Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

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swefan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
swefan, p. swæf, pl. swǽfon; pp. swefen
Wright's OE grammar
§505;
To sleep.
of natural sleep
Show examples

  • Se ne slǽpeþ ne swefeþ (or III a) swýðe

    non dormitavit neque obdormiet,

      Ps. Th. 120, 4.
  • Hé swifeþ slǽpe gebiesgad. Exon. Th. 358, 1 ; Pa. 39.

  • Hé sófte swæf. Cd. Th. 12, 2

    ;
      Gen. 179: 94, 19 ; Gen. 1564.

  • Sceótend swǽfon, ða ðæt hornreced healdan scoldon,

      Beo. Th. 1411; B. 703: 2564; B. 1280.

  • Ðú móst sorhleás swefan,

      3348; B. 1672: 238; B. 119.
  • Geseah hé in recede swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere, 1462 ; B. 729 : Exon. Th. 344, 25 ; Gn. Ex. 179.

  • Swefan under swegles hleó,

      Andr. Kmbl. 1663; An. 834.

  • Swefan on slǽpe,

      1695; An. 851.
of the sleep of death
Show examples

  • Se fǽge þegn æfter billes bite swefeþ,

      Beo. Th. 4127 ; B. 2060.
  • Se wyrm ligeþ, swefeþ sáre wund, 5485 ; B. 2746.
  • Swefaþ ða ðe beadogríman býwan sceoldon, 4505 ; B. 2256.

  • Hý deáðdrepe drihte swǽfon, synfullra sweót sáwlum lunnon, Cd.

    Th.

      209, 7; Exod. 495.

  • Hǽðene swǽfon, deáðwang ridon,

      Andr. Kmbl. 2004; An. 1004.

  • Hláfurd sécan oððe hér swefan,

      Vald. 1. 31.
metaphorically,
to denote lack of watchfulness
Show examples

  • Ðonne se weard swefeþ, sáwele hyrde,

      Beo. Th. 3487; B. 1741.
to denote cessation of activity
Show examples

  • Swǽfon seledreámas,

      Cd. Th. 179, 29; Exod. 36.
Etymology
[Cf. Þa sæ sweuede, Laym. 25548. Icel. sofa; p. svaf to sleep: Dan. sove : Swed. sofwa.]
Similar entries
v. swebban.
Linked entries
v.  sweofot.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swefan.” 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/29595.

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Full form

Word-wheel

  • swefan, v.

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