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þearfa

  • adjective
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Grammar
þearfa, adj.
Wright's OE grammar
§401;
destitute of, needing (with gen.)
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  • Hrægles þearfa ic wreó mé wǽda leásne,

    • Cd. Th. 53, 25
      • ;
    • Gen. 866
      • .
Goth. þarba (with gen.)
the word is generally used substantively,a needy, poor person
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  • Ðearfa pauper, wædla

    egenus,

    • Wrt. Voc. i. 74, 21
      • .

  • Ðá sæt ðǽr sum þearfa æt ðæm burggeate,

    • Blickl. Homl. 213, 32
      • .

  • Ðá sæt ðǽr sum blind þearfa,

    • 15, 16
      • .

  • Ná ðæt án ðæt hé wolde mann beón, ac eác swylce hé wolde beón þearfa for ús,

    • Homl. Th. i. 140, 10
      • .

  • Fela sind ðearfan þurh hafenleáste ... Sind óðre ðearfan on gáste ... on ðás wísan wæs Abraham ðearfa, and Dauid, se ðe hine sylfne geswutelode þearfan on gáste, þus cweðende: 'Ic eom wædla and þearfa.' Ða módigan rícan ne beóþ þearfan ne þurh hafenleáste ne on gáste,

    • 550, 2-11
      • .

  • Nafa ðú nánes þearfan wedd mid ðé nihtlangne fyrst,

    • Deut. 24, 12
      • .

  • Gefyllan ðæs þearfan wambe,

    • Blickl. Homl. 39, 29
      • .

  • Mec mon biþeahte mid þearfan wǽdum

    (with the garments of a pauper)

    ,
    • Exon. Th. 87, 10
      • ;
    • Cri. 1423
      • .

  • Se biscop nǽre miltsiende nánum Godes þearfan,

    • Blickl. Homl. 45, 2
      • .

  • Ða gástlícan þearfan (ðaerfe, Lind.)

    pauperes spiritu,

    • Mt. Kmbl. 5, 3
      • .

  • Eádige sind gé þearfan on gáste,

    • Lk. Skt. 6, 20
      • .

  • Gener ðearfena

    refugium pauperi,

    • Ps. Spl. 9, 9
      • .

  • Ðearfena and earmra manna

    inopum,

    • Bd. 3, 6
      • ;
    • S. 528, 17
      • .

  • Ic sylle ðearfum

    (pauperibus)

    healfe míne ǽhta,

    • Lk. Skt. 19, 8
      • .

  • Syllan þearfon

    (egenis,)

    • Jn. Skt. 12, 5
      • .

  • Him gebyrode tó ðám þearfon (ðorfum, Lind.: ðarfum, Rush.),

    • 12, 6
      • .

  • Ðæt hé dǽlde þearfum and wædlum,

    • Homl. Skt. ii. 26, 59
      • .

  • Þearfum

    matriculariis (matricularius a poor person supported by a church ),

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 86, 50: 57, 1.

  • Þearfum

    pauperculis, miseris,

    • Hpt. Gl. 458, 13
      • .

  • Hé démeþ fyrhte þearfan swylce hé þearfena bearn hǽleþ

    judicabit pauperes, et salvos faciet filios pauperum,

    • Ps. Th. 71, 4
      • .

  • Þearfan ic lǽrde, ðæt hié heora wædle gefeán hæfdon,

    • Blickl. Homl. 185, 17
      • .

  • Ic lǽre ge ða welegan ge þa þearfan,

    • 107, 12
      • .
Besides enjoining almsgiving the church directly assisted the poor by assigning a certain proportion of the tithes to those whom it called Godes þearfan. Thus in general terms it is said :--
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  • Wé willaþ myngian freónda gehwylcne, ðæt hí Godes þearfan fréfrian and fédan,

    • L. Eth. vi. 46;
    • Th. i. 326, 24
      • ;
and in reference to tithe :--
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  • Þridda dǽl ðare teóðunge, ðe tó circan gebyrige, gá Godes þearfum and earmum þeówetlingum,

    • ix. 6
      • ;
    • Th. i. 342, 9
      • :
in return the poor were exhorted to intercede for the people whose alms they received :--
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  • Wé lǽraþ, ðæt preóstas, þonne hí ða ælmessan ðǽlan, ða þearfan georne biddan, ðæt hig for ðæt folc þingian,

    • L. Edg. C. 56
      • ;
    • Th. ii. 256, 11
      • .
From other sources the poor derived benefit; certain fines were devoted to their use
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  • Gebéte hé .xxx. sciłł., and sié ðæt feoh gedǽled ðǽm þearfum, ðe on ða[m] tún[e] synd,

    • L. Ath. prm.
      • ;
    • Th. i. 198, 12
      • .

  • Gif feohbót áríseþ, ðæt gebyreþ rihtlíce ... tó þearfena hyððe,

    • L. Eth. vi. 51
      • ;
    • Th. i. 328, 6
      • .
Etymology
Ego egenus et pauper sum, þet is: Ic em þarna and wrecche, O. E. Homl. i. 115, 8.
Goth. þarba a poor person.
Similar entries
v. ofer-, weoruld-þearfa; þorfa.
Linked entries
v.  EARM þorfa.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “þearfa.” 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/31564.

Checked: 2
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  • þearfa, adj.

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