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Anglo-Saxon

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mǽnan

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
mǽnan, p. de
Wright's OE grammar
§134; §530;
To mean.
of persons
to intend to convey a certain sense
Show examples

  • Gif hé of wege ǽnigne gebrohte . . ðæt is ðæt ic mǽne gif hé ǽnigne man on synne bespeóne

    if he have brought any man out of the way . . . , what I mean, is, if he have lured any man to sin,

    • L. Pen. 16
      • ;
    • Th. ii. 284, 12.

  • Hwet mǽnde Crist ðá cwæþ; 'Ða unrihtwísan faraþ on ǽce wítu,'

    • Shrn. 197, 18.

  • God ðá geopenude Abrahame hwæt hé mid ðære sprǽce mǽnde.

    • Gen. 18, 20.
to intend to indicate a certain person or thing without direct statement
Show examples

  • Cweþan swá he tó ánum sprece and hwæðre ealle mǽneþ

    to say, as if he speaks to one and yet means all.

    • Exon. 283
      • ;
    • Th. 84, 24
      • ;
    • Cri. 1378.

  • Hé gecýðde ðæt hé ne mǽnde

    (

    indicaret

    )

    ðis andwearde lif,

    • Past. 50, 2
      • ;
    • Swt. 389, 22.

  • Hwylc beren mǽnde hé ðonne elles búton heofona ríce,

    • Blickl. Homl. 39, 27.

  • Crist mǽnde ðone écan deáþ . . . ða Iudéiscan mǽndon ðisne and-weardan deáþ.

    • Homl. Th. ii. 232, 20.

  • Ne mǽnde úre Drihten mid ðisum wordum ða treówa ðe on appeltúne wexaþ,

    • 406, 9.
to mean, purpose, have as an object to which the mind is directed, intend
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  • Gif hé ðara nán ne déþ ðonne nát hé hwæt hé ménþ (Cott. MS. mænþ)

    if he does none of these, then he does not know what he means,

    • Bt. 38, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 198, 28.

  • Ðá ongon hé sprecan swíðe feorran ymbútan swilce hé ná ða sprǽce ne mǽnde,

    • 39, 5
      • ;
    • Fox 218, 12.

  • Hwæt ðú ðonne mǽne mid ðære gítsunge ðæs feós

    what do you mean by the greed of money?

    • 32, 1
      • ;
    • Fox 114, 7.
(of things) to signify, have a certain signification or purpose
Show examples

  • Saga hwæt ic mǽne,

    • Salm. Kmbl. 472
      • ;
    • Sal. 236: Exon. 124 b
      • ;
    • Th. 479, 18
      • ;
    • Rä. 62, 9.

  • Oft gehwá gesihþ fægre stafas and nát hwæt hí mǽnaþ,

    • Homl. Th. i. 186, 3.

  • Hwæt mǽnde ðæt syxtig wera strongera?

    • Blickl. Homl. 11, 22: Homl. Th. ii. 234, 31
      • .

  • Faraþ and leorníaþ hwæt ðæt mǽne: 'Ic wylle mildheortnysse, and ná offrunge,'

    • 470, 18.

  • Geleornian hwæt fulluht mǽne.

    • Wulfst. 123, 4.

  • Understandan hwæt ða twá word mǽnan,

    abrenuntio and credo,

    • 38, 8.
Etymology
[
O. Sax. ménian
:
O. Frs. ména
:
O. H. Ger. meinian
:
Ger. meinen.
]
Similar entries
v. ge-mǽnan.
Linked entries
v.  ge-mǽnan ge-mǽnan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “mǽnan.” 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/22154.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • mǽnan, v.

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