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þearf

  • noun [ feminine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
þearf, e; f.
Wright's OE grammar
§367;
need
Show examples

  • Wé sceolan beón genyndige Godes beboda, and úre sáwle þearfe,

      Blickl. Homl. 25, 27.

  • Gemyndige úre sáula þearfe,

      101, 16.

  • God, ðe ǽlces monnes ðearfe wát,

      Bt. 39, 10; Fox 226, 25.

  • Hé ealle can úre þearfe,

      Ps. Th. 102, 13.

  • Seleþegn ealle beweotede þegnes þearfe,

      Beo. Th. 3598; B. 1797.

  • Gleómen þearfe secgaþ,

      Exon. Th. 326, 31; Víd. 137.

  • Ðæt hé ne ágǽle gǽstes þearfe,

      51, 17; Cri. 817: 298, 17; Crä. 86.

  • Miltsa ðú ús, and gemyne ðú úre þearfa,

      Blickl. Homl. 225, 21.
need for
or of something, which is expressed
by a genitive
of a noun, or of a pronoun referring to a noun
Show examples

  • Hwylc ðearf is ðé húsles

    quid opus est eucharistia?

      Bd. 4, 24; S. 598, 37: Cd. Th. 54, 19; Gen. 879.

  • Him wæs manna þearf,

      Beo. Th. 405; B. 201.

  • Nǽnges þinges máre þearf nǽre,

      Blickl. Homl. 175, 9.

  • Nalas þý þe úre Drihten ðæs wolcnes fultomes þearfe hæfde,

      121, 13.

  • Náhte ic ðínre miltse þon máran þearfe,

      Judth. Thw. 22, 35; Jud. 92.

  • Drihten ðæs (

    the ass

    ) áh þearfe,
      Blickl. Homl. 71, 1.
of a pronoun that represents a clause
Show examples

  • 'Ic bidde ðé, ðæt ðú nyme ðé ládmenn.' Ðá cwæð hé: 'Nys mé ðæs nán þearf' (

    non est necesse

    ),
      Gen. 33, 15.

  • Hí bǽdon ðæt hí móston on óðerne weg faran, and sǽdon ðæt him ðæs neód wǽre and eác þearf,

      Guthl. 14; Gdwin. 62, 6.

  • Hwæs wǽre mé máre þearf, þonne ic mid cilde wǽre

    quid necesse fuit concipere?

      Gen. 25, 22.

  • Ðæs ánes ic áh þearfe, ðæt ðú mín freónd sig and ic ðíne miltse hæbbe

    hoc uno tantum indigeo, ut inveniam gratiam in conspectu tuo,

      Gen. 33, 15.

  • Wé ðæs náne þearfe nágon, ðæt wé him ǽfre fram ábúgan,

      Homl. Skt. i. 23, 454.
of a pronoun that refers to a gerundial infinitive; cf. 3.
Show examples

  • Forþon nis mé ðæs þearf, cwæð Orosius, tó secgenne,

      Ors. 1, 11; Swt. 50, 15.
by a clause
Show examples

  • Him næs nán þearf (ðarf, Lind,

    opus

    ), ðæt ǽnig man sǽde gewitnesse be men,
      Jn. Skt. 2, 25: 16, 30.

  • Ús is eallum þearf, ðæt úre ǽghwylc óþerne bylde,

      Byrht.Th. 138, 41; By. 233.

  • Is ðam weorce þearf, ðæt...,

      Exon. Th. 1, 21; Cri. 11.

  • Ús is mycel ðearf, ðæt wé teolian,

      Blickl. Homl. 125, 11.

  • Him wæs þearf micel, ðæt...,

      Cd. Th. 123, 32; Gen. 2054.

  • Ic wéne ðæt hit sié nú ǽrest þearf, ðæt ic ðé gerecce hwǽr ðæt héhste gód is

    nunc demonstrandum reor, quonam haec felicitatis perfectio constituta sit,

      Bt. 34, 1; Fox 134, 3.

  • Gé habbaþ micle ðearfe, ðæt gé simle wel dón,

      42; Fox 258, 26.

  • Ic áh mǽste þearfe, ðæt ðú mínum gáste gódes geunne,

      Byrht. Th. 136, 61; By. 175.
by the gerundial infinitive
Show examples

  • Momge menn angiennaþ smeágean suíðor ðonne him ðearf sié tó begonganne

    nonnulli se in quibusdam inquisitionibus plus quam necesse est exercentes,

      Past. 11; Swt. 67, 4.

  • Ús is mycel þearf tó witenne,

      Blickl. Homl. 63, 5.
  • Hwæt is ðæt ðæm men sý máre þearf tó þencenne? 97, 19.

  • Nis mé wihtæ þearf hearran tó habbanne,

      Cd. Th. 18, 25; Gen. 278.
where that for which there is need is not expressed
Show examples

  • Gé ðone hlísan habban tiliaþ ofer þióda má, þonne eów þearf sié,

      Met. 10, 22.

  • Hit is eów uttcúðre, ðonne gé þearfe áhton

    you have less knowledge on the point than you have need of,

      Wulfst. 292, 8.

  • Ic ádrǽde, ðæt gé willan heora læs gýman, ðonne gé þearfa áhton,

      297, 20.
needful things, what is needful
Show examples

  • Ðá hét hé him heora ðearfe forgyfan

    eis necessaria ministrari jussit,

      Bd. 1, 25; S. 486, 29.

  • Wé willaþ eów andlyfne syllan and eówre þearfe forgifan

    quae victui sunt vestro necessaria ministrare curamus,

      S. 487, 55.

  • Ǽghwylc moil wile ðæt him Drihten selle ealle his þearfe,

      Blickl. Homl. 51, 15.

  • Mé Dryhten sendeþ þurh monnes bond míne þearfe,

      Exon. Th. 121, 24; Gú. 293.
what is required of a person, duty
Show examples

  • Gif munuc wiðersaca wurðe mid ealle, hé sí ámánsumod ǽfre, búton hé gebúge tó his þearfe,

      L. Eth. ix. 41; Th. i. 348, 33.

  • Áfæstnie man symle georne on heortan godcunde þearfe (

    duty towards God

    ),
      Wulfst. 75, 5.

  • God sceáwaþ sylf, mid hwylcum geþance man tó cyrican fare, and hwæt ðǽr man dreóge wordes oððe weorces. And se ðe ðǽr ðæt déþ, ðæt his þearfa beóþ, se gegladaþ God,

      279, 1.

  • Men forgýmdon Godes laga swýðor, ðonne heora þearfa wǽron,

      292, 13.
use, service, behoof, good, advantage, profit [v. þearf-líc, II, and cf. Icel. þarfr useful: Dan. tarv. behoof, good, benefit: O. H. Ger. bi-darbi utilis]
Show examples

  • Nyttung vel þearf vel gewuna

    usus,

      Wrt. Voc. i. 54, 68.

  • His wylla is, ðæt wé aa æfter úre ágenre þearfe geornlíce winnan

    his will is that we ever strive diligently after our own profit,

      Wulfst. l09, 8.

  • For eówre þearfe mé sende God

    pro salute vestra misit me Deus,

      Gen. 45, 5.

  • On ða gerád ðæt ðú ða eorþan sécan wille for gódra manna þearfe,

      Bt. 7, 3; Fox 22, 8.

  • Bisceopas áscádaþ út of cyrican for heora ágenan þearfe ða, ðe heálíce hý sylfe forgyltan,

      Wulfst. 104, 11.

  • Hé earfeþu geþolade fore þearfe þeódbúendra, láðlícne deáð leódum tó helpe,

      Exon. Th. 72, 15; Cri. 1173.

  • Ðæs múðes tunge sceal faran on ðara eárena ðearfe

    ad usum suum auribus oris lingua concurrat,

      Past. 34; Swt. 233, 8: Andr. Kmbl. 3302; An. 1654: Beo. Th. 2916; B. 1456.

  • Þonne wé biddaþ ongeán úre ágenre þearfe þonne forwyrnþ God ús ðæs ðe wé ungesceádwíslíce biddaþ

    when we ask for what is opposed to our own good, God refuses us that which we ask indiscreetly,

      Homl. Th. ii. 528, 8.

  • Ðæt hí sýn gewordene bysen tó forwyrde swýðor þonne tó þearfe

    that they have become an example to perdition rather than to profit,

      L. I. P. 23; Th. ii. 334, 14.

  • Úre ǽlc scute .iiii. pæng. tó úre gemǽn[r]e þearfe

    each of us should contribute four pence to our common use,

      L. Ath. v. 2; Th. i. 230, 16.

  • Tó ðæs heres þearfe

    to the service of the Danes,

      Chr. 874; Erl. 76, 32.

  • Eallum þeódscipe tó þearfe

    for the good of the whole nation,

      1006; Erl. 141, 7.

  • Mann wísdóm sprecþ manegum tó þearfe and tó rihtinge,

      Ælfc. T. Grn. 21, 27: Wulfst. 32, 9.

  • Úre Drihten ðe eallum manncynne com tó ðearfe (helpe,

      MS. E.), 14, 17.

  • Godes hús séce hé gelóme him sylfum tó þearfe,

      73, 16.

  • Hit wearð mancynne tó mycelre þearfe,

      23, 5: 119, 16.

  • Tó þearfe

    usefully, profitably,

      49, 2: Byrht. Th. 138, 38; By. 232: Menol. Fox 426; Men. 214.

  • Se ðe ðæt déþ, hé déþ him sylfum mycle ðearfe,

      Wulfst. 113, 13: 119, 11: 303, 7.

  • Fremmaþ gé leóda þearfe,

      Beo. Th. 5594; B. 2801.

  • Ic wát ðæt ðú sécst míne ðearfe

    I know that you seek my good,

      Shrn. 182, 32.

  • Gif eall geférrǽden ðone rǽd missrǽdaþ, and þeáh feáwa witena on ðam geférscipe beón, ðæt ða þearfe wíslícor tócnáwan cunnon þonne sume, stande ðæra rǽd ðe ða ðearfe geceósaþ, R. Ben. 116, 20. V a.

    a useful thing, profitable employment

    :-- Ðæs hádes men ðe hwýlum wǽron nyttoste and geswincfulleste on godcundan þeówdóme and on bóccræfte, ða syndon nú unnyttaste, and ne swincaþ á swíðe ymbe ǽnige þearfe for Gode ne for worulde,
      L. I. P. 14; Th. ii. 322, 22.
need, distress, straits, difficulty
Show examples

  • Gif him þyslícu þearf gelumpe,

      Beo. Th. 5268; B. 2637: 2504; B. 1250.

  • Mec þearf monaþ, micel módes sorg,

      Exon. Th. 285, 21; Jul. 717.

  • Gefultumend æt ǽlcere ðearfe

    adjutor in opportunitatibus, in tribulatione,

      Ps. Th. 9, 10.

  • Swá ðæt se man ábrýð æt ǽlcere þearfe (cf. ábreóðe on ǽlcere neóde,

      59, 12), Wulfst. 53, 13.

  • Gif ic æt þearfe ðíne scolde aldre linnan,

      Beo. Th. 2958; B. 1477.

  • On hyra mandryhtnes miclan þearfe,

      5691; B. 2849.

  • Seó ecg geswác þeódne æt þearfe,

      3054; B. 1525.

  • Swylc sceolde secg wesan æt þearfe,

      5411; B. 2709: Byrht. Th. 140, 52; By. 307.

  • Þonne weorðe ic mid eów ǽfre æt ðearfe, and eów ne forlǽte ǽfre æt neóde,

      Wulfst. 50, 5: Ps. Th. 62, 7: 70, 6.

  • Ða ðe hine seóslige sóhtun on ðearfe,

      Exon. Th. 157, 30; Gú. 899.

  • Wást ðú hú ic gewand ymbe Creosos þearfe, ðá ðá hine Cirus gefangen hæfde? Bt. 7,

      3; Fox 22, 10.
  • Hwæt miht ðú on ða tíd þearfe gewépan? Dóm. L. 176.

  • Ðec nú for þearfum ðín ágen geweorc bídeþ,

      Exon. Th. 8, 3; Cri. 112.

  • Wé ðec for þearfum and for þreánýdum árena biddaþ,

      186, 3; Az. 14.

  • Ðonne hwá tó his scrifte cymeþ, on ða gerád ðæt hé wille his þearfa tó him sprecan and his synna andettan,

      L. E. I. 31; Th. ii. 428, 9.
Etymology
[Gif hwa is swa sunful þet nulle his scrift halden, þenne segge ic eou, þetnis hit nan þerf (it is no use), þet me her on þisse liue for his saule bidde O. E. Homl. i. 9, 31. Alle þatt haffdenn ned and þarrfe to þin hellpe, Orm. 12247. Goth. þarba need, want: O. Frs. therve: O. L. Ger. therva opus: O. H. Ger. darba privatio: Icel. þörf.]
Similar entries
v. feorh-, firen-, heáh-, nearu-, níd-, ofer-, sáwel-, un-, weá-, weoruld-þearf;. þurfan.
Linked entries
v.  þærf þarf.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “þearf.” 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/31562.

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  • þearf, n.

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