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wénan

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
wénan, p. de.
Wright's OE grammar
§47; §122; §163; §285; §530;
to ween, suppose, think, imagine, opine, believe,
absolute
Show examples

  • Ic wéne

    autumo,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 4, 68.

  • Wénð

    opinatur,

      62, 53.

  • Hé wénð

    estimat,

      Kent. Gl. 870.

  • Hwílum ic gewíte, swá ne wénaþ men (cf. Aldhelm's riddle: Cernere me nulli possunt),

      Exon. Th. 381, 24; Rä. 3, 1.

  • Wénde

    metitur,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 58, 31.

  • Wéndan

    autumant,

      95, 69.

  • Ne meahton hié, swá hié wéndon ǽr,

      Elen. Kmbl. 954; El. 478.

  • Wénde

    arbitraretur,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 3, 36.
with accusative
Show examples

  • Hwæt wénst ðú? hwæt is ðes?

    quis putas est iste?

      Mk. Skt. 4, 41.

  • Hwæt wéne gé?

    quid putatis?

      Jn. Skt. 11, 56.

  • Ðæs ðe hé wénde

    according to his belief,

      Chart. Th. 140, 7.

  • Ús gedafenaþ ðæt wé hit wénon swíðor ðonne wé unrǽdlíce hit geséþan ðæt ðe is uncúð búton ǽlcere frǽcednysse

    it befits us to hold this as an opinion, where absence of certain knowledge is without any peril, rather than to assert it unadvisedly,

      Homl. Th. i. 440, 31.

  • Nis ðæt nó líchomlíce tó wénanne, ac gástlíce

    that is not to be estimated corporeally, but spiritually,

      Bt. 42; Fox 258, 13. (2 a) with acc. pron. and appositional clause :-- Ic ðæt wénde and witod tealde, ðæt ic ðé meahte áhwerfan, Exon. Th. 263, 29;Jul. 357.
with genitive
Show examples

  • Ne wéne ic his nó, ac wát geara,

      Bt. 38, 6; Fox 208, 13.

  • Gif hé wyrsa ne bið, ne wéne ic his ná beteran,

      Met. 25, 29.

  • Hié ðæt fǽge þégon, þeáh ðæs se ríca ne wénde,

      Judth. Thw. 21, 16; Jud. 20.

  • Onstyrede mid ðæm wénan ðæt hí ðæs endes suá neáh wéndon

    commotos vicini finis suspicione,

      Past. 32; Swt. 213, 24.

  • Hí wéndon his beteran ðonne hé wǽre,

      Bt. 30, tit.; Fox xvi, 5.

  • Hwæðer ðú wéne ðæt ǽnig mon sié swá andgetfull, ðæt hé mæge ongitan ǽlcne mon on ryht hwelc hé sié, ðæt hé náuþer ne sié ne betera ne wyrsa ðonne hé his wéne? num ea mentis integritate homines degunt, ut quos probos improbosve censuerint, eos quoque, uti existimant, esse necesse sit? 39, 9; Fox 226, 3. (3 a) with gen. and tó :-- Ðonne scencð hé ða scylde ǽlcum ðara ðe him ǽnges yfles tó wénð. For ðæm hit gebyreþ oft, ðonne hwá ne récð hú micles yfeles him mon tó wéne . . .

    cunctis mala credentibus culpa propinatur. Unde plerumque contigit, ut, qui negligenter de se mala opinari permittunt . . .,

      Past. 59; Swt. 451, 24-27.

  • Him is ðeáh leófre ðæt hé leóge, ðonne him mon ǽnigra ungerisna tó wéne

    eligit bona de se vel falsa jactari, ne mala possit vel minima perpeti,

      33; Swt. 217, 16.

  • Ðæs ilcan is tó wénanne tó eallum ðám gesǽlðum ðe seó wyrd brengð de cunctis fortunae muneribus illud etiam considerandum puto, Bt. 16, 3; Fox 54, 24. (3 b) with gen. pron. and appositional clause :-- Wé ðæs wénaþ, ðæt ús God mæge bringan tó beód gegearwad

    numquid poterit Deus parare mensam?

      Ps. Th. 77, 20.

  • Wénaþ ðæs sume, ðæt ic on seáð mid fyrenwyrhtum feallan sceolde

    aestimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum,

      87, 4.

  • Ic ðæs wénde, ðæt ic ongitan mihte

    existimabam ut cognoscerem hoc,

      72, 13.

  • Wénde ðæs formoni man, ðæt wǽre hit úre hláford,

      Byrht. Th. 138, 52.

  • Ne wéne ðæs ǽnig, ðæt ic lygewordum leóð somnige,

      Exon. Th. 234, 26; Ph. 546.

  • Ne þurfan wé ná ðæs wénan, ðæt hé ús nolde ðæra leána gemánian,

      Wulfst. 261, 18.
with a clause,
introduced by
ðæt
Show examples

  • Ic wéne, ðæt nán mon ne sié

    neminem esse hominum arbitror,

      Ors. 2, 1; Swt. 58, 13.

  • Hwam wéne (woeno, Lind.) ic ðæt hit beó gelíc?

    cui simile esse existimabo?

      Lk. Skt. 13, 18, 20.

  • Wén ic, ðæt . . .,

      Beo. Th. 681; B. 338: 888; B. 442.

  • Hig wénaþ (woenas, Lind.: woenaþ, Rush.

    putant

    ), ðæt hí sín gehýrede,
      Mt. Kmbl. 6, 7.

  • Ðonne wénaþ hí swá ungewitfulle, ðæt hí habban ða sóþan gesǽlþa,

      Bt. 32, 3; Fox 118, 30: Met. 19, 34: Exon. Th. 360, 25; Wal. 11: Cd. Th. 109, 22; Gen. 1826.

  • Wéndes ðú, ðæt ðú áhtest alra onwald,

      268, 22; Sat. 59.

  • Ðá wénde hé (

    suspicatus est

    ), ðæt hit wǽre sum myltystre,
      Gen. 38, 15: Blickl. Homl. 175, 6: Chr. 911; Erl. 100, 21: Cd. Th. 44, 20; Gen. 712.

  • Nalles hé wénde, ðæt hié hit wiston,

      249, 14; Dan. 530.

  • Wéndun gé and woldun, ðæt gé Scyppende sceoldan gelíce wesan,

      Exon. Th. 141, 30; Gú. 635.

  • Hí wéndon, ðæt hig sceoldon máre onfón

    arbitrati sunt quod plus essent accepturi,

      Mt. Kmbl. 20, 10.

  • Wéndon (woendon Lind.: woendun, Rush.)

    putaverunt,

      Mk. Skt. 6, 49: Jn. Skt. 11, 13: Lk. Skt. 3, 23.

  • Wéndon, ðæt hé on heora gefére wǽre

    existimantes illum esse in comitatu,

      2, 44.

  • Wéndan,

      Exon. Th. 460, 8; Hö. 14.

  • Ne wéne gé, ðæt . . .

    nolite arbitrari quia . . .,

      Mt. Kmbl. 10, 34.

  • Ðeáh gé nú wénen and wilnian, ðæt gé lange libban scylan

    si putatis longius vitam trahi,

      Bt. 19; Fox 70, 14: Met. 10, 63.

  • Nelle gé wénan (woenæ, Lind.), ðæt . . .

    nolite putare quoniam . . .,

      Mt. Kmbl. 5, 17.

  • Ne þurfon gé wénan, ðæt . . .,

      Blickl. Homl. 41, 12: Met. 29, 39: Exon. Th. 142, 16; Gú. 645.

  • Nis tó wénanne ðætte wolde God hiora gásta mid him gýman

    non est creditus cum Deo spiritus ejus,

      Ps. Th. 77, 10: Bt. 16, 3; Fox 56, 28.
not introduced by
ðæt
Show examples

  • Ic wéne (

    arbitror

    ), ne mihte ðes middaneard ealle ða béc befón,
      Jn. Skt. 21, 25.

  • Ic wéne (woeno, Lind.,

    aestimo

    ), se ðe hé máre forgef,
      Lk. Skt. 7, 43.

  • Ic wéne, wit sýn oferswíþede,

      Blickl. Homl. 181, 29.
  • Wéne wé, sý ðis se? 85, 16.

  • Wénst ðú hwæt is ðes?

    quis putas hic est?

      Lk. Skt. 8, 25.
with acc. and infin.
Show examples

  • Wén ealle uferan beón ðé

    aestima omnes superiores esse tibi,

      Scint. 22, 2.
with a preposition
Show examples

  • Ðá ongan ic ofer ðæt georne wénan

    I began to make conjectures on the circumstance,

      Homl. Skt. ii. 23 b, 420.
to hope, expect, look for,
absolute
Show examples

  • On ðam dæge ðe hé ná ne wénð (woenas, Lind.)

    in die, qua non sperat,

      Mt. Kmbl. 24, 50.

  • Ðonne hý læst wǽnaþ (wénaþ,

      Cott. MS.), Bt. 7, 1; Fox 16, 13.

  • Ðe læs ðe wé forweorðan, ðonne wé læst wénan,

      Wulfst. 76, 1. (1 a) with preps.
    marking the direction of the expectation or hope :-- Geþyld hafa, swá ic ðé wéne tó, Beo. Th. 2797; B. 1396.

  • Swá wé wénaþ on ðé

    sicut speravimus in te,

      Ps. Ben. 32, 18.
with acc. of what is hoped for or expected and dat. of person for whom
Show examples

  • Ic wéne mé, and eác ondrǽde, dóm ðý réþran,

      Exon. Th. 49, 22; Cri. 789.

  • Ic mé bættran hám ǽfre ne wéne,

      Cd. Th. 268, 5; Sat. 50.

  • Hé wile syllan unábeden ðæt, ðæt wé ús ne wéndon,

      Homl. Th. ii. 372, 16.
with gen. of what is expected,
alone
Show examples

  • Ic ðǽr heaðufýres hátes wéne,

      Beo. Th. 5038; B. 2522.

  • Ðín líf geendaþ, ðonne ðú his ne wénest,

      Wulfst. 260, 24.

  • Hwæs wéneþ se, ðe nyle gemunan? Exon. Th. 74,

      1; Cri. 1200.

  • Ðǽr wé úres feores ne wénaþ

    where we despair of our life,

      Blickl. Homl. 51, 28.

  • Ðeáh hé ðǽr ne sién, ðǽr hé heora wénaþ,

      Bt. 33, 3; Fox 126, 9.

  • Ðá fór hé (

    Saul) forð bí ðæm scræfe ðæt hé (David )

    oninnan wæs, and hé his ðǽr nó ne wénde,
      Past. 28; Swt. 197, 14.

  • Hé ðæs mǽldæges ne wénde,

      Cd. Th. 141, 4; Gen. 2340.

  • Far ðǽr ðú freónda wéne,

      Exon. Th. 119, 29; Gú. 262.

  • Geworpene on hlǽw, ðǽr hiora gemynde men ne wénan

    projecti in monumentis, quorum non meministi amplius,

      Ps. Th. 87, 5.

  • Hwonon hié ðæs wénan sculon,

      Past. 11; Swt. 67, 2.

  • Nú swýðe raðe his (

    Antichrist

    ) man mæg wénan,
      Wulfst. 19, 5.

  • Lífes ne wénan,

      Exon. Th. 98, 22; Cri. 1611.

  • Ne wé ðære wyrde wénan þurfon,

      6, 9; Cri. 81: Blickl. Homl. 63, 2: Cd. Th. 62, 31; Gen. 1023.

  • Ne hí edcerres ǽfre móton wénan,

      293, 8; Sat. 451.

  • Hwǽr hé ðara nægla swíðost on ðam wangstede wénan þorfte,

      Elen. Kmbl. 2206; El. 1104.

  • Ðéh ðe hé wénende wǽre anwealdes,

      Ors. 4, 10; Swt. 194, 22.
with appositional clause
Show examples

  • Ðæs ne wéndon witan, ðæt hit manna ǽnig tóbrecan meahte,

      Beo. Th. 1560; B. 778.

  • Ne þearf ðæs nán mon wénan, ðæt hine óþer mon mæge álésan,

      Blickl. Homl. 101, 13: 109, 30: Cd. Th. 272, 5; Sat. 115.

  • Frófre ne wénaþ, ðæt gé wræcsíða wyrpe gebíden,

      Exon. Th. 132, 28; Gú. 479.

  • Ne þearf hæleþa nán wénan ðæs weorces, ðæt hé wísdóm mæge wið ofermétta gemengan,

      Met. 7, 7: 13, 24: 26, 114.
with dat. of object for which something is expected
Show examples

  • Ne wéndest ðú ðé ðínes feores

    thou wouldst despair of thy life,

      Bt. 14, 3; Fox 46, 26.

  • Him mon ðæs lífes ne wénde

    proximus morti fuit,

      Ors. 3, 9; Swt. 124, 32: Bd. 3, 27; S. 558, 39: 5, 3: S. 616, 9.

  • Hé wénde him þráge hnágre,

      Elen. Kmbl. 1333; El. 668.

  • Hié sendon æfter fultume, ðǽr hié him ǽniges wéndon,

      Ors. 4, 1; Swt. 154, 23: 4, 5; Swt. 166, 13: 6, 13; Swt. 268, 13.

  • Wénaþ eów ǽlcere blisse,

      Homl. Th. i. 554, 30.

  • Ðǽr ðú ðé hleahtres wéne,

      Guthl. prol.; Gdwin. 4, 8.

  • Ǽr hé hym ðæs feferes wéne,

      Lchdm. i. 84, 7.

  • Ne mæg ic mé nánes óðres wénan,

      Homl. Skt. i. 23, 576.
with preposition marking direction of expectation,
to look to a person for something
Show examples

  • Wéne ic tó ðé wyrsan geþingea,

      Beo. Th. 1054; B. 525.

  • Ne ic tó Sweóðeóde sibbe oððe treówe wihte wéne,

      5838; B. 2923.

  • Hé sæcce ne wéneþ tó Gár-Denum,

      1205; B. 600.

  • Ne wéndon hig nánes fleámes tó unc,

      Shrn. 40, 29.

  • Nǽnig wihta wénan þorfte beorhtre bóte tó banan folmum,

      Beo. Th. 317; B. 157.
where
and
are combined
Show examples

  • Wéne ic mé wraðe tó ðé

    ego in te sperabo,

      Ps. Th. 55, 3.

  • Ða dysegan nánwuht nyllaþ onginnan ðæs ðe hí him áwþer mægen tó wénan oððe lofes oððe leána,

      Bt. 36, 5; Fox 180, 11.
where
or
is accompanied by a clause [v.
]
Show examples

  • Hig ðæs æðelinges eft ne wéndon, ðæt hé sigehrédig sécean cóme mǽrne þeóden,

      Beo. Th. 3197; B. 1596.

  • Ne þorftan ða þegnas tó ðam frumgáre feohgestealde wénan, ðæt hý beágas þégon,

      Exon. Th. 283, 26; Jul. 686.
with a clause
Show examples
  • Ic wéne mé hwænne mé Dryhtnes ród gefetige, Rood Kmbl. 268; Kr. 135.

  • Wíscton and ne wéndon, ðæt hié heora winedrihten gesáwon,

      Beo. Th. 3212; B. 1604.
with infinitive
Show examples

  • Ic ǽnigra mé weána ne wénde bóte gebídan,

      1870; B. 933.
Etymology
[Goth. wénjan sperare: O. Sax. wánian to suppose, hope (with gen., infin., and clause): O. Frs. wéna: O. H. Ger. wán[n]en opinari, putare, censere, arbitrari, suspicari, aestimare, credere, sperare (with gen., clause, infin., acc. and infin., preposition): Icel. væna to suppose, hope for.]
Similar entries
v. á-, ge-wénan; un-wéned.
Linked entries
v.  wǽnan for-wénan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “wénan.” 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/35064.

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  • wénan, v.

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