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þencan

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
þencan, p. þóhte (þohte?)
Wright's OE grammar
§5; §7; §40; §60; §117; §165; §231; §245; §289; §301; §309; §311; §326; §534; §539;
To think.
absolute,
to meditate, cogitate, consider
Show examples

  • Sceal scearp scyldwíga gescád witan worda and worca, se ðe wel þenceþ,

      Beo. Th. 584; B. 289.

  • Ða leásan men treówa gehátaþ fægerum wordum, fácenlíce þencaþ,

      Fragm. Kmbl. 49; Leás. 26.

  • Ðara sacerda ealdras þóhton ðæt hig woldon Lazarum ofsleán

    cogitaverunt principes sacerdotum, ut Lazarum interficerent,

      Jn. Skt. 12, 10: Blickl. Homl. 69, 26: 77, 8.

  • Weras þeahtedon and þóhton,

      Elen. Kmbl. 1094; El. 549.

  • Ðá águnnon þencan ða bócerns

    coeperunt cogitare scribæ,

      Lk. Skt. 5, 21.

  • Ne mæg se flǽschoma, ðone him ðæt feorg losaþ, mid hyge þencan,

      Exon. Th. 311, 23; Seef. 96.

  • Hé eode út on ðæt land þencende

    egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro,

      Gen. 24, 63.
where the thought is the object of the verb,
to think, have in the mind
Show examples

  • Secge hé hwæt ic þence

    let him say what my thoughts are,

      Blickl. Homl. 181, 7.

  • Deáh hwá mæge ongitan hwæt óþer dó, hé ne mæg witan hwæt hé ðencþ,

      Bt. 39, 9; Fox 226, 7.

  • Gedó ðæt hý nægen dón ðæt yfel ðæt hý þencaþ and sprecaþ

    decidant a cogitationibus suis,

      Ps. Th. 5, 11.

  • Weras ðe ðæt on geþóhtum þenceaþ: Wutun...,

      138, 17.

  • Ealle ða geþóhtas ðe hí þóhtan

    omnes cogitationes eorum,

      145, 3. II a.
to think, suppose, hold as an opinion or
belief
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  • Hé þenceþ ðæt his wíse wel hwam þince eal unforcúþ,

      Exon. Th. 315, 12; Mód. 30.

  • Nǽnig heora þóhte, ðæt hé ðanon scolde gesécean folc,

      Beo. Th. 1386; B. 691.
to think of, consider, employ the mind on a subject,
where the subject of thought is in the accusative
Show examples

  • Ic ðíne sóðfæstnysse þence

    meditabor in justificationibus tuis,

      Ps. Th. 118, 117.

  • Ðá þóhton hig ðis word,

      Lk. Skt. 9, 45.

  • Him ðás þing þencendum

    haec eo cogitante,

      Mt. Kmbl. 1, 20.
where the subject of thought is in genitive
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  • Hé ðencþ ðæs tíman hwonne hé hit wyrs geleánian mæge

    deteriora, si occasio praebeatur, quaerat,

      Past. 33; Swt. 227, 23.

  • Ðenc ðara worda mínra gebeda

    intende voci orationis meae,

      Ps. Th. 5, 1.

  • Gif ðú ðone mon lácnian wille, þænc his gebǽra

    consider his gestures,

      Lchdm. ii. 348, 13.

  • Hié nyllaþ ðæs ðencean, hú hié mægen nyttweorðuste beón hiera niéhstum,

      Past. 5; Swt. 45, 18.

  • Wé móton ðæs þencan ðe egeslíc on ðissum bócum is gewriten,

      L. Ath. i. prm.; Th. i. 196, 23.
where the subject of thought is governed by a preposition,
to think about, of, on a subject
Show examples

  • Ic ymb síþ spræce and on lagu þence,

      Exon. Th. 458, 9; Hy. 4, 97.

  • Myccle swíðor wé sceolan þencan be ðǽm gástlícum þingum ðonne bé ðǽm líchomlícum,

      Blickl. Homl. 57, 13.

  • Be ðan morgendæge þencean

    de crastino cogitare,

      213, 23.

  • Onginnaþ ymb ða fyrde þencean,

      Cd. Th. 26, 18; Gen. 408.

  • Hwæt is ðæt ðæm men sý máre þearf tó þencenne ðonne embe his sáuwle þearfe,

      Blickl. Homl. 97, 19.

  • Gód ys on Dryhten tó þenceanne

    bonum est confidere in Domino,

      Ps. Th. 117, 8.
where the subject of thought is given in a clause introduced by an indirect interrogative
Show examples

  • Hé þencþ hú hé hine éþelícost beswícan mæge,

      Blickl. Homl. 55, 21.

  • Hé þóhte hú hé him stól geworhte,

      Cd. Th. 18, 13; Gen. 272,
    Maria swígende ðóhte hwæt seó hálettung wǽre, Blickl. Homl. 7, 16.

  • Hié þóhton hú hié hine ácwellan meahton,

      241, 18: Ps. Th. 72, 6.

  • Is wén ðæt feala manna þence hwylcum edleáne hé onfó æt Drihtne,

      Blickl. Homl. 41, 14.

  • Smeágean wé and þencan hwæt ðæt tácnode,

      19, 4.

  • Smeágan and þencan hwylce ðæs gódan marines weorc and his dǽdawǽron,

      55, 12.
where the construction is uncertain
Show examples

  • Ðenð

    excogitat (de domo impii,

      Prov. 21, 12), Kent. Gl. 775.
  • V. to direct the thoughts to an object,
to look to with attention, turn the thoughts to
Þenc nú swíðe geornlíce tó ðam ðe ic ǽr sáde turn your thoughts very carefully to what I said before, Shrn. 177, 35. Ðǽm welwillendum is tó secganne, ðonne hié gesióð hiera geférena gód weorc, ðæt hié eác ðencen tó hint selfum dicendum est benevolis, ut, cum proximorum facta conspiciunt, ad suum cor redeant, Past. 34; Swt. 231, 11. Riht is ðæt munecas dæges and nihtes inweardre heortan á tó Gode þencan and geornlíce clypian it is right that monks day and night ever earnestly direct their thoughts to God and diligently cry to him,
    L. I. P. 14; Th. ii. 322, 3.
to look to with trust, expectation, expect of. Cf.
Ger. zu-denken
Show examples

  • Næs heó swicol nánum ðæra ðe hyre tó ðóhte,

      Lchdm. iii. 430, 1.

  • Ðá seonde hé ðæt man sceolde ða scipu tóheáwan; ac hí ábruðon ða ðe hé tó þóhte,

      Chr. 1004; Erl. 139, 26.

  • Ne þurfon wé ná tó úrum mǽgum ne nán man tó his wífe ðencean tó ðam swýþe, ðæt him man æfter his forðsýpe tó ðam micel fore gedǽle, ðæt hí hine franc wítan álýsan, gif hé hér hine sylfne forgýmde

    we need not expect so much of our kinsmen, and no man need expect so much of his wife, as that enough will be given for him after his death to redeem him from torment, if he neglected himself before,

      Wulfst. 306, 4.
where purpose or intention is implied, to turn the thoughts to action, to be bent upon something,
have an intention to do something
Show examples

  • Hí beóð gewǽpnode on ða wísan, ðe man hors gewǽpnaþ, ðonne man tó wíge þencþ (

    intends to go to war

    ),
      Wulfst. 200, 11.

  • Feówer þing synt ealra þinga behéfost ðam árwyrðan men, ðam ðé þencþ tó ðam écan lífe,

      247, 12.

  • Hé tó gyrnwræce swíðor þóhte ðonne tó sǽláde

    his thoughts were turned rather to vengeance than to voyage,

      Beo. Th. 2282; B. 1139.

  • Hí tó swice þóhton, and þrymcyning þeódenstóles berýfan,

      Exon. Th. 317, 6; Mód. 61.

  • Gif hwylc mǽdenman mid gehádodum wunaþ, and heó tó ðam ylcan háde þence

    si puella aliqua cum ordinatis habitet, et se eidem ordini destinet,

      L. Ecg. P. ii. 17; Th. ii. 188, l0.
to think of something, where it is implied that effect will be given to the thought,
to determine, devise, mean, purpose, intend,
with gen.
Show examples

  • Ne þence wé nánes yfeles

    nec ullas molimur insidias,

      Gen. 42, 31.

  • Geheald mé, ðæt mé tie beswíce synwyrcende, ða ðe unrihtes ǽghwǽr þenceaþ

    custodi me a scandalis operantium iniquitatem,

      Ps. Th. 140, 11.

  • Ða ðe mé ðenceaþ yfeles

    qui cogitant mihi mala,

      34, 5.

  • Ealle míne fýnd þóhton mé yfeles,

      40, 8.

  • Ðæt ic mín fleó and mid rihtheortum rǽdes þence,

      93, 14.

  • Ne mæg ðín ríce leng stondan, búton ðú heora forwyrde ðe geornor þence,

      Blickl. Homl. 175, 15.

  • Ne þenðú

    ne moliaris (amico tuo malum,

      Prov. 3, 39), Kent. Gl. 55.
followed by an infin., to think of doing something,
intend to do
Show examples

  • Ic his swíðran hand settan þence

    ponam manum ejus,

      Ps. Th. 88, 22: 107, 8: 118, 109.

  • Ic mé be healfe mínum hláforde licgan þence

    I mean to lie by the side of my lord,

      Byrht. Th. 141, 9; By. 319.

  • Nó ic eów sweord ongeán óðberan þence ... ac ic mínum Criste cwéman þence,

      Exon. Th. 120, 18-26; Gú. 274-277.

  • Gif ðú úre bídan þencest,

      119, 26; Gú. 260.

  • Se ðe wrecan þencep freán,

      Byrht. Th. 139, 23; By. 258: Beo. Th. 3075; B. 1535: Cd. Th. 287, 9; Sat. 364.

  • Ðonne wé tó héhselde hnígan þencaþ,

      277, 22; Sat. 208.

  • Mid ðý hí wrecan þenceaþ

    ad faciendum vindictam,

      Ps. Th. 149, 7, 8.

  • Hí unscyldige scotian þenceaþ

    ut sagittent immaculatum,

      63, 3.

  • Ic hine wríþan þóhte ... ic hine ne mihte ganges getwǽman

    I meant to bind him ... but I could not stop him,

      Beo. Th. 1933; B. 964: 1483; B. 739.

  • Hé ðæt gewrecan þóhte

    he determined to punish that,

      Cd. Th. 77, 13; Gen. 1274.

  • Hié wyrnan þóhton Moyses mágum leófes síðes,

      180, 27; Exod. 51.

  • Hié wǽron wið ðæs fýres weard tó ðon ðæt hié hit ácwencean þóhton

    ad extinguendum ignem concurrerunt,

      Ors. 4, 10; Swt. 200, 17: 1, 10; Swt. 44, 32.

  • Se ðe gód beginnan þence hé ðæt angin on him sylfum ástelle

    he who intends to begin reformation, let him make a beginning with himself,

      Lchdm. iii. 438, 32. (b 1) with the gerundial infin. :-- Hí
    ðǽr swá longe ðóhton tó beónne, Ors. 1, 14; Swt. 56, 22.

  • Se ðe ða áre þænce tó þeófigenne oððe on óððre wís on tó áwendenne

    qui quid illinc abstulerit sive in alium usum converterit, Chart. Th. 177, 13. (b 2) with infin. omitted :-- Ða Iudéas sóhton Iósep and ða twelf cnyhtas and Nichodemus ... Ealle hig hig selfe bedýglodon ... búton Nichodemus sylfa ... Com hé tó hym ... Eall swá gelíce Iósep æfter ðam hyne ætýwde, and heom tó com ... Hig cwǽdon tó hym: 'Oncnáw nú ðæt hyt ðé lyt scal fremian ðæt ðú tó þóhtest' (know that it shall benefit you little, that you have determined to come to us ),

      Nicod. 12-13; Thw. 6, 14-38.

  • Ðara ǽlces ðe ðæs wordes wǽre ðæt from Rómebyrg þóhte

    of each one that should give expression to an intention of leaving Rome,

      Ors. 4, 9; Swt. 190, 25.
followed by a clause
Show examples

  • Ða ðe swá þenceaþ, ðæt heó gehýden hǽlun míne

    ipsi calcaneum meum observabunt,

      Ps. Th. 55, 6.

  • Heó ǽr þóhte ðæt heó Godes brýd wurþan wolde

    antea statuerat, quo Dei sponsa fieret,

      L. Ecg. P. ii. 17; Th. ii. 188, 13. '
    Uton árísan and ácwellan ða apostolas' ... Ða Iudéas ðá árison, and hié ongunnon mid sweordum ðyder gán; þóhton ðæt hié woldan ofsleán ða apostolas, Blickl. Homl. 151, 1.
with an accus. to which a clause stands in apposition
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  • His ðegna ðreát ðe ðæt þence nú, ðæt hí his willan wyrcean georne

    ministri ejus, qui facitis voluntatem ejus,

      Ps. Th. 102, 20.
to think of doing something with hope or expectation,
to desire, seek
Show examples
  • Ðurh ða róde sceal ríce gesécan ǽghwylc sáwl, seó ðe mid Wealdende wunian þenceþ, Rood Kmbl. 240; Kr. 121.

  • Hwæþer ðú ðonne ongite ðæt ǽlc ðara wuhta ðe him beón þencþ ðæt hit þencþ ætgædere beón gehál undǽled

    quod autem subsistere ac permanere appetit id unum esse desiderat,

      Bt. 34, 12; Fox 152, 26.

  • Ðara gesǽlða wilniaþ ealle deáþlíce men tó begitanne, ðeáh hé ðurh mistlíce wegas ðencan tó cumanne,

      24, 2; Fox 80, 31.
to think, call to mind, originate in the mind
Show examples

  • Hié ðonne forhtiaþ, and feá þencaþ hwæt hié tó Criste cweðan onginnen

    then will they fear, and few will think what to say to Christ,

    Rood
      Kmbl. 228; Kr. 115.
Etymology
[Goth. þag(g)kjan; p. þáhta to think, consider, consult, debate: O. Sax. thenkian; p. þáhta: O. L. Ger. thenkan; tháhta: O. Frs. thanka, thenkia; p. thógte: O. H. Ger. denchen; p. dáhta: Icel. þekkja; p. þátti to perceive, know.]
Similar entries
v. á-, be-, bi-, for-, fore-, ge-, geond-, of-, under-, ymbe-þencan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “þencan.” 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/31654.

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  • þencan, v.

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