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Anglo-Saxon

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sceacan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
sceacan, scacan; sceóc, scóc; sceacen, scacen, scæcen.
Wright's OE grammar
§51; §57; §312; §508;
to shake (intrans.), quiver
Show examples

  • Gerd from uinde styrende łsceæcen de,

    • Mt. Kmbl. Lind. 11, 7
      • .
but generally used of rapid movement,
of living creatures, to flee, hurry off, go forth (cf. (?) colloquial shackto rove about)
Show examples

  • Ðá sceóc hé on niht fram ðære fyrde him sylfum tó myclum bysmore

    he fled at night from the English army to his great disgrace,

    • Chr. 992
      • ;
    • Erl. 130, 32
      • .

  • Hé sceóc dígellíce of ðære byrig

    he hurried off secretly from the town,

    • Homl. Th. ii. 154, 12
      • .

  • Sceócon módige maguþegnas morþres on luste

    they hurried on lusting for murder,

    • Andr. Kmbl. 2280
      • ;
    • An. 1141
      • .

  • Hé behét ðæt hé nǽfre siððan of ðam mynstre sceacan nolde

    he promised that he would not leave the monastery in a hurry again,

    • Homl. Th. ii. 176, 28
      • .

  • Hwí woldest ðú sceacan bútan mínre gewitnisse

    cur ignorante me fugere voluistil?

    • Gen. 31, 27
      • .

  • Deófol ongon on fleám sceacan,

    • Exon. Th. 280, 17
      • ;
    • Jul. 630
      • ;
    • Judth. Thw. 25, 34
      • ;
    • Jud. 292
      • .

  • Hí gewiton in forwyrd sceacan

    they hurried to perdition,

    • Andr. Kmbl. 3187
      • ;
    • An. 1596
      • .

  • On gerúm sceacan,

    • Exon. Th. 401, 20
      • ;
    • Rä. 21, 14
      • .

  • On lyft scacan, fleógan ofer foldan,

    • Cd. Th. 280, 32
      • ;
    • Sat. 263
      • ;
    • Beo. Th. 3610
      • ;
    • B. 1803
      • .
  • [

    Nes þer nan biscop ꝥ forð on his wæi ne scoc, naa

    ]
of material things,to move quickly, to be flung, be displaced by shaking
Show examples

  • Hwílum hára scóc forst of feaxe

    at times the hoar frost was thrown from my hair,

    • Exon. 498, 26
      • ;
    • Rä. 88, 7
      • .

  • Strǽla storm, strengum gebǽded, scóc ofer scyldweall,

    • Beo. Th. 6227
      • ;
    • B. 3118
      • .
of immaterial things (time, life, thought, etc.), to pass, proceed, depart
Show examples

  • Ðonne mín sceaceþ líf of líce

    when my life takes flight from the flesh,

    • Beo. Th. 5478
      • ;
    • B. 2742
      • ;
    • Exon. Th. 327, 4
      • ;
    • Wíd. 141
      • .

  • Swǽ giémeleáslíce oft sceacaþ úre geþohtas from ús ðæt wé his furðum ne gefrédaþ

    curae vitae ex sensu negligenti quasi nobis non sentientibus procedunt,

    • Past. 18, 7
      • ;
    • Swt. 138, 20
      • .

  • Seó tíd gewát sceacan

    time passed on.

    • Cd. Th. 9,2
      • ;
    • Gen. 135
      • .

  • Is nú worn wintra sceacen,

    • Elen. Kmbl. 1263
      • ;
    • El. 633
      • .

  • Ðá wæs dæg sceacen,

    • Beo. Th. 4602
      • ;
    • B. 2306, 5448
      • ;
    • B. 2727
      • .

  • Ðá wæs winter scacen,

    • 2277
      • ;
    • B. 1136
      • .

  • Wæs hira blǽd scacen

    their glory had departed,

    • 2253
      • ;
    • B. 1124
      • .

  • Biþ se wén scæcen,

    • Exon. Th. 50, 23
      • ;
    • Cri. 805
      • .

  • Biþ his líf scæcen,

    • 329, 25
      • ;
    • Vy. 39
      • .

  • Biþ týr scecen,

    • 447, 27
      • ;
    • Dóm. 45
      • .
to shake (trans.)
Show examples

  • Ic sceace (scace, scæce)

    concutio,

    • Ælfc. Gr. 28, 4
      • ;
    • Zup. 169, 7
      • .

  • Gúðweard gumena wælhlencan sceóc,

    • Cd. Th. 188, 31
      • ;
    • Exod. 176
      • .

  • Sceacas (scæcas, Rush.) ðæt asca of fótum iúrum

    excubite te pulverem de pedibus vestris,

    • Mk. Skt. Lind. 6, 11
      • .

  • Wæs sceacen

    vibratur,

    • Germ. 401, 47
      • .
to weave (cf. bregdan)
Show examples

  • Scecen wé plumemus (cf. windan plumemus, 83, 78;

    plumarium opus dicitur quod ad modum plumarum texitur, Du Cange)

    ,
    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 66, 80.
Etymology
[
O. Sax. skakan to depart; ellior skók he died:
cf.
O. H. Ger. untscachondes flutivagi,
  • Grff. vi.412
:
Icel. skaka to shake (trans).
.]
Similar entries
v. á-, of-, on-, óþ-, tó-sceacan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “sceacan.” 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/26487.

Checked: 2
Full form

Word-wheel

  • sceacan, v.

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