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Anglo-Saxon

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þearfa

  • adjective
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Grammar
þearfa, adj.
Wright's OE grammar
§401;
destitute of, needing (with gen.)
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  • Hrægles þearfa ic wreó mé wǽda leásne,

      Cd. Th. 53, 25; Gen. 866.
  • [Goth. þarba (with gen.).]
the word is generally used substantively,
a needy, poor person
Show examples
  • Ðearfa pauper, wædla

    egenus,

      Wrt. Voc. i. 74, 21.
  • Ðá sæt ðǽr sum þearfa æt ðæm burggeate,

      Blickl. Homl. 213, 32.
  • Ðá sæt ðǽr sum blind þearfa,

      15, 16.
  • Ná ðæt án ðæt hé wolde mann beón, ac eác swylce hé wolde beón þearfa for ús,

      Homl. Th. i. 140, 10.
  • Fela sind ðearfan þurh hafenleáste ... Sind óðre ðearfan on gáste ... on ðás wísan wæs Abraham ðearfa, and Dauid, se ðe hine sylfne geswutelode þearfan on gáste, þus cweðende: 'Ic eom wædla and þearfa.' Ða módigan rícan ne beóþ þearfan ne þurh hafenleáste ne on gáste,

      550, 2-11.
  • Nafa ðú nánes þearfan wedd mid ðé nihtlangne fyrst,

      Deut. 24, 12.
  • Gefyllan ðæs þearfan wambe,

      Blickl. Homl. 39, 29.
  • Mec mon biþeahte mid þearfan wǽdum (

    with the garments of a pauper

    ),
      Exon. Th. 87, 10; Cri. 1423.
  • Se biscop nǽre miltsiende nánum Godes þearfan,

      Blickl. Homl. 45, 2.
  • Ða gástlícan þearfan (ðaerfe, Lind.)

    pauperes spiritu,

      Mt. Kmbl. 5, 3.
  • Eádige sind gé þearfan on gáste,

      Lk. Skt. 6, 20.
  • Gener ðearfena

    refugium pauperi,

      Ps. Spl. 9, 9.
  • Ðearfena and earmra manna

    inopum,

      Bd. 3, 6; S. 528, 17.
  • Ic sylle ðearfum (

    pauperibus

    ) healfe míne ǽhta,
      Lk. Skt. 19, 8.
  • Syllan þearfon (

    egenis

    ),
      Jn. Skt. 12, 5.
  • Him gebyrode tó ðám þearfon (ðorfum,

      Lind.: ðarfum, Rush.), 12, 6.
  • Ðæt hé dǽlde þearfum and wædlum,

      Homl. Skt. ii. 26, 59.
  • Þearfum

    matriculariis (matricularius a poor person supported by a church ),

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 86, 50: 57, 1.
  • Þearfum

    pauperculis, miseris,

      Hpt. Gl. 458, 13.
  • Hé démeþ fyrhte þearfan swylce hé þearfena bearn hǽleþ

    judicabit pauperes, et salvos faciet filios pauperum,

      Ps. Th. 71, 4.
  • Þearfan ic lǽrde, ðæt hié heora wædle gefeán hæfdon,

      Blickl. Homl. 185, 17.
  • Ic lǽre ge ða welegan ge þa þearfan, 107, 12. ¶ Besides enjoining almsgiving the church directly assisted the poor by assigning a certain proportion of the tithes to those whom it called

    Godes þearfan.

    Thus in general terms it is said :-- Wé willaþ myngian freónda gehwylcne, ðæt hí Godes þearfan fréfrian and fédan,
      L. Eth. vi. 46; Th. i. 326, 24;
    and in reference to tithe :-- Þridda dǽl ðare teóðunge, ðe tó circan gebyrige, gá Godes þearfum and earmum þeówetlingum, ix. 6; Th. i. 342, 9: in return the poor were exhorted to intercede for the people whose alms they received :-- Wé lǽraþ, ðæt preóstas, þonne hí ða ælmessan ðǽlan, ða þearfan georne biddan, ðæt hig for ðæt folc þingian, L. Edg. C. 56; Th. ii. 256, 11.
  • From other sources the poor derived benefit; certain fines were devoted to their use

    Gebéte hé .xxx. sciłł., and sié ðæt feoh gedǽled ðǽm þearfum, ðe on ða[m] tún[e] synd,

      L. Ath. prm.; Th. i. 198, 12.
  • Gif feohbót áríseþ, ðæt gebyreþ rihtlíce ... tó þearfena hyððe,

      L. Eth. vi. 51 ; Th. i. 328, 6.
Etymology
[Ego egenus et pauper sum, þet is: Ic em þarna and wrecche, O. E. Homl. i. 115, 8. Goth. þarba a poor person.]
Similar entries
v. ofer-, weoruld-þearfa; þorfa.
Linked entries
v.  EARM.
Full form

Word-wheel

  • þearfa, adj.