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Anglo-Saxon

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singan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
singan, p. sang, song, pl. sungon; pp. sungen
Wright's OE grammar
§7; §59; §96; §111; §249; §289; §317; §498;
To sing.
used absolutely;
of persons,
to sing, recite, relate musically or in verse
Show examples

  • Singan

    modulare,

    singe

    modulabor,

    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 57, 2, 3
      • .

  • Ic Gode singe

    gaudebo Deo,

    • Ps. Th. 74, 8
      • .

  • Ic Drihtne singe

    cantabo Domino,

    • 103, 31
      • .

  • Hwæt is ðis folc ðe ðus hlúde singeþ?

    • Blickl. Homl. 149, 30
      • .

  • Ðǽr habbaþ englas eádigne dreám, sanctas singaþ,

    • Cd. Th. 286, 20
      • ;
    • Sat. 355
      • .

  • Scop hwílum sang on Heorote,

      Beo. Th. 997 ; B. 496.

  • Singende heáp

    chorus,

    • Wrt. Voc. i. 28, 27
      • .

  • Hé geseah Matheus ǽnne sitton singende,

    • Blickl. Homl. 237, 23
      • .
to compose verse, narrate
Show examples

  • On ðé ic singge

    in te decantatio mea,

    • Ps. Th. 70, 5
      • .

  • Song hé be middangeardes gesceape and be fruman moncynnes,

    • Bd. 4, 24
      • ;
    • S. 598, 9
      • ;
    • Exon. Th. 44, 33
      • ;
    • Cri. 712
      • .

  • Be ðam Moyses sang,

    • Elen. Kmbl. 674
      • ;
    • El. 337
      • .

  • Swá se wítega sang,

    • Menol. Fox 119
      • ;
    • Men. 59
      • .

  • Wítgan sungon be Godes bearne,

    • Elen. Kmbl. 1119
      • ;
    • El. 561
      • .
of other living creatures
Show examples

  • Se fugel singeþ,

    • Exon. Th. 206, 9
      • ;
    • Ph. 124
      • :
    • Salm. Kmbl. 539
      • ;
    • Sal. 269
      • .

  • Fugelas singaþ, gylleþ grǽghama,

    • Fins. Th. 9
      • ;
    • Fin. 5
      • .

  • Se hana sóna hlúdswége sang

    immediately the cock crew,

    • Homl. Th. ii. 248, 33
      • :
    • Shrn. 30, 29
      • .

  • Sang se wanna fugel,

    • Cd. Th. 119, 22
      • ;
    • Gen. 1983
      • .

  • Mǽw singende,

    • Exon. Th. 307, 11
      • ;
    • Seef. 22
      • .
of inanimate resonant objects
Show examples

  • Ic þurh múþ sprece, wrencum singe,

    • Exon. Th. 390, 15
      • ;
    • Rä. 9, 2
      • .

  • Wiht is wrætlíc, singeþ þurh sídan,

    • 483, 13
      • ;
    • Rä. 69, 2
      • .

  • Se hearpere gedéþ, ðæt hearpan strengas náwuht ungelíce ðæm sone ne singaþ ðe hé wilnaþ,

    • Past. 23
      • ;
    • Swt. 175, 8
      • .

  • In ðæm dæge singaþ ða býman,

    • Wulfst. 183, 10
      • .

  • Syngaþ,

    • L. E. I. prm.
      • ;
    • Th. ii. 396, 8
      • .

  • Hringíren scír song in searwum,

    • Beo. Th. 651
      • ;
    • B. 323
      • .

  • Ic seah sellíc þing singan,

    • Exon. Th. 413, 10
      • ;
    • Rä. 32, 3
      • .
with a cognate accusative, or followed by the words used or by a clause;
of persons
to sing a song, recite a poem, prayer, formula, etc., read aloud
Show examples

  • Wé singaþ on his lof: 'Hǽl ús on ðǽm héhstan,'

    • Blickl. Homl. 81, 27
      • .

  • Heáhgealdor ðæt snotre men singaþ

    a charm that wise men recite,

    • Ps. Th. 57, 4
      • .

  • Hí singaþ Metude lof,

    • Exon. Th. 239, 7
      • ;
    • Ph. 617
      • .

  • Ðegnas singaþ, ðæt ðú sié hlǽfdige,

    • 18, 14
      • ;
    • Cri. 283
      • .

  • Ða lióþ ðe ic song,

    • Bt. 2
      • ;
    • Fox 4, 7
      • .

  • Heó 'Magnificaþ' sang,

    • Blickl. Homl. 159, 1
      • .

  • Crist sylf sang Pater Noster ǽrest,

    • L. C. E. 22
      • ;
    • Th. i. 372, 26
      • .

  • Engla þreátas sigeleóþ sungon,

    • Exon. Th. 181, 6
      • ;
    • Gú. 1289
      • .

  • 'Sing mé hwæthwegu.' Ðá andswarede hé: 'Ne con ic nán þing singan,'

    • Bd. 4, 24
      • ;
    • S. 597, 12
      • .

  • Sing ðás gebedsealmas,

    • Lchdm. iii. 12, 6
      • .

  • Singan sangas

    cantare canticum,

    • Ps. Th. 136, 4
      • .

  • Ðá ongan hé singan ða fers and ða word ðe hé nǽfre ne gehýrde,

    • Bd. 4, 24
      • ;
    • S. 597, 17
      • .

  • Leóþ singan

    dicere carmen,

    • 597, 31
      • .

  • Cwide singan,

    • Salm. Kmbl. 171
      • ;
    • Sal. 85
      • .

  • Singan Pater Noster,

    • 333
      • ;
    • Sal. 166
      • .

  • Hé wæs ymen singende,

    • Blickl. Homl. 147, 3
      • .

  • On ðære hálgan cyricean biþ sungen ðæt hálige gerýne,

    • 77, 15
      • .

  • Wæs se wítedóm beforan sungen,

    • Elen. Kmbl. 2306
      • ;
    • El. 1154
      • .
to narrate in verse, write
Show examples

  • Se scop sang, ðæt má manna fægnodon . . .,

    • Bt. 30, tit.
      • ;
    • Fox xvi. 4
      • .

  • Sealmsceopas sungon and sægdon, ðæt se wolde cuman,

    • Blickl. Homl. 105, 10
      • .

  • For hwam wolde gé secgan oððe singan, ðæt ic gesǽllíc mon wǽre,

    • Met. 2, 17
      • .
of other living creatures
Show examples

  • Earn sang hildeleóþ,

    • Judth. Thw. 24, 28
      • ;
    • Jud. 211
      • .

  • Wulfas sungon ǽfenleóþ,

    • Cd. Th. 188, 7
      • ;
    • Exod. 164
      • .
of inanimate things
Show examples

  • Seó byrne sang gryreleóþa sum,

    • Byrht. Th. 140, 7
      • ;
    • By. 284
      • .

  • Horn song fúslíc leóþ,

    • Beo. Th. 2851
      • ;
    • B. 1423
      • .

  • Ealle hearpan strengashé grét mid ánre honda, ðý ðe hé wile ðæt hí ánne song singen,

    • Past. 23
      • ;
    • Swt. 175, 9
      • .
where the subject of the song is the object of the verb, to sing about, recite or compose a poem about something
Show examples

  • Ic ðíne strengðu singe,

    • Ps. Th. 58, 16
      • .

  • Ic mildheortnesse and dóm Drihtnes singe and secge,

    • 100, 1
      • .

  • Cwæþ hé: 'Hwæt sceal ic singan?' Cwæþ hé: 'Sing mé frumsceaft,'

    • Bd. 4, 24
      • ;
    • S. 597, 16
      • .
Etymology
[
Goth. siggwan to sing, read aloud
:
O. Sax. singan
:
O. Frs. singa
:
O. H. Ger. singan canere, cantare, decantare, psallere, modulari, edere, jubilare
:
Icel. syngva (-ja) to sing; to ring (of metals, etc.), whistle (of the wind).
]
Similar entries
v. á-, be-, ge-singan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “singan.” 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/27810.

Checked: 2
Full form

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  • singan, v.

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