Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

æ
þ

LǼTAN

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
LǼTAN, p. lét, leórt; pp. lǽten. The ellipsis of a verb in the infinitive, the meaning of which may be inferred from the context, not unfrequently takes place after lǽtan; and the connection of many of the meanings which follow with the simple one seems explainable in this way.
Wright's OE grammar
§119; §511; §513;
to LET, allow, permit, suffer
Show examples

  • God lǽt him fyrst ðæt hé his mándǽda geswíce

    God allows him time that he may cease from his crimes,

    • Homl. Th. i. 268, 32
      • .

  • Ðonne ne lǽteþ hé ús nó costian ofer gemet

    then he will not let us be tempted beyond measure,

    • Blickl. Homl. 13, 8
      • .

  • Gif Drihten ðé lǽteþ ðone teóþan dǽl ánne habban

    if the Lord lets thee have only the tenth part,

    • 51, 3
      • .

  • God lét hí habban ágenne cyre,

    • Homl. Th. i. 10, 19
      • .

  • Ne leórt ǽnigne monno tó fylgenne hine

    non admisit quemquam sequi se,

    • Mk. Skt. Lind. 5, 37
      • .

  • Ðá onlýsde hé hine and lét hine féran æfter ðam biscope

    absolvit eum, et post Theodorum ire permisit,

    • Bd. 4, 1
      • ;
    • S. 565, 3
      • .

  • Se déma lét ða módor tó ðam suna on synderlícre clýsingce

    the judge allowed the mother to come to the son in a chamber apart,

    • Homl. Skt. 4, 342
      • .

  • Se éca Drihten hine sylfne lét lǽdon on ða heán dúne

    the Lord eternal allowed himself to be led on to the high mountain,

    • Blickl. Homl. 33, 10
      • .

  • Drihten ealle ða gefylde ða ðe hié on eorþan léton hingrian and þyrstan for his naman

    the Lord had filled all those who let themselves, or were content to, hunger and thirst for his name's sake [cf. in Icel. láta with a reflex. infin.],

    • 159, 17.

  • Lǽt beón ealne dæg

    let it be all day,

    • L. M. 2, 22
      • ;
    • Lchdm. ii. 206, 25
      • .

  • Lǽtaþ ǽgðer weaxan

    sinite utraque crescere,

    • Mt. Kmbl. 13, 30
      • .

  • Léte

    pateretur,

    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 67, 4.

  • Hé lifde búton synnum ðeáh ðe hé hine léte costian,

    • Blickl. Homl. 33, 17
      • .

  • Lǽtan nánne lybban

    to let none live,

    • Ex. 14, 5
      • .

  • Se ðe mýn blód nolde lǽtan ágeótan

    he that would not suffer my blood to be shed,

    • Nicod. 20
      • ;
    • Thw. 10, 17
      • .

  • Léton,

    • Exon. 46 b
      • ;
    • Th. 152, 3
      • ;
    • Gú. 921
      • .

  • Gif ðú ðé wilt dón manegra beteran ðonne scealt ðú ðé lǽtan ánes wyrsan

    if thou wilt make thyself the superior of many, thou must allow thyself to be the inferior of one,

    • Bt. 32, 1
      • ;
    • Fox 114, 14
      • .
to let [alone], let go, give up, dismiss, leave, forsake, let [blood]
Show examples

  • Ne recce ic hwæt hí déman. Ic lǽte tó ðínum dóme má ðonne tó hiora

    I care not what judgements they make. I give myself up, or trust, to your judgement more than to theirs,

    • Bt. 38, 5
      • ;
    • Fox 206, 14
      • .

  • Hwý nelt ðú géman ðæt mín sweostor mé lǽt áne þegnian

    why dost thou not heed that my sister leaves me to serve alone?

    • Blickl. Homl. 67, 31
      • .

  • Hé lǽt his hláfordes gebod tó giémeliéste

    he leaves to neglect [neglects] his lord's command,

    • Past. 17, 8
      • ;
    • Swt. 121, 14
      • .

  • Lǽtt ðonne án ðæt gefeoht sume hwíle

    he lets the battle alone then for some time,

    • 33, 7
      • ;
    • Swt. 227, 10
      • .

  • Hé cwæþ tó him lǽtaþ ðæt nett on ða swíðran healfe ðæs réwettes ... hig léton

    dixit eis mittite in dexteram nauigii rete ... miserunt,

    • Jn. Skt. 21, 6.

  • Ðæt ic sylf ongeat ne lét ic ðæt unwriten

    what I myself knew, I did not leave unwritten,

    • Bd. pref
      • ;
    • S. 472, 26
      • .

  • God hine lét frigne

    God left him free,

    • Homl. Th. i. 18, 29
      • .

  • Ic lét míne wylne tó ðé

    ego dedi ancillam meam in sinum tuum,

    • Gen. 16, 5.

  • Se arcebiscop lét hit eall tó heora ǽgene rǽde

    the archbishop left it all to their own discretion,

    • Chart. Th. 341, 11
      • .

  • God hí hǽðenum leódum lét tó anwealde

    God left them to the power of heathen nations,

    • Jud. 1, 8.

  • Hé lét hí tó handa Madian

    tradidit illos in manu Madian,

    • 6, 1.

  • Ðá gyrnde se cyng ealra ðæra þegna ðe ða eorlas ǽr hæfdon, and hí létan hí ealle him tó handa,

    • Chr. 1048
      • ;
    • Erl. 180, 9
      • .

  • Gé forsáwon eall mín geþeaht and léton eów tó giémeléste ðonne ic eów cídde

    despexistis omne consilium meum et increpationes meas neglexistis,

    • Past, 36, 1
      • ;
    • Swt. 247, 22
      • .

  • Swá swá hit his yldran létan and lǽfdan ðam tó gewealde

    as his parents left and bequeathed it to be at his disposal,

    • L. O. 14
      • ;
    • Th. i. 184, 3
      • ;
    • Lchdm. iii. 286, 15
      • .

  • Hine eft ðǽm mannum hálne and gesundne ágeaf ðám ðe hine ǽr deádne léton

    gave him back safe and sound to the men who before had left him dead,

    • Blickl. Homl. 219, 22
      • .

  • Lǽt ðíne lác beforan ðam altare

    relinque munus tuum ad altare,

    • Mt. Kmbl. 5, 24.

  • Lǽt ðú him blód on ǽdre

    let blood for him from a vein,

    • L. M. 1, 4
      • ;
    • Lchdm. ii. 46, 22
      • .

  • Beó ðú be ðínum and lǽt mé be mínum

    be thou with thine, and leave me with mine,

    • Lchdm. iii. 288, 8
      • .

  • Gif hé tóþ of ásleá lǽt hig frige

    dentem si excusserit, dimittet eos liberos,

    • Ex. 21, 27
      • .

  • Lǽte hig frige,

    • 26.

  • Wé lǽraþ ðæt man ǽnig ne lǽte unbiscpod tó lange,

    • Wulfst. 120, 15.

  • Lǽte [ðæt feoh] án and fó se ágend tó

    let him give up [the property], and let the owner take it,

    • L. H. E. 7
      • ;
    • Th. i. 30, 9
      • :
    • 12
      • ;
    • Th. i. 34, 12
      • .

  • Hwilce hwíle hine wille Drihten hér on worlde lǽtan

    how long the Lord will leave him in this world,

    • Blickl. Homl. 125, 9
      • .

  • Hé sceal lǽtan his unnyttan geþancas of his móde

    he must dismiss his idle thoughts from his mind,

    • Wulfst. 234, 26
      • .

  • Ðonne hé hí nyle lǽtan tó hiera ágnum wilnungum

    quos in sua desideria non relaxat,

    • Past. 50, 4
      • ;
    • Swt. 391, 22
      • .

  • Hé nó be ðæm ánum lǽtan wolde ac ofer ðone gársecg ðone ylecan leóman ðæs fullan geleáfan áspringan lét

    he would not leave off when that [the spreading of the gospel over part of the world] only was done, but caused the same beam of the perfect faith to spring forth across the ocean [to England],

    • Lchdm. iii. 432, 16
      • .

  • Wið poccum swíðe sceal mon blód lǽtan,

    • L. M. 1, 40
      • ;
    • Lchdm. ii. 106, 3
      • .

  • Nis him blód tó lǽtanne,

    • 35
      • ;
    • Lchdm. ii. 82, 16
      • .
to let, cause, make, get, have, cause to be, place
Show examples

  • Ic hine symble gehýre and míne mildse ofer ðone lǽte

    I will ever hear him, and my mercy shall be upon that man,

    • Wulfst. 264, 11
      • .

  • Swá hí hiora lufe neár Gode lǽtaþ swá hí bióþ orsorgru

    the nearer to God they place their love, the more free are they from care,

    • Bt. 39, 7
      • ;
    • Fox 222, 24
      • :
    • 40, 7
      • ;
    • Fox 242, 26-28
      • .

  • Hé lét betwux him and mínum feóndum ðæt hé nǽfre gesewen [wæs] fram him

    posuit tenebras latibulum suum,

    • Ps. Th. 17, 11
      • .

  • Ðá fór hé norþryhte be ðæm lande lét him ealne weg ðæt wéste land on ðæt steórbord

    then he sailed due north along the coast: he had the waste land all the way on his starboard,

    • Ors. 1, 1
      • ;
    • Swt. 17, 10
      • .

  • Ða hé lét standan beforan ymbeútan ða eardungstówe

    quos stare fecit circa tabernaculm,

    • Num. 11, 24.

  • Hé sette scole and on ðære hé lét cnihtas lǽran

    he set up a school, and had boys taught in it;

    instituit scholam in qua pueri literis erudirentur,

    • Bd. 3, 18
      • ;
    • S. 545, 45
      • .

  • Se cing lét gerídan ealle ða land ðe his módor áhte him tó handa,

    • Chr. 1042
      • ;
    • Erl. 169, 19
      • :
    • 1023
      • ;
    • Erl. 162, 35
      • :
    • 1035
      • ;
    • Erl. 164, 22
      • .

  • Wit ðæt ðá létan and unéþelíce þurhtugan ðæt hé ðæs geþafa wolde beón

    with difficulty we got him to assent to it,

    • Bd. 5, 4
      • ;
    • S. 617, 17
      • .

  • Hí léton hig hádian tó bisceopum

    they got themselves ordained bishops,

    • 1053
      • ;
    • Erl. 188, 14
      • .
to make a thing appear [so and so], make as if, make out, profess, pretend, estimate, consider, suppose, think
Show examples

  • Ic léto

    existimabo,

    • Lk. Skt. Lind. 13, 18
      • .

  • Hé léttes

    arbitretur,

    • Jn. Skt. Lind. 16, 2.

  • Ne lǽtaþ wé

    non dissimulamus,

    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 62, 22
      • .

  • Ealle wé lǽtaþ efendýrne Engliscne and Deniscne

    we estimate all at the same amount, Englishman and Dane,

    • L. A. G. 2
      • ;
    • Th. i. 152, 12
      • .
    [Cf. Icel. manngjöld skyldi jöfn látin ok spora-höggit.]

  • Ðonne wé ðisses middangeardes welan foresettaþ and ús leófran lǽtaþ ðonne ða lufan ðara heofonlícra eádignessa

    cum mundi divitias amori cælestium præponimus,

    • Bd. 3, 19
      • ;
    • S. 548, 16
      • .

  • Fela is ðæra ðe embe bletsunga oððe unbletsunga leóhtlíce lǽtaþ

    many are there that esteem lightly of blessings or cursings

    [cf. Piers P. iv. 160-161 moste peple ... leten mekenesse a maistre and Mede a mansed schrewe. Loue lete of hir liȝte and lewte ȝit lasse: Orm. 7523- uss birrþ lætenn unnorneliȝ and litell off uss sellfenn and lætenn wel off oþre menn],
    • L. I. P. 6
      • ;
    • Th. ii. 310, 36
      • .

  • Gé beótlíce lætaþ

    ye boast,

    • Wulfst. 46, 15
      • .

  • Hý þencaþ and lǽtaþ ðæt tó warscype, ðæt hý óðre mágan pǽcan,

    • 55, 2.

  • Hé lét ðæt hyt Dryhtnes sylfes andwlyta wǽre

    he supposed that it was the face of the Lord himself,

    • St. Andr. 42, 9.

  • Ðá sendun hig mid searwum ða ðe rihtwíse léton

    observantes miserunt insidiatores qui se justos simularent,

    • Lk. Skt. 20, 20
      • .

  • Ðá léton hý sume ðæt ðæt mycel unrǽd wǽre

    some of them considered it a very bad plan,

    • Chr. 1052
      • ;
    • Erl. 179, 32
      • .

  • Manige léton ðæt hit cometa wǽre

    many supposed that it was a comet,

    • 1097
      • ;
    • Er1.234, 13
      • .

  • Ðæs ðe men léton

    as men supposed,

    • Erl. 234, 17
      • .

  • Hí hí selfe léton ǽgðer ge for heáne ge for unwrǽste

    they considered themselves as abject and undone;

    ultima propemodum desperatione tabuerunt

    [cf. Piers P. xv. 5 somme leten me for a lorel],
    • Ors. 3, 1
      • ;
    • Swt. 98, 22.

  • Léton ðá gedwealde men, swylce Simon Godes sylfes sunu wǽre.

    • Wulfst. 99, 7.

  • Ðæt man þurh ðæt lǽte ðæt hé sí ðæs legeres wyrðe

    so that for that reason it be considered that he is worthy of such burial,

    • L. Edg. C. 29
      • ;
    • Th. ii. 250, 17
      • .

  • Ðæt hé ða ðe him underþiédde síen lǽte him gelíce

    æqualem se subditis deputet,

    • Past. 17, 1
      • ;
    • Swt. 107, 15
      • .

  • Ðæt cild ðe læg on cradele ða gýtseras lǽton efenscyldig and hit gewittig wǽre,

    • L. C. S. 77
      • ;
    • Th. i. 420, 2
      • .

  • Ic wælle léta

    æstimabo,

    • Lk. Skt. Lind. 13, 20
      • .

  • Se ealdormonn sceal lǽtan hine selfne gelícne his hiéremonnum,

    • Past. 17, 1
      • ;
    • Swt. 107, 8.
to behave towards, treat
Show examples

  • Ðam elþeódigan and útancumenan ne lǽt ðú nó uncúþlíce wið hine

    as regards the alien and foreigner do not behave unkindly towards him

    [cf.Icel. björn lætr allblítt við hana],
    • L. Alf. 47
      • ;
    • Th. i. 54, 20
      • .
to let [land, etc.]
Show examples

  • Eádward cyning and ða híwan in Wintanceastre lǽtaþ tó Dænewulfe bisceope twentig hída landes,

    • Chart. Th. 158, 7
      • .

  • Ðá com sum óðer and beád máre ðonne ðe óðer ǽr sealde and se cyng hit létt ðam menn ðe him máre beád

    then some other man came and offered more than the other had before given, and the king let it to the man that offered more,

    • Chr. 1086
      • ;
    • Erl. 220, 10
      • .

  • Ðá hý létan him tó ðæt land æt Eádburge byrig,

    • Cod. Dip. Kmbl. iv. 76, 5
      • :
    • Chart. Th. 151, 6
      • .
with adverbs
Show examples

  • Ðás óðre lǽtaþ ðone n áweg on sopinum

    these others let the n fall away in the supine,

    • Ælfc. Gr. 28
      • ;
    • Som. 31, 60
      • .

  • Ælmǽr abbod hí lǽtan áweg

    they let abbot Aylmer go away,

    • Chr. 1011
      • ;
    • Erl. 145, 13
      • .

  • Ðá cwǽdon ða witan ðæt betere wǽre ðæt man ðene áþ áweg léte ðonne hine mansealde ... Ðá lét hé ðone áþ áweg

    then the witan said that it would be better that the oath should be dispensed with than that it should be taken ... Then he omitted the oath,

    • Chart. Th. 289, 24-30
      • .

  • Æt ealre ðære hergunge and æt eallum ðám hearmum ðe ǽr ðam gedón wǽre ǽr ðæt friþ geset wǽre man eall onweig lǽte and nán man ðæt ne wræce ne bóte ne bidde

    as regards all the harrying and all the injuries that were done before the peace was made, let it all be dismissed, and let no man avenge it or ask for compensation,

    • L. Eth. ii. 6
      • ;
    • Th. i. 288, 3
      • .

  • Petrus cnucode óþ ðæt hí hine inn léton

    Peter knocked until they let him in,

    • Homl. Th. i. 382, 23
      • .

  • Hé lǽt him eáþelíce ymbe ðæt

    he takes it easily,

    • Wulfst. 298, 30
      • :
    • Homl. Skt. 4, 342
      • .
Etymology
[
Goth. létan
:
O. Sax. látan
:
O. Fries. léta
:
Icel. láta
:
O. H. Ger. lázan.
]
Derived forms
á-, for-, ge-, of-, on-, tó-lǽtan
Linked entries
v.  aweg-lǽtan leórt.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “LǼTAN.” 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/21009.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • LǼTAN, v.

Copyright

All the data provided here are free for any purpose. If you use the data for academic purposes, we ask that you kindly cite us as your source. In case you need a large portion of the dictionary data or you need it in a specific format, let us know through the contact form, we are happy to do custom database dumps for researchers.

How to cite

You can cite the entries of the online version of the dictionary, or you can cite the scanned pages of the original paper editions.

  • To cite the online version of the dictionary, click the icon right under the entry.
  • To cite the scanned paper version of the dictionary, click the "show/hide this scanned page" link under the entry, check the scan and use the citation information right above it.