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Anglo-Saxon

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swán

  • noun [ masculine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
swán, es; m.
a herd, particularly a swineherd; the herds of swine formed a very important item in the live-stock of the Anglo-Saxons. v. swín. For some account of the duties and rights of different kinds of
swánas, see L. R. S. 6, 7; Th. i. 436
Show examples

  • Suán subulcus, Wrt. Voc. ii. 121, 59:

    flabanus,

      108, 72.

  • Swán, 35, 66: bubullus (-cus?), in a list

    de suibus,

    i.
      286, 58: ii. 11. 59.

  • Hiene án swán (

    subulcus,

      Flor. Wig.) ofstang, Chr. 755; Erl. 48, 23.

  • Hé (Alfred) on sumes swánes (the swán is called vaccarius in the Latin Vita S. Neoti, but in other forms of the story, e.g. Matthew of Westminster's, he is

    subulcus

    and drives 'porcos ad solita pascua') húse his hléw gernde . . . Hit gelamp ðæt ðæs swánes wíf hǽtte hire ofen . . . and cwæþ tó ðan kinge: 'Wænd ðú ða hláfes ðæt heó ne forbeornen, for ðam ic geseó dæighwamlíce ðæt ðú micelǽte eart.
      Shrn. 16, 13-20.

  • Swána steorra (cf. swán-steorra)

    hesperius.

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 43, 39.

  • Oxena hierdas bobulcos, swánas

    subulcos,

      80, 18.

  • Cúhyrdas bubulcos, swánas

    subulcos,

      Hpt. Gl. 464, 23.
a man, warrior (? cf.
Icel. sveinn)
Show examples

  • Ne gefrægn ic nǽfre wurðlícor æt wera hilde sixtig sigebeorna sél gebǽran, ne nǽfre swánas swétne medu (swa noc hwitne, Hickes) sél forgyldan,

      Fins. Th. 78; Fin. 39.
Etymology
[The form which in later English should be taken by the word is swon, and this is found in Palladius on Husbandry: Thy swon may se thaire (the pigs') nombr and up save The oppressed pigge, 3, 1086. It has not, however, come into modem English; the corresponding Scandinavian form, Icel. sveinn =boy, lad, man, servant, on the other hand, remains in swain. Early instances of its occurrence are; His sweyn (also swain) Leir forþ sende þat was hiredman hende. Laym. 3512. Þreo cnihtes and heore sweines, 18128. Erl ne barun, knict ne sweyn, Havel. 273. Cf. too Dan. svend boy, lad, journeyman: Swed. swen. O.H. Ger. swén, like swán, =subulcus.]
Similar entries
v. ǽhte-, gafol-, in-swán.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swán.” 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/29540.

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Word-wheel

  • swán, n.

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