Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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hnesce

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Wright's OE grammar
§434; §439;
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of material or its quality.
soft to the touch, yielding easily to pressure
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  • Wé habbað hrepunge þæt wé magon gefrédan hwæt bið heard, hwæt hnesce,

    • Hml. Th. ii. 372, 32
      • .

  • Wæter wolde wíde tóscríðan wác and hnesce,

    • Met. 20, 93
      • .

  • Þæt hnesce and flówende wæter,

    • Bt. 33, 4
      • ;
    • F. 130, 3
      • .

  • Wring on hnesce wulle,

    • Lch. i. 86, 3
      • .

  • Wyrce him hnesce bedd,

    • iii. 112, 1.

  • Næscum hræglum gegearwæd,

    • Mt. R. 11, 8
      • .

  • Ꝥ wæter and sió lyft bióþ hwéne hnescran gecynde; hí bióþ swíþe eáþe tó tódǽlenne,

    • 34, 11
      • ;
    • F. 150, 27
      • .

  • Eóde heó onuppan þá hnescan ýþa,

    • Hml. S. 23 b, 684
      • .
figuratively used:
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  • Ðæt hí áfeóllen on ðæt hnesce bedd ðæs gesinscipes, næs on ðá heardan eorðan ðaes unryhthǽmdes,

    • Past. 397, 22.
soft, tender (of young growth)
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  • Telge his hnesc bið,

    • Mt. L. 24, 32
      • .

  • Telge his nesc bið (telgu his hnisca bióðon,

    • R.
      • ),
    • Mk. L. 13, 28
      • .
yielding easily to force
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  • Þæt mon heardlíce gníde þone hnescestan mealmstán,

    • Ors. 4, 13
      • ;
    • S. 212, 28
      • .
of movement, action,
soft, gentle
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  • Hnescum fealle

    guttatim

    • Hpt. Gl. 408, 33
      • .
of condition,
soft, free from hardship
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  • Tó hnesscere wununge

    ad mollem sinum

    • Germ. 400, 500
      • .
lacking in energy.
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  • Ðone hnescan ðafettere,

    • Past. 453, 25
      • .
tender, gentle
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  • Lufu, næs tó hnesce,

    • Past. 127, 2.

  • Hnesce andswore

    responsio mollis

    • Kent. Gl. 502
      • .
yielding to temptation, inclined to wantonness, effeminate
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  • Se óðer heáfodleahter is gecweden forliger oððe gálnyss, þæt is þæt se man sý hnesce on móde tó flǽsclicum lustum,

    • Hml. Th. ii. 220, 4
      • .
unable to endure hardship, &c.
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  • Hwilc sió gecynd sié þæs líchoman, hwæþer hió sié strang þe heard and eáþelíce mæge þá strangan lǽcedómas áberan, þe hió sié hnesce and mearwe and þynne and ne mæge áberan þá lǽcedómas,

    • Lch. ii. 84, 13
      • .
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/52854.

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