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Anglo-Saxon

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swéte

  • adjective
Dictionary links
Grammar
swéte, adj.
Wright's OE grammar
§129; §298; §434; §438; §443; §444; §553;
Sweet.
in reference to the senses (lit. or fig.)
of taste
Show examples

  • Ðis ofet is swá swéte,

      Cd. Th. 41, 12; Gen. 655.

  • Ðæt is for hwí se góda lǽce selle ðam hálum men séftne drenc and swétne, and óðrum hálum biterne and strangne,

      Bt. 39, 9; Fox 226, 11, 13.

  • Swéte ofer hunig

    dulcia super mel,

      Ps. Spl. 118, 103.

  • Gif hwá biteres hwes onberede, ðæt him þúhte beóbreád ðí swétre,

      Bt. 23 tit.; Fox xiv, 10.

  • Sweótran ofer hunig, Ps. Surt. 18, 11. ¶ used substantively :-- Wá eów ðe taliaþ ungód tó góde, biter ðing tó swéte and swéte belǽþaþ, Wulfst. 47, 7, (1 a) of food, sweet in sweet-meat, delicate:?-Swéte mete

    dapis,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 28, 29.

  • Se swéta mete ðe hié héton monna,

      Past. 17; Swt. 125, 19.

  • Wyt ǽton swétne mete (

    dulces cibos

    ),
      Ps. Th. 54, 13.

  • Fram swéttrum mettum a cibis luculentioribus, Wrt. Voc. ii. 6, 25. ¶ used substantively :-- Hé forlét eall ðæt ðǽr líðes wæs and swétes

    astu instructa vino epulisque deseruit,

      Ors. 2, 4; Swt. 76, 14.

  • Ys sáwl mín swétes gefylled

    adipe et pinguedine repleatur anima mea,

      Ps. Th. 62, 5.

  • Ne mæg se flǽschoma swéte forswelgan,

      Exon. Th. 311, 20; Seef. 95.
of smell, sweet, fragrant
Ðǽr wæs swíþe swéte stenc, Blickl. Homl. 145, 29. Wyrta wearmiaþ, willsele stýmeþ swétum swæccum, Exon. Th. 212, 22; Ph. 214. Swétum wyrtum with sweet-smelling herbs,
    241, 6; Ph. 652.
Wynsumra steám, swéttra and swíþra, 358, 15; Pa. 46. Of múðe cwom swecca swétast, 178, 20; Gú. 1247. Ðara swétestena wyrta, Bd. 3, 8; S. 532, 20.
of freedom from unpleasant taste or smell, sweet, pure, untainted:?-Mere in ðæm wǽre fersc wæter and swéte genóg (stagnum dulcissime aque), Nar. 11, 26. Ðá wæs ic gefeónde ðæs swétan wætres and ðæs ferscan dulci aqua potata gaudio, 12, 10.
Merum hlúttor wín oððe swerum, mero wíne (l. (?) mero swétum wíne), Wrt. Voc. ii. 56, 44. Drince on swétum wætre, Lchdm. ii. 134, 23. Bæþ of swétum ferscum wæterum, 194, 10.
of sound,
sweet, harmonious:?-Swég ðæs swétan sanges, Bd. 5, 12; S. 630, 23. Swég eallum songcræftum swétra, Exon. Th. 206, 26; Ph. 132. Ðá gehýrde hé ða swétestan stæfne, Bd. 4, 3; S. 567, 39.
in reference to the feelings, sweet, agreeable, pleasant:?-Mé swéte and wynsum wæs ðæt ic oððe leornode oððe lǽrde aut discere aut docere dulce habui,
    Bd. 5, 24; S. 647, 27.
Cristes onsýn on sefan swéte sínum folce, biter bealofullum, Exon. Th. 56, 29; Cri. 908. Hwæt déþ ðæt swéte word? Hit gemanigfealdaþ mannes freóndscipe and stilleþ mannes feónd (cf. a soft answer turneth away wrath), Salm. Kmbl. 204, 45. Geocc mín suoet ł éðe (wynsum, Rush., W. S.) is jugum meum suave est, Mt. Kmbl. Lind. 11, 30. Swoete and reht Dryhten dulcis et rectus Dominus, Ps. Surt. 24, 8. Ðú ðín swéte good sealdest þearfum, Ps. Th. 67, 11. Ða geógoðlustas ðe him swéte wǽron tó áræfnenne, Blickl. Homl. 59. 10. Hí mihton eáþe secgan sóþspell, gif him ða leásunga nǽron swétran, Bt. 35, 4; Fox 162, 16. Se swétesta láreów and se wynsumesta
doctor suavissimus, Bd. 5, 22; S. 644, 3. Hwæt ðé sý her on worlde swétast and leófast gesewen ðínra ǽhta, Blickl. Homl. 195, 20. Mín se swétesta sunnan scíma, Iuliana, Exon. Th. 252, 20; Jul. 166. Dohtor mín seó dýreste and seó swéteste, 248, 11; Jul. 94.
Etymology
[O. Sax. swóti: O. Frs. swéte: O. H. Ger. suozi: Icel. sœtr.]
Similar entries
v. hunig-, un-swéte; swót, swóte.
Linked entries
v.  swerum swót.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swéte.” 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/29745.

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  • swéte, adj.

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