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spyrian

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
spyrian, p. ede, ode
Wright's OE grammar
§525;
to track, go in a track (v. spor, spyre*-*man),
follow, make a journey in search of something
Show examples

  • Deáð spyraþ (spyreþ,

      Met. 27, 9) ǽlce dæge æfter fuglum and æfter diórum and æfter monnum, and ne forlǽt nán swæþ, ǽr hé geféhþ ðæt, ðæt hé æfter spyreþ, Bt. 39, 1; Fox 210, 28-212, I. Nyle deáð ǽnig swæð forlǽtan, ǽr hé gehende ðæt hé hwíle ǽr æfter spyrede, Met. 27, 16.

  • Mon mæg giet gesión hiora swæð ac wé him ne cunnon æfter spyrigean

    we can still see their track, but we do not know how to follow the track after them,

      Past. pref.; Swt. 5, 16.
to maku a track, go
Show examples

  • Mec fugles wyn geond speddropum spyrede geneahhe . . . beám telge swealg stóp eft on mec síþade sweartlást

    me (a book) throughout the bird's joy (the pen) with drops made frequent tracks, . . . swallowed the tree's dye (ink), stepped on to me, journeyed with footprints black,

      Exon. Th. 408, 7; Rä. 27, 8.

  • Syndan onhrérede anlícast hú druncen hwylc spyrige

    as any drunken man makes his way,

      Ps. Th. 106, 26.
to enquire, investigate, examine
Show examples

  • Ðá cwæþ se wísdóm: 'Hwí . . . ?' Ðá andswarode ic: 'Genóh ryhte ðú spyrast, swá hit is swá ðú segst,

      Bt. 26, 2; Fox 92, 18.

  • Hí spyredan hwæt and hwonan hé wæs

    investigantes unde vel quis esset,

      Bd. 1, 33; S. 499, 11.

  • Geléfe hé ðæt wit on riht spirien (spyrigen, Cott. MS.)

    let him believe that we conduct the enquiry aright,

      Bt. 38, 2; Fox 198, 27.

  • Uton spirian (spyrian,

      MSS. G. I.) be
    bócan, hwæt ða gefóran, ða ðe God lufedon, Wulfst. 130, 11.

  • Ic ongann ðíne sprǽce spyrian georne

    ut meditarer eloquia tua,

      Ps. Th. 118, 148.

  • Spirian

    enucleare,

      Hpt. Gl. 498, 16.

  • Spiriende indagando, inquirendo, 410, 52:

    scrutando, investigando, meditando,

      479, 20. III a. with æfter,
to enquire after or
into, seek to know about
Show examples

  • Ðære sprǽce ðe wit æfter spyriaþ

    the subject into which we are enquiring,

      Bt. 38, 2; Fox 198, 26.

  • Se ðe wile wíslíce æfter ðam hlísan spyrian, ðonne ongit hé, hú lytel hé biþ,

      18, 1; Fox 60, 28.

  • Wé sceoldon eallon mægne spirian æfter Gode,

      42; Fox 256, 1.
to search after, seek to attain
Show examples

  • Ealle men spyriaþ æfter ðam héhstan góde. Ac ne mágon ða yfelan cuman tó ðam hrófe eallra góda, forðam hí ne spyriaþ on riht æfter,

      39, 9; Fox 224, 24-27.

  • Hwý nyllaþ hí spyrigan æfter cræftum and æfter wísdóme,

      36, 6; Fox 180, 32.

  • Spirigan,

      35, 1; Fox 154, 19.

  • Hí ǽfre ne lyst æfter spyrian, sécan ða gesǽlþa,

      Met. 19, 33.
Etymology
[Speer, speir to ask in Scot. and North-E.: O. H. Ger. spuren, spurien investigare, indagare, sciscitari: Icel. spyrja to track; to investigate; to ask.]
Similar entries
v. á-, ge-, of-spyrian.
Linked entries
v.  spirian æfter-spyrian.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “spyrian.” 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/28609.

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Full form

Word-wheel

  • spyrian, v.

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