Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

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swefan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
swefan, p. swæf, pl. swǽfon; pp. swefen
Wright's OE grammar
§505;
To sleep.
of natural sleep
Show examples

  • Se ne slǽpeþ ne swefeþ (or III a) swýðe

    non dormitavit neque obdormiet,

    • Ps. Th. 120, 4
      • .

  • Hé swifeþ slǽpe gebiesgad.

    • Exon. Th. 358, 1
      • ;
    • Pa. 39.

  • Hé sófte swæf.

    • Cd. Th. 12, 2
      • ;
    • Gen. 179: 94, 19
      • ;
    • Gen. 1564.

  • Sceótend swǽfon, ða ðæt hornreced healdan scoldon,

    • Beo. Th. 1411
      • ;
    • B. 703: 2564
      • ;
    • B. 1280
      • .

  • Ðú móst sorhleás swefan,

    • 3348
      • ;
    • B. 1672: 238
      • ;
    • B. 119.

  • Geseah hé in recede swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere,

    • 1462
      • ;
    • B. 729 : Exon. Th. 344, 25
      • ;
    • Gn. Ex. 179.

  • Swefan under swegles hleó,

    • Andr. Kmbl. 1663
      • ;
    • An. 834.

  • Swefan on slǽpe,

    • 1695
      • ;
    • An. 851
      • .
of the sleep of death
Show examples

  • Se fǽge þegn æfter billes bite swefeþ,

    • Beo. Th. 4127
      • ;
    • B. 2060.

  • Se wyrm ligeþ, swefeþ sáre wund,

    • 5485
      • ;
    • B. 2746
      • .

  • Swefaþ ða ðe beadogríman býwan sceoldon,

    • 4505
      • ;
    • B. 2256
      • .

  • Hý deáðdrepe drihte swǽfon, synfullra sweót sáwlum lunnon,

    • Cd. Th. 209, 7
      • ;
    • Exod. 495.

  • Hǽðene swǽfon, deáðwang ridon,

    • Andr. Kmbl. 2004
      • ;
    • An. 1004.

  • Hláfurd sécan oððe hér swefan,

    • Vald. 1. 31.
metaphorically,
to denote lack of watchfulness
Show examples

  • Ðonne se weard swefeþ, sáwele hyrde,

    • Beo. Th. 3487
      • ;
    • B. 1741.
to denote cessation of activity
Show examples

  • Swǽfon seledreámas,

    • Cd. Th. 179, 29
      • ;
    • Exod. 36.
Etymology
[Cf.
Þa sæ sweuede, Laym. 25548.
Icel. sofa; p. svaf to sleep
:
Dan. sove
:
Swed. sofwa.
]
Similar entries
v. swebban.
Linked entries
v.  sweofot.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “swefan.” 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/29595.

Checked: 2
Full form

Word-wheel

  • swefan, v.

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