-Saxon

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swencan

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
swencan, p. te; pp. swenced, swenct (cf. swinkt = wearied, Comus v. 293)
Wright's OE grammar
§531;
To cause a person to labour, to cause trouble to a person
where no good is implied, to harass, vex, afflict, distress
Show examples

  • Ic swencu hió

    adfligam illos.

    • Ps. Surt. 17, 39
      • .

  • Hwí swencst ðú ðis folc . . . Pharaon swencþ ðín folc

    cur afflixisti populum istum?. . . Pharao afflixit populum tuum,

    • Ex. 5, 22-23.

  • Ǽlc deáþlíc man swencþ hine selfne mid manig*-*fealdum ymbhogum

    omnis mortalium cura, quam multiplicium studiorum labor exercet,

    • Bt. 24, 1.
      • ;
    • Fox 80, 6.

  • Eów nǽnig wiht ne deraþ ne ne swenceþ,

    • Blickl. Homl. 239, 12.

  • Suenceth

    defatiget,

    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 106, 3.

  • Defatiget, lassat,

    swenceþ,

    flagellat,

    • 138, 16.

  • Ða ðe mé swencaþ

    qui tribulant me,

    • Ps. Th. 12, 5.

  • Hwí swenctest ðú ( afflixisti) ðínne þeów?

    • Num. 11, 11.

  • Man swencte ðæt earme folc ðe on ðám scipon lágon,

    • Cl. r. 999
      • ;
    • Erl. 135, 32.

  • Hine wundra fela swe[n]cte on sunde,

    • Beo. Th. 3024
      • ;,
    • B. 1510.

  • Ða werigan gástas ðe mé swenctan and drycton

    qui me premebant spiritus maligni,

    • Bd. 3, 11
      • ;
    • S. 536, 37.

  • On ðínre hátheortnesse ne swenc mé

    ne in furore tuo corripias me,

    • Ps. Th. 6, 1.

  • Beorge hé ðæt hé áwóh ne befó, ðý læs ðe hine mon swence swá hé óðerne man þohte,

    • L. Eth. ii. 9
      • ;
    • Th. i. 290, 8.

  • Þeáh hine se wind woruldearfoþa swíðe swence,

    • Met. 7, 50.

  • Ðý læs ðe mon unmihtigne man tó feor and tó lange for his ágenan swencte

    lest a man of small means should be made to toil too far and too long for his own,

    • L. Eth. ii. 9
      • ;
    • Th. i. 290, 4.

  • Ne sceal nán mon siócne monnan gesárgodne swencan, ac hine mon sceolde lǽdan tó ðam lǽce,

    • Bt. 38, 7
      • ;
    • Fox 210, 20.

  • Hé ( William I) lét castelas wyrcean and earme men swíðe swencean,

    • Chr. 1086
      • ;
    • Erl. 222, 21.

  • Ðú ðec sylfne ne þearft swíþor swencan

    you need not trouble yourself any more,

    • Exon. Th. 245, 19
      • ;
    • Jul. 47.

  • Wítebendum swencan,

    • Andr. Kmbl. 218
      • ;
    • An. 109.

  • Perseus wæs ealne ðone geár Rómáne swíþe swencende,

    • Ors. 4, 11
      • ;
    • Swt. 208, 13.

  • Forhwon sindun gé swæncende ( molesti ) ðam wífe?

    • Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 26, 10.

  • Fram unclǽnum gáste swenced beón

    ab immundo spiritu vexari,

    • Bd. 3, 11
      • ;
    • S. 536, 11.

  • Mid ða ádle swenced

    affectus incommodo,

    • 4, 31
      • ;
    • S. 610, 21.

  • Swá gewinnfullícum fyrdum swencte beón

    tam laboriosis expeditionibus fatigari,

    • l, 12
      • ;
    • S. 481, 4: 2, 18
      • ;
    • S. 520, 36.
where a good result is intended, to mortify, chasten
Show examples

  • Ða sylfan, ðe hí mid ðám wítum ðreágeaþ and swenceaþ ( adfligunt ), lufiaþ eác,

    • Bd. 1, 27
      • ;
    • S. 490, 18.

  • Hí firenlustas forberaþ . . . swencaþ hí sylfe, sáwle frætwaþ,

    • Exon. Th. 150, 13
      • ;
    • Gú. 778.

  • Ða láreówas sceolan heora ágenne líchoman swencean on forhæfdnesse,

    • Blickl. Homl. 81, 6.
[
O. E. Homl. A. R. Laym. swenchen
:
Orm. swennkenn, swennchenn
:
O. H. Ger. swenchen verberare
].
Similar entries
v. ge-swencan; swincan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swencan.” 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/29661.

Checked: 2
Full form

Word-wheel

  • swencan, v.

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