Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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hergian

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
hergian, p. ode; pp. od
Wright's OE grammar
§536;
To harry, pillage, plunder, ravage, waste, devastate, make an incursion or a raid, make war
Show examples

  • Ða Cwénas hergiaþ hwílum on ða Norþmen ofer ðone mór hwílum ða Norþmen on hý

    sometimes the Fins made incursions across the mountains on the Norwegians, sometimes the Norwegians on them,

    • Ors. 1, 1; Swt. 19, 3.

  • Se here hergade on Peohtas

    the Danes made raids upon the Picts

    ,
    • Chr. 875; Erl. 78, i.

  • Fór Willelm cyng into France mid fyrde and hergode uppan his agenne hláforde Philippe

    king William marched with an army into France and made war upon his own lord Philip,

    • 1086; Erl. 220, 25
      • :
    • Homl. Th. ii. 58, 5.

  • Wera hof hergode

    laid waste the dwellings of men,

    • Cd. 69; Th. 83, 15; Gen. 1380.

  • Ða hǽðenan on Norþhymbrum hergodon

    the heathens ravaged in Northumbria,

    • Chr. 794; Erl. 59, 20.

  • Hie hergodon ofer Mercna land óþ hie cómon tó Creccageláde

    they carried on their ravages across Mercia until they came to Cricklade,

    • 905; Erl. 98, 14.

  • Mycel sciphere hider com and hergedon. swíðe be Sefærn

    a great fleet came to this country and committed great depredations along the Severn,

    • 910; Erl. 101, 7.

  • Gif ǽnig sciphere on Engla lande hergie

    if any fleet commit ravages in England,

    • L. Eth. ii. 1; Th. i. 284, 15, 18.

  • Sǽdon ðæt hí woldan him sylfe niman and hergian ðǽr hí hit findan mihton

    protestantur se cuncta insulæ loca vastaturos,

    • Bd. 1, 15; S. 483, 38.

  • Hí sceoldan ealle ætgædere faran and hergian

    they should go all together and harry.

    • Chr. 1014; Erl. 151, 3.

  • Hé wæs heriende and feohtende fíftig wintra

    arma foras extulit, cruentamque vilam quinquaginta annis bellis egit,

    • Ors. 1, 2; Swt. 28, 28.
Etymology
[
Laym. hærȝien
:
Chauc. haried, harwed
:
Icel. herja to harry; herjask á to wage war on one another
:
O. H. Ger. harion, herion populare, vastare
:
cf. Ger. verheeren.
]
Derived forms
ge-, ofer-, on-hergian
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “hergian.” 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/18940.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • hergian, v.

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