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Anglo-Saxon

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swá

  • adverb
Dictionary links
Grammar
swá, swǽ, swé (swé is the form in Ps. Surt. ; see also Txts. 600, col. 1. The form also occurs in Blickl. Homl. 23, 7).
Wright's OE grammar
§79; §144; §161; §471; §560;
Grammar
swá, rel. pron.
As, that
Show examples

  • Forgylde ðæt ángylde and ðæt wíte swá tó ðam ángylde belimpan wille,

      L. Alf. pol. 6; Th. i. 66, 3.

  • Ðon gelíc swá lǽcas cunnon

    such as doctors know,

      Lchdm. ii. 192, 23.

  • Brúcan swylcra yrmþa swá ðú unc ǽr scrife,

      Exon. Th. 373, 2; Seel. 102 : Homl. Th. ii. 162, 18.

  • Yrfan hí swá hí wyrðe witan

    let such inherit as they know to be entitled,

      Chart. Th. 578, 9.

  • Ne wíte hé ús swá neóde and hǽse gehýrsumodon,

      Guthl. prol. ; Gdwin. 4, 5.

  • Ealne ðisne ymbhwyrft ðises middangeardes swá swá Oceanus útan ymbligeþ, Ors. 1, 1; Swt. 8, 2. I a. in combination with the hw- pronominal forms, so, as in whosoever, etc. :-- Tó syllenne swá hwæt swá (suǽ huæt

    quodcumque,

      Lind.)
    heó hyne bǽde, Mt. Kmbl. 14, 7.

  • Swá hwylc swá (suá huá,

      Lind. : swá hwá swá, Rush.) sylþ ánne drinc, 10, 41.

  • Fram swá hwylcere untrymnesse swá hé on wæs,

      Jn. Skt. 5, 4.

  • Swá hwylc man swá mildheortnesse nafaþ,

      Blickl. Homl. 13, 22.

  • Swá hweðer swá hé wylle,

      L. Eth. i. 1; Th. i. 280, 16.

  • Ðæt git tie lǽstan welhwilc ǽrende swá hé sendeþ,

      Cd. Th. 35, 15; Gen. 555.

  • Folcrihta gehwylc swá his fæder áhte,

      Beo. Th. 5210; B. 2608 : Elen. Kmbl. 1287; El. 645.

  • Swá hú swá hé mǽge

    howsoever he can,

      L. P. M. 2; Th. ii. 286, 25.

  • Swá hwæder (hwyder, MS. A.) swá (suá huider, Lind. : hwider swá, Rush.) ðú færst

    quocunque ieris,

      Mt. Kmbl. 8, 19 : Lk. 9, 57 : Blickl. Homl. 233, 33.
  • See other instances under the pronominal forms.
demonst. pron.
Show examples

  • Æt men fífténe peningas, and æt horse healf swá,

      L. Ff. ; Th. i. 224, 26.
III. representing an adjective, generally one used with a verb of incomplete predication, so, the same, such - Hé gemétte ǽnne blindne mann, se wæs geboren swá,
    Homl. Skt. ii. 29, 52 : Cd. Th. 44, 33; Gen. 7, 8.
Bebycggen ðone oxan and hæbben him ðæt weorð gemǽne, and eác ðæt flǽsc swá (i. e. in common ),
    L. Alf. 23; Th. i. 50, 11.
Ðæt hé wǽre heora munuc æt fruman and hí woldon hine habban swá deádne that he had been their monk at first, and they would have him so (their monk) when dead,
    Homl. Th. ii. 518, 23.
Cild ðiónde on eallum cræftum on cnihtháde and swá forþ eallne giógoþhád ( going on thriving all its youth ),
    Bt. 38, 5; Fox 206, 24.
Gé wiþerwearde wǽron úrum gewunan and ealre Godes cyricean swá (i. e. wiþerwearde), Bd. 2, 2; S. 503, 19. III a. swá swá
such as
Show examples

  • Onlegena strengran swá swá is áróm

    stronger applications such as is copperas,

      Lchdm. ii. 192, 22.
adv.
defined by that which precedes
of manner or condition
so, in this or
that way, thus
Show examples

  • 'Beón gegaderode ða wæteru' . . . Hit wæs ðá swá gedón,

      Gen. 1, 9, 15.

  • Nis hit ná swá

    it is not so (as you have said),

      18, 15.

  • Hit ne mæg ná swá beón,

      Ex. 10, 11.

  • Ðeáh hí his nǽfre ne geléfan, ðeáh it is swá,

      Bt. 36, 6; Fox 182, 17.

  • Hé árás áblendum eágum, and his geféran hine swá (

    in the manner mentioned

    ) blindne tó ðære byrig gelǽddon,
      Homl. Th. i. 386, 14 : 432, 11 : L. In. 21; Th. i. 116, 3.

  • Hé hine dyde óðrum monnum suá (swǽ,

      Cott. MSS.) ungelícne, Past. 17; Swt. 113, 14.
so, in the same way, in like manner
Show examples

  • And swá ford (cf. Germ. und so weiter) and so on, et caetera, Ælfc. Gr. 18; Zup. 114, 5, and often. Se ealdor dyde hand swá gelíce

    similiter fecit,

      Th. An. 74, 4. See eal-swá.
of degree or extent,
where a high degree is implied,
so (exceedingly)
Show examples

  • Ne gemétte ic swá mycelne geleáfan,

      Mt. Kmbl. 8, 10.

  • Nán fullere ne mæg swá hwíte gedón,

      Mk. Skt. 9, 3.

  • For hwon sǽdest ðú swá gémeleáslíce and swá wlætlíce ða ðing,

      Bd. 5, 9; S. 623, 9.

  • Ðá ðú swá lustlíce gehérdest míne láre,

      Bt. 22, 1; Fox 76, 23 : 35, 3; Fox 158, 7.

  • Ðonne hí heora gód on swá manige dǽlas tódǽlaþ,

      33, 2; Fox 122, 25.
where the degree is definitely marked
Show examples

  • Se consul fór mid þrím hunde scipa . . . him cómon ongeán Punice mid swá fela scipa (

    cum pari classe

    ),
      Ors. 4, 6 ; Swt. 176, 11.

  • Se twelf síþum hine bibaþaþ . . . and swá oft of wyllgespryngum beorgeþ,

      Exon. Th. 205, 6; Ph. 108.

  • Syx swá micel

    to the same extent much six times, six times as much,

      L. M. L. ; Th. i. 190, 3.
of cause (v. V. 6),
so, therefore, on that account
Show examples

  • Hé him ðet land forbeád .. and hé hit swá álét

    he forbade him the land . . . and so he gave it up,

      Chart. Th. 202, 12.
defined by that which follows,
of manner,
so, in such a manner that
Show examples

  • Far mid him swá ðæt ðú dó ðæt ic ðé bebeóde

    vade cum eis, ita duntaxat, ut, quod tibi praecepero, facias,

      Num. 22, 20.

  • Ǽlc wíf sceolde gebídan swá ðæt heó ne cóme intó Godes temple,

      Homl. Th. i. 134, 16.

  • Crist is Godes Sunu swá ðæt (

    in such sort that

    ) se Fæder hine gestrýnde of him sylfum,
      258, 26.

  • Swá beclýsed ðæt nǽnig óþer hý onlúceþ,

      Exon. Th. 20, 26; Cri. 323.

  • Wearþ ðæt geat belocen swá ðæt ða stánas feóllon tógædere,

      H. R. 103, 7.

  • Gif eów swá líce þuhte utan gangan on ðissum carcerne,

      Blickl. Homl. 247, 1.

  • Swá ðon gelícost ðe tóbrocen fæt,

      Lchdm. ii. 230, 25.

  • Se mon biþ, ðæs ðe swá tó cweþanne sí, ǽghwæðer ge gehæfted ge freó,

      Bd. 1, 27; S. 497, 40.
of degree
Show examples

  • Swá ealde swá hié ðá wǽron hié gefuhton

    as old as they then were, they fought,

      Ors. 3, 11; Swt. 152, 16.

  • Nys hyt swá stearc winter, ðæt ic durre lutian æt hám,

      Coll. Monast. Th. 19, 17.

  • Swǽ opene scylde ðæt hé his bróðor ofslóge,

      Past. 34; Swt. 234, 2.

  • Ðín mægen is swá mǽre, swá ðæt ǽnig ne wát ða deópnesse Drihtnes mihta,

      Hy. 3, 31 : Ors. 4, 10; Swt. 198, 15.

  • Swá fullíce ðiónde . . . óþ ðe hé wyrþ ǽlces cræftes medeme,

      Bt. 38, 5; Fox 206, 22.

  • Ða habbaþ beardas swá síde óð heora breóst,

      Nar. 38, 1.

  • Súp swá ðú hátost mǽge,

      Lchdm. ii. 50, 25.
used indefinitely,
so and so
Show examples

  • Ðeáh ðú nyte for hwí hé swá and swá dó

    though thou know not why he act in this or that manner,

      Bt. 39, 2; Fox 214, 13.
used emphatically,
so, exceedingly, as much as possible
Show examples

  • Ongan hé hine baðian swá swátigne (

    when perspiring profusely

    ),
      Ors. 3, 9; Swt. 124, 30 : Jud. Thw. 22, 19; Jud. 67.

  • Ðú meaht swá wíde geseón,

      Cd. Th. 36, 1; Gen. 565 : 27, 30; Gen. 425.

  • Sió onlícnes sendde mycel wæter swá sealt (

    exceedingly salt

    ),
      Blickl. Homl. 245, 25.

  • Genim ðás wyrte swá mearwe (

    as tender as possible

    ),
      Lchdm. i. 192, 8 : 194, 2.
  • Wel on swá hátum, ii. 50, 15.
with comparatives,
the,
singly
Show examples

  • Oft wé mágon beón suá (swǽ, Cott. MSS.) nyttran æt him gif wé hié myndgiaþ hira gódna weorca

    plerumque utilius apud illos proficimus, si eorum bene gesta memoramus,

      Past. 32, 2; Swt. 211, 20.

  • Beþe ða eágan, betere swá oftor

    the oftener the better,

      Lchdm. ii. 34, 16.

  • Leng swá swíðor,

      Cd. Th. 60, 30; Gen. 985 : Beo. Th. 3712; B. 1854.
correlatives
the . . . the
Show examples

  • Swá norðor swá smælre

    the further north one goes, the narrower the land becomes,

      Ors. 1, 1; Swt. 18, 29.

  • Swá betere swá fǽtran and ferscran,

      Lchdm. ii. 196, 22.
  • Swá háttra sumor, swá mára ðunor and líget, iii. 280, 9.

  • Efne swá hé ús mǽrlícor gifeþ, swá wé him mǽrlícor þancian scylon; swá þrymlícre ár, swá máre eádmódnes,

      Wulfst. 261, 19-21.

  • Swá swá leng swá bet,

      Bt. 35, 3; Fox 160, 8.

  • Swá swá hé lengra biþ, swá hí bióþ ungesǽligran,

      38, 4; Fox 204, 15.

  • Swá mycele swá ðú hér on worulde swýþor swincst swá ðú eft bist on écnysse fæstlícor getrymed; and swá myccle swá ðú on ðisum andweardan lífe má earfoða drígast, swá myccle ðú eft on tóweardnesse geféhst,

      Guthl. 5; Gdwin. 32, 10-14. (2 a)
    ) Ðæt hé suá micle wærlícor hine healde wið scylda swá hé gere witan mæg ðæt hé nó ána forwierð, Past. 28; Swt. 191, 10.
adverbial conjunction,
with indic.
with a clause of comparison,
as
Show examples

  • Ne biþ hé eall swá hé ǽr wæs,

      Bt. 14, 9; Fox 148, 8.

  • Beóþ mildheorte, swá eówer fæder is mildheort,

      Lk. Skt. 6, 36.

  • Hé gedreósan sceal, swá ðeós eorðe eall,

      Exon. Th. 124, 27 : Elen. Kmbl. 1761; El. 882.

  • Hí mé ymbsealdon samod anlíce swá beón,

      Ps. Th. 117, 12.

  • Héht onlíce, swá hé ðæt beácen geseah, tácen gewyrcan,

      Elen. Kmbl. 200; El. 100. (1 a) swá swá :--
    Eall ðæt ðe leofaþ beóþ eów tó mete, swá swá grówende wyrta ic betǽhte ealle eów, Gen. 9, 3.

  • Gewurðe ðín willa on eorðan, swá swá on heofenum,

      Mt. Kmbl. 6, 10.

  • Dón swá swá hý git dóþ,

      Bt. 16, 1; Fox 50, 2.
with indic. or subjunct. expressing an actual or possible result,
so that
Show examples

  • Se consul fór tó Tarentan, swá Hannibal nyste, and ða burg ábræc, swá ða nyston ðe ðǽrinne wǽron,

      Ors. 4, 10; Swt. 198, 7-9 : 4, 11; Swt. 206, 3.

  • Gif hwá stalle, swá his wíf nyte,

      L. In. 7; Th. i. 106, 15.

  • Wesan swá him yldo tie derede,

      Cd. Th. 30, 22; Gen. 471 : 256, 12; Dan. 639.

  • Bær hine seó brimwylf, swá hé ne mihte wǽpna gewealdan,

      Beo. Th. 3020; B. 1508.

  • Se má eallum Angelcyningum Brytta deóde fornom, swá efne ðæs ðe hé mihte wiþmeten beón Saule,

      Bd. 1, 34; S. 499, 20.
with subjunctive,
as (if)
Show examples

  • Iosue fleáh, swá hé áfyrht wǽre,

      Jos. 8, 15.

  • Ðú hí betweónum wæters weallas lǽddest, swá hí wǽron on drígum,

      Ps. Th. 105, 9.

  • Cweðan swá hé tó ánum sprece,

      Exon. Th. 84, 23; Cri. 1378.

  • Nú is ðon gelícost swá wé ceólum líðan,

      53, 16; Cri. 851.
with optative,
so
Show examples

  • Swá ðyós dǽd for monnum mǽre gewurþe,

      Lchdm. iii. 60, 14.

  • Ic ðæt geswerige þurh sóþ godu, swá ic áre æt him ǽfre finde,

      Exon. Th. 247, 19; Jul. 81 : Beo. Th. 875; B. 435.
with a conditional force, provided that, if so be that, so (as in Shakspere :
So it be new, there's no respect how vile; v. Abbott, Shak. Gram. § 133)
Show examples

  • Nim, swá hit ðé ne mislícyge,

      Ap. Th. 20, 12.

  • Hé him ðet land forbeád, swá hé ǽniges brúcan wolde,

      Chart. Th. 202, 10.
marking a consequence,
so, therefore, on that account
Show examples

  • Ic mæg rǽdan on his ríce; swá mé ðæt riht ne þinceþ . . . ,

      Cd. Th. 19, 11; Gen. 289 : 24, 22; Gen. 381 : Andr. Kmbl. 2657; An. 1330.
local,
where
Show examples

  • On eallum Norþan-hymbrum ge eác on Pehtum swá Óswíes ríce wæs ðæs cyninges

    quousque rex Osuin imperium protendere poterat,

      Bd. 4, 3; S. 566, 30.

  • Geseh hé bearwas standan, swá hé ǽr his blód ágeát,

      Andr. Kmbl. 2897; An. 1451 : 3163; An. 1584.
temporal,
as, when
Show examples

  • Swá heó sǽ geseah, hé hió snióme fleáh,

      Ps. Th. 113, 3.

  • Ic wát God ábolgen wyrð, swá ic him ðisne bodscipe secge,

      Cd. Th. 35, 10; Gen. 552.
marking the grounds of action, as, since
Show examples

  • Wé ðé lofiaþ, swá ðú hǽlend eart, Hy. 7, 116. (10) although, yet :-- Swá hé þurh feóndscipe tó cwale monige démde, swá þeáh him Dryhten eft miltse gefremede, Elen. Kmbl. 994; El. 498 : Cd. Th. 25, 10; Gen. 391. (11) in contracted clauses,

    as, as (being)

    :-- Hwone hé lǽran scyle suá earmne, and hwane suá eádigne,
      Past. 26; Swt. 183, 9.

  • Heora hláford weorðodon swá swá wuldres cyning (cf. hiora cyningas hí weorþodon for Godas,

      Bt. 38, 1; Fox 194, 16), Met. 26, 45.
swá . . . swá,
- where swá occurs once with a demonstrative, once with a relative force, so . . . as, so . . . that, as . . . as
Show examples

  • Swá forð swá uncre wordgecwydu fyrmest wǽron

    as far as ever our agreements went,

      L. O. 11; Th. i. 182, 11.

  • Swá gelíc swá ðú æt swǽsendum sitte,

      Bd. 2, 13; S. 556, 15.

  • Suá suíðe suá hé of ðære ǽwe ne cerre

    so as he turn not from the law,

      Past. 23; Swt. 175, 4.

  • Búton hé suá monige gecierre suá hé mǽsð mǽge,

      28; Swt. 191, 9.

  • Hafa on múþe swá hát swá ðú hátost mǽge,

      Lchdm. ii. 50, 15.

  • Swá forð swá ða óðre,

      Ælfc. Gr. 18; Zup. 114, 3.

  • Ða unrótnessa swá ilce ofergáþ, swá ðú cwist ðæt ða blissa ǽr dydon,

      Bt. 8; Fox 24, 33.

  • Swá wíde swá wegas tólǽgon,

      Andr. Kmbl. 2469; An. 1236.

  • Hé hine wolde swá weligne gedón swá hé his sunu wǽre,

      Shrn. 84, 14.

  • Sóna swá seó sunne sealte streámas oferhlifaþ, swá se fugel gewíteþ, Exon. Th. 206, 1-6; Ph. 120. (1 a) swá swá :-- Ðó rysle tó swá swá sýn twá pund

    add lard so as there may be two pounds,

      Lchdm. ii. 74, 1 : 250, 26.
correlative,
either . . . or, as well . . . as
Show examples

  • Onfón swá écum lífe swá écum deáðe swá ðú ǽr geworhtest swá écum lífe swá ungeendodon wíte

    accipere sive vitam aeternam, sine mortem aeternam, prout antea fecisti; sive vitam aeternam, sive infinitum supplicium,

      L. Ecg. P. iv. 65; Th. ii. 226, 13.

  • Ðæt heó gecure óðer ðæra, swá heó forférde, swá heó ðám godum geoffrode,

      Homl. Skt. i. 8, 63 : 11, 33.

  • Nim swá wuda swá wyrt swá hweðer swá ðú wille,

      Bt. 34, 10; Fox 148, 25 : Wulfst. 108, 10.

  • Smire mid ðære sealfe swá niht swá twá swá þearf sié

    smear with the salve one night or two, as need be,

      Lchdm. ii. 128, 1.

  • Sié ðæt on cyninges dóme swá deáð swá líf swá hé him forgifan wille

    be it in the judgement of the king, as well death as life, as he will grant him,

      L. Alf. pol. 7; Th. i. 66, 10.

  • Hit biþ gewrecen swá ǽr, swá lator,

      Homl. Ass. 62, 253.

  • Gilde swá wer, swá wíte, swá lahslite, aa be ðam ðe seó dǽd sý,

      L. Eth. v. 31; Th. i. 312, 10.

  • Ðonne mót hé swá rídan, swá rówan, swá swilce færelde faran swylce tó his wege gebyrige,

      L. E. I. 24; Th. ii. 420, 24.
whether . . . or
Show examples

  • Saga him, swá hé wille swá hé nelle, hé sceal cuman,

      Bd. 5, 9; S. 623, 11.

  • Wé be him náþor nyton, swá hí libban, swá hí deáde licgon,

      Homl. Skt. i. 23, 306.

  • God lét hí habban ágenne cyre, swá hí heora Scyppend lufedon, swá hí hine forléton,

      Homf. Th. i. 10, 19 : 18, 30.

  • Syle etan ǽr ðære tíde his tócymes, swá on dæge swá on nihte, swæþer hyt sý,

      Lchdm. i. 364,16.

  • On swelce healfe swelce hié winnende beón woldan, swá súþ, swá norþ, swá eást, swá west,

      Ors. 3, 5; Swt. 106, 13.
swá hwæðer swá . . . swá
whether . . . or
Show examples

  • Sete man ofer ðæne þriddan dæg, swá hwæðer swá heó beó fúl swá clǽne, L. Ath. iv. 7; Th. i 226, 31. (2 a) with the first swá omitted,

    or

    :-- Dém ðú hí tó deáþe, swá tó lífe lǽt,
      Exon. Th. 247, 33; Jul. 88.
in combination with the particles git, same, þeáh, þeána,
see those words.
Etymology
[Goth. swé, swa : O. Frs. sá : O. Sax. O. H. Ger. só : Icel. svá (later svó) : Dan. saa : Swed. så.]
Similar entries
v. eal-swá.
Linked entries
v.  se swǽ eall-swá.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swá.” 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/29493.

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Full form

Word-wheel

  • swá, adv.

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