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Anglo-Saxon

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lácan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
lácan, p. leólc, léc; pp. lácen.
Wright's OE grammar
§511; §512;
to swing, wave about, move as a ship does on the waves, as a bird does in its flight, as flames do
Show examples

  • Ic láce mid winde

    I wave about with the wind,

    • Exon. 108 a
      • ;
    • Th. 412, 17
      • ;
    • Rä. 31, 1
      • .

  • Sum láceþ on lyfte

    one swings in the air [of the man who is hung on a tree ],

    • 87 b
      • ;
    • Th. 328, 25
      • ;
    • Vy. 23
      • .

  • Is ðæt frécne stream ýða ofermǽta ðe wé hér on lácaþ

    perilous is the stream, huge the waves, on which here we toss,

    • 20 a
      • ;
    • Th. 53, 24
      • ;
    • Cri. 855
      • .

  • Hie ofer feorne weg ceólum lácaþ

    • Andr. Kmbl. 506
      • ;
    • An. 253.

  • Fuglas ða ðe late þurh lyft lácaþ fiðrum

    birds which slowly through the air move with their pinions,

    • Exon. 60 b
      • ;
    • Th. 220, 7
      • ;
    • Ph. 316
      • .

  • Brondas lácaþ on ðam deópan dæge

    fires shall flame up on that solemn day

    [cf. to play applied to flame, and Icel. logi lék um þá v. Cl. and Vig. Dict. leika II. 2],;

    • 116 b
      • ;
    • Th. 448, 23
      • ;
    • Dóm. 58
      • .

  • Ða ðe lácaþ ymb eaxe ende

    those stars that revolve about the pole,

    • Bt. Met. Fox 28, 44
      • ;
    • Met. 28, 22
      • .

  • Leólc on lyfte

    he took his flight through the air [of the lost angel who was to tempt Adam ],

    • Cd. 23
      • ;
    • Th. 29, 10
      • ;
    • Gen. 448
      • :
    • Exon. 114 a
      • ;
    • Th. 438, 15
      • ;
    • Rä. 57, 8.

  • Hé leólc ofer laguflód

    he bounded o'er the water,

    • 75 b
      • ;
    • Th. 283, 2
      • ;
    • Jul. 674
      • .

  • Fugel uppe sceal lácan on lyfte

    up in the air must the bird wing its flight,

    • Menol. Fox 537
      • ;
    • Gn. C. 39
      • .

  • Hwylc hyra

    [the seraphim]

    néhst mǽge nergende flihte lácan,

    • Exon. 13 b
      • ;
    • Th. 25, 11
      • ;
    • Cri. 399.

  • Ðú meahtes ofer rodorum feðerum lácan, feor up ofer wolcnu windan,

    • Bt. Met. Fox 24, 17
      • ;
    • Met. 28, 9
      • .

  • Heofonfuglas ða ðe lácende geond lyft faraþ,

    • Exon. 55 a
      • ;
    • Th. 194, 24
      • ;
    • Az. 144
      • :
    • Beo. Th. 5657
      • ;
    • B. 2832
      • :
    • Elen. Kmbl. 1797
      • ;
    • El. 900
      • .

  • Lagu lácende

    the tossing waves,

    • Andr. Kmbl. 873
      • ;
    • An. 437
      • .

  • Lácende líg

    the leaping flame,

    • Cd. 197
      • ;
    • Th. 246, 8
      • ;
    • Dan. 476
      • :
    • Exon. 31 a
      • ;
    • Th. 97, 23
      • ;
    • Cri. 1595
      • :
    • Elen. Kmbl. 1156
      • ;
    • El. 580
      • :
    • 2219
      • ;
    • El. 1111
      • .
to play [as in 2. Sam. 2, 14 'Let the young men play before us ... And every one thrust his sword in his fellow's side,' cf. æsc-plega], make use of a weapon, fight:
Show examples

  • Ða ne dorston ǽr dareðum lácan on hyra mandrýhtnes miclan þearfe

    who before had not dared at their lord's dire need to join in the javelin-play,

    • Beo. 5689
      • ;
    • B. 2848
      • .
to play [a musical instrument]
Show examples

  • Hió dumb wunaþ hwæðre hyre is on fóte fæger hleóþor; wrætlíc mé þinceþ hú seó wiht mǽge wordum lácan þurh fót neoþan

    dumb does it dwell, yet in its foot bath a fair voice; wondrous it seems to me how the wight can play with words by its foot from below,

    • Exon. 108 b
      • ;
    • Th. 414, 13
      • ;
    • Rä. 32, 19
      • .
Etymology
[
Orm. to þeowwtenn Godd and lakenn [sacrifice], 973; þa þre kingess lakedenn [presented] Crist wiþþ þrince kinne lakess, 7430
:
Havel. leike;
p. leikede to play
:
Piers P. laike to play
:
Goth. laikan
;
p. lailak
:
Icel. leika
;
p. lék
:
M. H. Ger. leichen.
]
Derived forms
be-, for-, geondlácan, daroþ-, faroþ-, lyft-lácende
Similar entries
v. lǽan, ellen-lǽa, and preceding word.
Linked entries
v.  leólc be-leólc.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “lácan.” 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/20878.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • lácan, v.

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