Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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swelgan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
swelgan, p. swealh, pl. swulgon; pp. swolgen (with acc. or inst. (dat.))
Wright's OE grammar
§320; §323; §476; §499;
To swallow.
in a physical sense,
of taking food, etc., by living creatures
Show examples

  • Se draca hig swealh, and hig eft áspáw,

      L.E.I. prm.; Th. ii. 398, 40.

  • Hé geféng slǽpendne rinc, bát bánlocan, synsnǽdum swealh,

      Beo. Th. 1490; B. 743.

  • Hé (

    a book-moth

    ) ðám wordum swealg,
      Exon. Th. 432, 15; Rä. 48, 6.
  • Laures ceówe and ðæt seáw swelge. Lchdm. ii. 230, 4.
  • Syle ðam cilde swelgan, i. 350, 14.

  • Swylgende (-fende, Wrt.) drenc

    a potion to be gulped down; catapodia (καταπότιον ),

      Wrt. Voc. i. 20, 22.
of absorption or reception by inanimate things,
to swallow, take in, drink, absorb
Show examples

  • Swá sond rén swylgþ,

      Bt. 12; Fox 36, 13.

  • Seó eorþe ðæt wæter swilgþ,

      33, 4; Fox 130, 6.

  • Swelgeþ,

      Exon. Th. 439, 27; Rä. 59, 10.

  • Eorðe wældreóre swealh hálge of handum ðínum,

      Cd. Th. 62, 19; Gen. 1016: 60, 22; Gen. 985.

  • Eorðe swealh Sethes líce

    the earth closed over Seth's body

    ,
      69, 32; Gen. 1144.

  • Heofon réce swealg (sealg, MS.)

    the smoke mounted into the air.

      Beo. Th. 6292; B. 3156.

  • Fugles wyn (

    the pen) beámtelge (ink) swealg, Exon. Th. 408, 9; Rä. 27, 9. lc(a horn )

    windesceal swelgan of sumes bósme,
      395, 29; Rä. 15, 15.

  • Hwílumic(

    a fortress

    )swelgan onginne beadowǽpnum,
      399, 7; Rä. 18, 7. (b 1) figuratively :--
    Ðonne líf and deáð sáwlum swelgaþ (cf. ðonne heofon and hel fira feorum fylde weorþeþ, 97, 17-20; Cri. 1592), 98, 7; Cri. 1604.
figuratively,
to take in to the mind, accept, imbibe (wisdom)
Show examples

  • Swelhþ

    affluit

    (the passage to which the gloss belongs is
      Prov. 3, 13, where the Vulgate has: Beatus homo ... qui affluit prudentia), Kent. Gl. 41.

  • Ðá ðam wordum swealg brego

    when the prince had heard those words,

      Exon. Th. 196, 25; Az. 179.
  • Háliges láre synnige ne swulgon, ðeáh hé sóðra swá feala tácna gecýðde. Andr. Kmbl. 1419; An. 710.

  • Wile se Waldend, ðæt wé wisdom á snyttrum swelgen,

      Exon. Th. 147, 32; Gú. 736.
with the idea of violence or destruction, to devour (lit. or fig.),
to consume, engulf
Show examples

  • Ic swelge wuda and wætre. Exon. Th. 499,

      20; Rä. 88, 18.

  • Líg eal þigeþ eorþan ǽhtgestreón, grǽdig swelgeþ londes frætwe,

      232; 16; Ph. 507.

  • Swá swylgþ seó gítsung ða dreósendan welan ðisses middangeardes,

      Bt. 12; Fox 36, 13.

  • Ða ðe swelgaþ folc mín

    qui devorant plebem meam,

      Ps. Spl. 52, 5.

  • Wælstreámas werodum swelgaþ. Cd. Th. 78,

      31; Gen. 1301.

  • Grundas swelgaþ Godes andsacan. Exon. Th. 97,

      21; Cri. 1594.

  • Nymþe líges fæðm swulge,

      Beo. Th. 1568; B. 782.
Etymology
[O.L. Ger. far-swelgan absorbere: O.H. Ger. swelgan glutire: Icel. svelgja to swallow.]
Similar entries
v. for-, ge-, of-swelgan.
Linked entries
v.  swylfende.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swelgan.” 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/29645.

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Word-wheel

  • swelgan, v.

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