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ofer

  • preposition
Dictionary links
Grammar
ofer, ofor; prep. adv.
Wright's OE grammar
§106; §293; §340; §559; §578; §645;
with dat. generally with the idea of rest;
above, over
Show examples

  • Wæs hálig leáht ofer wéstenne,

      Cd. Th. 8, 16; Gen. 125.

  • Beheóld ofer leódwerum byrnende beám,

      184, 20; Exod. 110.

  • Mæst hlifade ofer Hróþgáres hordgestreónum,

      Beo. Th. 3802; B. 1899.

  • Wígláf siteþ ofer Biówulfe,

      5806; B. 2907.
denoting contact with anything,
upon, on
Show examples

  • Hé gesette ofer stáne fét míne,

      Ps. Lamb. 39, 3.

  • Hwonne hié ofer streánstaðe stæppan mósten (

    might set foot on shore

    ),
      Cd. Th. 86, 21; Gen. 2434.

  • Wind ofer ýðum

    the wind on the waves,

      Beo. Th. 3819; B. 1907.

  • Ánra gehwylc hæfde sweord ofer his hype,

      Blickl. Homl. 11, 18.

  • Sittende ofor eoselan folan,

      71, 5.

  • Úre Dryhten sæt ofer winda fiðerum,

      Salm. Kmbl. p. 198, 26.
denoting extension over,
throughout, in, on
Show examples

  • Hé wolde ǽgðær ge ofer heofenum ge ofer eorþan ús his miltse gecýðon,

      Blickl. Homl. 39, 22: Gen. 4, 11.
denoting a higher degree,
beyond, more than
Show examples

  • Ofer snáwe scínende,

      Ps. C. 50, 75; Ps. Grn. ii. 278, 75.
denoting the cause of an emotion, over (as in to rejoice
over, etc.)
Show examples

  • Byþ on heofone blis be ánum synfullun ðe dǽdbóte déþ, má ðonne ofer nigon and nigontigum rihtwísra,

      Lk. 15, 7.

  • Ic blissige ofer ðínre sprǽce,

      Ps. Th. 118, 162.
denoting the object over which power is exercised
Show examples

  • Ðæt mód ðe ofer ðæm flǽsce sitt and his wealdan sceolde

    mens carni praesidens,

      Past. 36, 7; Swt. 257, 3.

  • Ofer deóflum wealdeþ,

      Cd. Th. 263, 20; Dan. 765.
with the idea of movement, where the accusative might be expected
Show examples

  • Hleó wand ofer wolcnum,

      Cd. Th. 182, 23; Exod. 80.

  • Up gewát líg ofer leáfum,

      231, 18; Dan. 249.

  • Ofer ðære Reádan Sǽ eode Israela folc,

      Salm. Kmbl. p. 198, 20.
marking time,
after, beyond
Show examples

  • Ðá undergeat heó ðæt se bróðer ne móste his lífes brúcan ofer ðam ánum geáre,

      Homl. Th. ii. 146, 17.

  • Se dæg biþ ofer eástrum,

      H. R. 99, 15.
with acc. generally with the idea of movement.
denoting motion in a definite direction across, to the other side of an object
Show examples

  • Ofer sǽ

    citra pontum,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 18, 68.

  • Ofer landgemǽru extra terminum ... ofer ðone ford trans vadum, ofer sǽ

    trans mare,

      Ælfc. Gr. 47; Som. 47. 29, 38.

  • Ðá cómon hí ofer ðære sǽs múþan,

      Mk. Skt. 5, 1.

  • Hié ofer sǽ gewiton,

      Chr. 885; Erl. 82, 25.

  • Hié eodon ofer land

    they went across the country,

      896; Erl. 94, 14: Andr.Kmbl. 2460; An. 1231.

  • Ofer eástreámas ís brycgade

    the ice threw a bridge across the rivers,

      2523; An. 1263.

  • Hí wurpon heora waru ofor bord

    they cast their wares overboard,

      Homl. Th. i. 246, 2, 9.

  • Ofer clif

    per praeceps

    (v.
      Mt. 8, 32,
    where the swine go over the cliffs edge), Wrt. Voc. ii. 72, 35.

  • Ic út gange ofer mínre burge weall

    transgrediar murum,

      Ps. Th. 17, 28: Cd. Th. 90, 12; Gen. 1494.

  • Ic cume ofer langne weg,

      35, 13; Gen. 554.

  • Se eádega bewlát ofer exle,

      177, 7; Gen. 2926.
denoting motion which is diffused over a surface
Show examples

  • Streám út áweóll, fleów ofer foldan,

      Andr. Kmbl. 3046; An. 1526.

  • Wíde ofer woruld ealle geseón,

      Cd. Th. 36, 2; Gen. 565: 42, 17; Gen. 675.

  • Hé ofer ealle þeóde eágum wlíteþ,

      Ps. Th. 65, 6.

  • Álǽd upp ða froxas ofer eall Egipta land,

      Ex. 8, 5.

  • Wǽron gewurden þýstru ofer ealle eorþan,

      Mt. 27, 45: Blickl. Homl. 93, 18.

  • Bufan ðæm máran wealle ofer ealne ðone ymbgong hé is mid stǽnenum wíghúsum beworht,

      Ors. 2, 4; Swt. 74, 20.

  • Mann ús ofer eall (cf.

    Ger.

    überall) sóhte,
      Homl. Skt. i. 23, 450.

  • Ða weorcstánas lágon ofer eall

    lay scattered in all directions,

      23, 490.
denoting extension through a space,
throughout, among
Show examples

  • Se wæs mǽrost ofer werþeóde,

      Beo. Th. 1802; B. 899.

  • Heó wæs seó eádgeste ofer eall wífa cynn

    she was most blessed among all the race of women,

      Blickl. Homl. 13, 15.

  • Se sceal beón gehered ofor ealle þeóda,

      71, 16.

  • Hét hé beódan ofer ealle ða fird ðæt hié fóron ealle út ætsomne,

      Chr. 905; Erl. 98, 22.

  • Wilnung leáses gilpes ofer eall folc,

      Bt. 18, 1; Fox 60, 24.
denoting motion from below,
over, above
Show examples

  • Hefe upp ðíne hand ofer call ðæt flód, and ofer burna and ofer móras,

      Ex. 8, 5.

  • Mín unriht mé hlýpþ ofer heáfod,

      Ps. Th. 37, 4.

  • Hié him ásetton segen gyldenne ofer heáfod,

      Beo. Th. 95; B. 48.

  • Man slóh án geteld ofer ða hálgan bán,

      Swt. A. S. Rdr. 100, 150.

  • Iudas up áhóf ðara róda twá ofer ðæt fǽge hús,

      Elen. Kmbl. 1759; El. 881.

  • Se ðe ástáh ofer heofenas qui ascendit super caelos, ofer heálíce dúne ástíh ðú

    super montem excelsum ascende tu,

      Ælfc. Gr. 47; Som. 48, 23.
denoting motion from above,
upon, on
Show examples

  • Se hys hús ofer stán getimbrode,

      Mt. Kmbl. 7, 24.

  • Hé hine ásette ofer ðæs temples scylf,

      Blickl. Homl. 27, 11.

  • Feallaþ ofor ús,

      93, 33: Elen. Kmbl. 2267; El. 1135.
denoting the object upon which an action or feeling takes effect
Show examples

  • Andreas sette his hand ofer ðara wera eágan ... And eft hé sette his hand ofer hiora heortan,

      St. And. 12, 34-35.

  • Sleáþ synnigne ofer seolfes múþ (

    smite him over the mouth

    ),
      Andr. Kmbl. 2602; An. 1302.

  • Sý hys blód ofer ús and ofer úre bearn

    his blood be upon us, and upon our children,

      Mt. Kmbl. 27, 25.

  • Mín hand byþ ofer ðíne æceras and ofslihþ ðíne hors mid hefegum cwealme,

      Ex. 9, 3.

  • Ða tácna ðe hé worhte ofer ða untruman men

    the miracles he wrought upon the sick,

      Homl. Th. i. 182, 1.

  • Eftwyrd cymþ ofer middangeard,

      Cd. Th. 212, 17; Exod. 540.

  • Se tán gehwearf ofer (

    the lot fell upon

    ) ǽnne ealdgesíþa,
      Andr. Kmbl. 2209; An. 1106.

  • Gé onfóþ ðæm mægene Hálges Gástes, se cymeþ ofor eów,

      Blickl. Homl. 119, 12.

  • Ðín mildheortnes is mycel ofor mé,

      89, 27.
denoting the object over which power is exercised
Show examples

  • His mægen wealdeþ ofer eall manna cyn,

      Ps. Th. 65, 6.

  • Forðam ðe ðú wǽre getrýwe ofer lytle þing, is gesette ðé ofer mycle,

      Mt. Kmbl. 25, 21.

  • Ðú byst andweald hæbbende ofer týn ceastra ... Beó ðú ofer fíf ceastra,

      Lk. Skt. 19, 17-19.

  • Se hæfde mægen ofer ealle gesceafta,

      Blickl. Homl. 9, 15.

  • Ríce ofer heofenstólas,

      Cd. Th. 1, 15; Gen. 8.

  • Cræft móda gehwylces ofer líchoman,

      Met. 26, 106.

  • Deáþ rícsade ofer foldbúend,

      Exon. Th. 154, 17; Gú. 843.
denoting degree (ά)
above, more than; supra, super
Show examples

  • Ioseph wæs gleáwra ofer hí ealle,

      Ors. 1, 5; Swt. 34, 1.

  • Hé lufode Iosep ofer his suna

    he loved Joseph more than all his children,

      Gen. 37, 3: 44, 20.

  • Ne lufige ic nánwiht ðisses andweardan lýfes ofer ðæt (éce líf), ne furðum ðam gelíce,

      Shrn. 177, 14.

  • Ða stówe ofer ealle óðre is geceás,

      Blickl. Homl. 201, 7.

  • Nys se leorningcniht ofer his láreów, ne þeów ofer hys hláford,

      Mt. Kmbl. 10, 24: Exon. Th. 105, 35; Gú. 33.

  • Hit is áwriten, ðæt seó góde antswaru sý ouer ða sélestan selene,

      R. Ben. 55, 8.

  • Ðæs biscepes weorc sceolon bión ofer óðra monna weorc

    debet actionem populi actio transcendere praesulis,

      Past. 12; Swt. 75, 3.

  • Is án steorra ofer óðre beorht,

      Met. 29, 19.

  • Moises wæs se bilewitusta mann ofer ealle men,

      Num. 12, 3.

  • Fram twentig wintrum and ofer ðæt

    a vigesimo anno et supra,

      1, 3.
beyond, besides; ultra
Show examples

  • Ofer ðæt (

    ultro

    ) gé ne lǽtaþ hine ǽnig þing dón,
      Mk. Skt. 7, 12.

  • Ne ofer ðæt (

    ultra

    ) sweltan ne mágon,
      Lk. Skt. 20, 36.

  • Ne lǽteþ hé ús nó costian ofer gemet,

      Blickl. Homl. 13, 9.

  • Ðú sprycst ofer mǽþe úre

    ultra etatem nostram,

      Coll. Monast. Th. 32, 11.

  • Ðæt héhste gód [is] ðætte man ne þurfe nánes óðres gódes ne eác ne récce ofer ðæt siððan hé ðæt hæbbe

    id est bonum, quo quis adepto, nihil ulterius desiderare queat,

      Bt. 24, 1; Fox 80, 13.

  • Siððan ðú hí gecnáwan miht ðonne wát ic ðæt ðú ne wilnast nánes óðres þinges ofer ða (

    you will desire nothing further

    ),
      23; Fox 80, 3.

  • Hié lícettaþ ðæt him ne síe náwuhtes cearu ofer ða ryhtwísnesse,

      Past. 41; Swt. 302, 10.

  • Se ðe godgeldum onsæcge ofer (

    besides

    ) God ánne,
      L. Alf. 32; Th. i. 52, 12.
denoting the passing over moral bounds,
in violation of, in opposition to, contrary to, against
Show examples

  • Ofer Godes ǽ hé déþ

    extra legem Domini facie,

      Ælfc. Gr. 47; Som.47, 29.

  • Se wæs ofslagen ofer áþas and treówa

    contra fidem jusjurandi peremptus est,

      Bd. 2, 20; S. 521, 17: Chr. 894; Erl. 90, 5.

  • Ætsǽton ða Centiscan beæftan ofer his bebod,

      905; Erl. 98, 24: Blickl. Homl. 91, 16: Exon. Th. 244, 5; Jul. 23.

  • Wite hé ðæt hé hit dé ofer Godes ést and ofer ealra his háligra, and eác ofer monna godcundra háda and woruldcundra,

      Chart. Th. 131, 36: Exon. Th. 226, 10; Ph. 403: Cd. Th. 76, 2; Gen. 1251.

  • Hié ǽr ofer hiera willan him tó gecierdon,

      Ors. 2, 5; Swt. 82, 10.

  • Gecuron Brettanie Maximianus him tó cásere ofer his willan,

      6, 35; Swt. 292, 15. (10) with words implying rest :--
    Standende ofer hig, Lk. Skt. 4, 39.

  • Ne biþ forlǽten stán ofer stán,

      Blickl. Homl. 79, 1.

  • Hé fyrgenbeámas ofer hárne stán hleonian funde,

      Beo. Th. 2834; B. 1415.

  • Æþelingas ofer heánne hróf hand sceáwedon, 1970; B. 983, (11) denoting the subject of discourse (cf. to talk

    over

    ) :-- Hé ofer benne spræc, wunde wælbleáte,
      5442; B. 2724.

  • Ofer Ysmahel ic gehírde ðé,

      Gen. 17, 20. (12) denoting the cause of an emotion (cf. I. 5) :-- Heó hæfþ genóh on ðís andweardan lífe, ac heó hit hæfþ eall forsewen ofer ðé ánne (simply on your account[?
    ]), Bt. 10; Fox 28, 26. (13) without :-- Gif hé gesécean dear wíg ofer wǽpen, Beo. Th. 1374; B. 685. (14) with words expressing time, (ά) after :-- Ofer middæg

    post meridiem,

      Gen. 3, 8.

  • Ofor undern,

      Blickl. Homl. 93, 15.

  • Ofer ealle tíd tó sáwenne

    ultra omne tempus serendi,

      Bd. 4, 28; S. 605. 39, 8.

  • Ofer hyre deg ... ofer mínnæ dæg (cf. æfter hæora dæge, 12),

      Chart. Th. 520, 7-34.

  • Ne onbirigdon ðæs bigleofan ofer ðæt (

    ultra

    ),
      Jos. 5, 12.

  • Hé ne oncnáweþ ofer ðæt stówe

    non cognoscet amplius locum,

      Ps. Lamb. 102, 16.

  • Hé ofer ðæt (

    ultra

    ) deófulgyldum ne þeówde,
      Bd. 2, 9; S. 512, 7: Ors. 5, 7; Swt. 230, 7: R. Ben. 53, 16.

  • Longe ofer ðis,

      Exon. T. 172, 15; Gú. 1144.

  • Ofer ða niht,

      Beo. Th. 1476; B. 736.
expressing duration,
through, during
Show examples

  • Ofer ealle ða niht ðe wé férdon

    during the whole night that we marched,

      Nar. 12, 2.

  • Hé hié slóg ofer ealne ðone dæg,

      Ors. 4, 10; Swt. 200, 21.

  • Ða steorran ðe ofer ealne winter scínaþ ... Ofer ealne sumor hí gáþ on nihtlícre tíde under ðissere eorþan,

      Lchdm. iii. 270, 24-26.

  • Hí wunodon mid ðæm biscope ofer geár, and siðan gewendon tó Antiochia,

      Homl. Skt. i. 3, 81.

  • Ða sylfan sealmas sýn dæghwamlíce geedlǽhte ofer ealle wucan,

      R. Ben. 43, I.
adverbially, or not followed by a case
Show examples

  • Ðæt ðú ne mihtst nǽnne weg findan ofer,

      Bt. 34, 4; Fox 138, 28.

  • Hé eode tó ðære burge wealle, and fleáh út ofer,

      Ors. 5, 12; Swt. 244. 3.

  • Ðonne cépþ hé hwǽr se weall unhéhst sý, and ðær ofer scýt (oferscýt?)

    he observes where the wall is lowest, and over there he rushes,

      Homl. Th. i. 484, 11.

  • Án fiscere uneáþe hiene ǽnne ofer brohte,

      2, 5; Swt. 84, 10.

  • Mid Angelþeóde ðe hé ofer cyning wæs,

      Bd. 3, 6; S. 528, 3.

  • Sió giémen ðære ciricean síe ðæm beboden ðe hié wel ofer mǽge,

      Past. 5; Swt. 45, 1.

  • Wese ús beorhtnes ofer Drihtnes úres,

      Ps. Th. 89, 19.

  • Se cwellere him ofer stód

    illi instante carnifice,

      Bd. 4, 16; S. 584, 36: Homl. Th. ii. 494, 27.

  • Eall ðæt ofer biþ tó láfe is tó syllanne, swá swá Crist lǽrde:

    'Quod superest date eleemosynam:'

    ðæt ofer sí and tó láfe sellaþ ælmessan,
      Bd. 1, 27; S. 489, 26-30.

  • Wé nú gehýrdon ðis hálige godspel beforan ús rǽdan, and ðéh wé hit sceolan eft ofer cweþan (

    we must say it over again

    ), ðæt wé ðé geornor witon ðæt hit ús tó bysene belimpeþ éces lífes,
      Blickl. Homl. 15, 31.

  • Ealle ðe ðǽr ofer beóþ getealde wintra, ða beóþ gewinn and sár,

      89, 11.

  • Hú þicke se hefon wǽre oððe hwæt ðǽr ofer wǽre,

      Bt. 35, 4; Fox 162, 23.

  • Ofer ufa

    desuper,

      Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 21, 7.

  • Ofer uppan

    up above,

      Met. 24, 27.
Etymology
[Goth. ufar: O. Sax. oƀar: O. Frs. over: Icel. ofr-; and cf. yfir: O. H. Ger. ubar.]
Linked entries
v.  ofer-bord ofer-sceótan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “ofer.” 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/24000.

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  • ofer, prep.

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