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Anglo-Saxon

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swǽr

  • adjective
Dictionary links
Grammar
swǽr, swǽre, and swár; adj. [
  • Halliwell
gives sweer unwilling as a Northumbrian word, and swere dull, heavy, as a Durham one. In
  • Jamieson's Dictionary
the forms sweir, swere, sweer, swear are given with meanings lazy, indolent; unwilling; unwilling to give.]
Wright's OE grammar
§119;
heavy as a burden, of great weight (lit. or fig.), oppressive
Show examples

  • Swǽr is seó byrðen ðe Godes bydel beran sceall, gif hé nele georne unriht forbeódan,

    • L. I. P. 5
      • ;
    • Th. ii. 308, 35: Wulfst. 178, 8.

  • Hé bið deófles tempel, and byrð swíðe swǽre byrðene on his bæce,

    • Homl. Th. i. 212, 4.

  • Ðæt swǽre gioc underlútan,

    • Met. 10, 20.

  • His wǽpna syndon swǽre tó berenne, ac Cristes geoc is wynsum,

    • Basil admn. 2
      • ;
    • Norm. 36, 14.

  • Sorh biþ swǽrost byrðen,

    • Salm. Kmbl. 623
      • ;
    • Sal. 311.

  • Gif míne synna wǽron áwegene on ánre wǽgan, ðonne wǽron hí swǽrran gesewene ðonne sandcorn on sǽ,

    • Homl. Th. ii. 454, 24.
heavy, grievous, painful, unpleasant
Show examples

  • Him yldo ne derede, ne suht swáre,

    • Cd. Th. 30, 24
      • ;
    • Gen. 472.

  • Swár leger,

    • Exon. Th. 101, 21
      • ;
    • Cri. 1662 : 201, 15
      • ;
    • Ph. 56.

  • Gebrec swár and swíðlíc

    a crash grievous and great

    ,
    • 59, 19
      • ;
    • Cri. 955.

  • Ðæt hé swǽre áhweorfe hæftnéd hefige,

    • Ps. Th. 125, 1.

  • Ðú þolades swár gewin,

    • Exon. Th. 86, 22
      • ;
    • Cri. 1412.

  • Geswencean mid swárum wítum,

    • Homl. Skt. i. 4, 181.

  • Ða swáran (swǽranother MSS .), wíta onfón,

    • 19, 46.

  • Is swǽrra ðínra synna ród, ðonne seó óþer wæs, ðe ic ǽr ástág,

    • Exon. Th. 91, 10
      • ;
    • Cri. 1490.

  • Nis ðys eall geswinc? and gyt mycele swǽrran ealle ða ungelimp ðe on ðysum lífe becumaþ,

    • Hexam. 20
      • ;
    • Norm. 28, 26.
heavy, sad, feeling or expressing grief
Show examples

  • Ðæt swǽre

    triste

    ,
    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 88, 49.

  • Mé is swǽre stefn, hefig, gnorniende

    vox gemitus mei

    ,
    • Ps. Th. 101, 4.
of sin or evil, grave, grievous
Show examples

  • Be hefigtýmum gyllum. Se bróðor se ðe mid swǽrra gylta hæfene bið gedered

    de grauioribus culpis. Frater qui grauioris culpe noxa tenetur

    ,
    • R. Ben. 49, 13.

  • On scyldum swǽrum

    in delictis

    ,
    • Ps. Th. 67, 21.

  • Gebundene swárum (var. swǽrum) gyltum,

    • Anglia xi. 113, 38.

  • Ða swǽran gyltas ðe hí ádrugon,

    • Homl. Th. i. 340, 27.

  • Ðú micele swǽrran synna gefremodest,

    • 54, 33.
of physical or mental inactivity, heavy, slow, dull, sluggish, slothful, indolent
Show examples

  • Snuér

    desis

    ,
    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 105, 79.

  • Swǽr

    deses

    ,
    • 25, 12.

  • Ðú yfle esne and swǽr (swér, Lind.)

    serve male et piger

    ,
    • Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 25, 26.

  • Sum welig man wæs swangor and swǽr, and him wæs láð þearfendum mannum mete tó syllenne,

    • Wulfst. 257, 12.

  • Nis hé swár ne swongor

    non est tarda

    ,
    • Exon. Th. 220, 4
      • ;
    • Ph. 315.

  • On swárran ðisum líchoman

    in gravi isto corpore

    ,
    • Hymn. Surt. 13, 15.
inactive from weakness, enfeebled, weak
Show examples

  • -- Mé is mín gást swǽr geworden

    defecit spiritus meus,

    • Ps. Th. 142, 7.
of sleep, heavy
Show examples

  • :-- Swá fram slǽpe hwylc swǽrum áríse,

    • Ps. Th. 72, 15.

  • Gehefegod mid ðam swǽran slǽpe,

    • Basil admn. 1
      • ;
    • Norm. 34, 3.
Etymology
[Forr hefig forr sware unngriþþ, Orm. 16280.
Goth. swérs grave, honoured
:
O. Sax. swári grievous (sin, sickness)
:
O. Frs. swére
:
O. H. Ger. swár, swári gravis, onerosus
:
Ger. schwer
:
Icel. svárr (a poetic word) heavy, grave.]
Similar entries
v. ge-swǽre.
Linked entries
v.  swǽrlíce swǽr-mód swár swár-.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swǽr.” 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/29506.

Checked: 2
Full form

Word-wheel

  • swǽr, adj.

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