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Anglo-Saxon

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wén

  • noun [ feminine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
wén, e; f.
Wright's OE grammar
§122; §390; §562;
supposition, opinion, thought, idea
Show examples

  • Hí fleóð swá hrædlíce swá is wén ðætte hí fleógen

    longe fugiunt quasi putes eos volare

    • Nar. 37, 15.

  • Ðú (Joseph) fæder cweden woruldcund bi wéne (cf. Jesus erat, . . . ut putabatur, filius Joseph,

    • Lk. 3, 23
    )

    • Exon. Th. 13, 33
      • ;
    • Cri. 212.

  • Woeno

    opiniones

    • Mt. Kmbl. Lind. 24, 6: Mk. Skt. Lind. 13, 7.
hope, expectation
Show examples

  • Hié cwǽdon ðæt heó ríce ágan woldan . . . Him seó wén geleáh

    • Cd. Th. 4, 5; Gen. 49: 87, 10
      • ;
    • Gen. 1446: Andr. Kmbl. 2150
      • ;
    • An. 1076: Beo. Th. 4636
      • ;
    • B. 2323.

  • Ðæs ic wén hæbbe

    as I hope

    • 772
      • ;
    • B. 383.

  • Wéna mé ðíne (the unsatisfied hopes of seeing thee) seóce gedydon, ðíne seldcymas

    • Exon. Th. 380, 25
      • ;
    • Rä. 1, 13
      • .

  • Sibbe oflyste, wynnum and wénum

    • 464, 4
      • ;
    • Hö. 82.

  • Wénum

    hopefully, expectantly,

    • 380, 17
      • ;
    • Rä. 1, 9.
with gen. of what is hoped for or expected :
Show examples

  • On ðam is godcundnesse wén ðe manna ingehygd wát

    divinity may be expected in him who knows men's hearts,

    • Blickl. Homl. 179, 25: Exon. Th. 302, 21
      • ;
    • Fä. 39.

  • Wistfylle wén

    • Beo. Th. 1472
      • ;
    • B. 734.

  • Is leódum wén orleghwíle

    • 5813
      • ;
    • B. 2910: Exon. Th. 384, 16
      • ;
    • Rä. 4, 28.

  • Mé ðæs wén nǽfre forbirsteþ, ðe ic gefeán hæbbe

    • 236, 1
      • ;
    • Ph. 567.

  • Him wæs béga wén

    • Beo. Th. 3751
      • ;
    • B. 1873.

  • Weán on wénum

    in expectation of misery,

    • Cd. Th. 63, 4
      • ;
    • Gen. 1027: 191, 11
      • ;
    • Exod. 213: 163, 18
      • ;
    • Gen. 2700: Andr. Kmbl. 2176
      • ;
    • An. 1089
      • .

  • Ðín on wénum

    • Exon. Th. 474, 12
      • ;
    • Bo. 28.

  • Béga on wénum, endedógores and eftcymes

    • Beo. Th. 5783
      • ;
    • B. 2895.
likelihood, probability, chance
Show examples

  • Nú is wén micel ðæt heó mec eft wille gehýnan

    there is now a great probability that she will again humiliate me

    • Exon. Th. 280, 21
      • ;
    • Jul. 632.

  • Is mé on wéne geþúht ðæt ðé untrymnes bysgade

    it seems to me in all likelihood that sickness has troubled you

    • 163, 6
      • ;
    • Gú. 989.

  • Wén ic talige, gif ð æt gegangéþ, ðæt se gár nimeþ ealdor ðínne

    I reckon there is likelihood, if that comes to pass, that the spear will carry off thy prince

    • Beo. Th. 3695
      • ;
    • B. 1845.
in phrases such as wén is (ðæt) = perhaps, perchance, may be, probably
Show examples

  • Wénunge, wén is

    forsitan, i. forsan, fortasse

    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 150, 24.

  • Gyf gé mé cúþon, wén is ðæt gé cúþon mínne fæder

    si me sciretis, forsitan et patrem meum sciretis

    • Jn. Skt. 8, 19: Ps. Th. 123, 2, 3.

  • Gif ðú wistes, ðú uoen is (woen is mára, Rush.) gif ðú gegiuuedes

    si scires, tu forsitan petisses

    • Jn. Skt. Lind. 4, 10.

  • Cum mid ús, ðý læs wén is hí ús eft genimon

    come with us, lest haply they take us again

    • Blickl. Homl. 239, 9.

  • Ðý læs wén sié ðæt hine God gefreólsige

    • 243, 19: 247, 2.

  • Wén is ðæt ic gefyrenode

    perhaps I have sinned

    • 235, 32: 239, 29: Homl. Th. i. 92, 30.

  • Ne biþ his lof ná ðý læsse, ac is wén ðæt hit sié ðý máre

    his praise will not be the less, but may be the greater

    • Bt. 40, 3
      • ;
    • Fox 238, 11.

  • Him bið forboden ðæt hé offrige, forðæm hit is wén ðæt se ne mæge óðerra monna scylda of áðueán

    • Past. 11
      • ;
    • Swt. 73, 17.

  • Hit is þéh wén ðæt feala manna þence hwylcum edleáne hé onfó æt Drihtne

    • Blickl. Homl. 41, 14.

  • Hwæðer hyt wén sig ðæt ðú sig se ylca Hǽlend ðe Satan úre ealdor ymbe spæc?

    (

    perhaps thou art that Jesus of whom Satan spoke,

    • Gospel of Nicodemus 17, 12
    )
    • Nicod. 28
      • ;
    • Thw. 16, 35.

  • Mára woen is

    quanto magis

    • Mt. Kmbl. Lind. 7, 11: 12, 12: Lk. Skt. Rush. 11, 13
      • (Mára woen, Lind.)

  • Mára woen

    alio quin

    • Mk. Skt. Lind. Rush. 2, 22.

  • Nys hit nǽfre sóþ ðæt wé gelýfan sceolon ðám cempon . . ., ac ys bet wén ðæt (more likely) his cnyhtas cómon and heom feoh geáfon (perhaps his disciples gave them money, Gospel of Nicodemus 10, 29)

    • Nicod. 19
      • ;
    • Thw. 9, 13.

  • Hú mæg ic hit gefaran? ac má wén is ðæt ðú onsende ðínne engel

    how can I do the journey? but more likely thou mayst send thine angel

    • Blickl. Homl. 231, 23.

  • Nimðe wén wǽre

    ni forsan,

    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 93, 3.

  • Cómon hí tó Eald-Seaxna mǽgþe gif wén wǽre ðæt hí ðǽr ǽnige ðurh heora láre Criste begitan mihte

    (si forte aliquos ibidem praedicando Christo adquirere possent)

    • Bd. 5, 10
      • ;
    • S. 624, 13.
Etymology
[
Of þine kume nis na wene(expectation)
  • Laym. 28141.
Hit bið a muchele wæne it is very doubtful
  • 13503.
Wen iss þatt (probably) he wass forrdredd
  • Orm. 7152.
Efter monnes wene as men suppose
  • A. R. 390, note e.
Goth. wéns spes:
O. Sax. O. L. Ger. wán hope:
O. Frs. wénopinion:
O. H. Ger. wán opinio, existimatio, aestimatio, suspicio, spes:
Icel. ván hope, expectation.
]
Similar entries
v. next word.
Linked entries
v.  wéna.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “wén.” 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/35062.

Checked: 2
Full form

Word-wheel

  • wén, n.

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