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Anglo-Saxon

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þurfan

  • verb [ preterite-present ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
þurfan, prs. ic, he þearf, ðú þearft, pl. wé þurfon; p. þorfte; subj. prs. is þurfe, þyrfe, pl. þurfen, þyrfen; prs. ptcpl. þurfende, þyrfende
Wright's OE grammar
§476; §481; §482; §542;
To need.
to be in need, have need of something,
absolute
Show examples

  • Gif ðú cláþa þe má on hæfst, þonne ðú þurfe,

    • Bt. 14, 1
      • ;
    • Fox 42, 15.

  • Ðú gæderast máre, þonne ðú þurfe (þyrfe, Cott. MS.),

    • 14, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 44, 8.

  • Nis hit gód, ðæt hié sién on ðam láðe leng, þonne ðú þurfe,

    • Cd. Th. 243, 3
      • ;
    • Dan. 430.

  • Sam hí þyrfon, sam hí ne þurfon, hí willaþ þeáh,

    • Bt. 26, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 92, 30.

  • Ða þurfende

    pauperes,

    • Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 5, 3.

  • Þyrfendra

    egentum,

    • Wrt. Voc. ii. 142, 69.
Grammar
þurfan, with gen.
of thing needed
Show examples

  • Beó ðé be ðínum, and lǽt mé be mínum; ne gyrne ic ðínes, ne ðú mínes ne þearft (dærft, Lchdm. iii. 288, 9),

    • L. O. 13
      • ;
    • Th. i. 184, 16.

  • Ne ðearf hé nánes þinges búton ðæs, ðe hé on him selfum hæfþ,

    • Bt. 24, 4
      • ;
    • Fox 86, 8: Cd. Th. 204, 27
      • ;
    • Exod. 425.

  • Hwæt ðurfe (ðurfu, Lind.) wé leng gewitnisse

    quid adhuc egemus testibus,

    • Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 26, 65.

  • Ða þurfon swíþe lytles, ðe máran ne willniaþ þonne genóges,

    • Bt. 14, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 44, 13.

  • Ne ðorfte hé ná máran fultumes,

    • 26, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 92, 22.

  • Hí his sume ðorfton,

    • Past. pref.
      • ;
    • Swt. 9, 16.

  • Ðǽm ðe micles ðorfton ... ðæm ðe lytles ðyrfe,

    • 44
      • ;
    • Swt. 325, 5-7.

  • Swá welig ðæt hé nánes þinges máran ne þurfe,

    • Bt. 24, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 82, 4.
Grammar
þurfan, with acc.
Show examples

  • Múþa gehwylc mete þearf,

    • Exon. Th. 341, 12
      • ;
    • Gn. Ex. 125.

  • Mete bygeþ, gif hé máran ( or gen.? ) þearf,

    • 340, 14
      • ;
    • Gn. Ex. 111.
to need to do something.
where a want has to be satisfied, a purpose to be accomplished, or the like
Show examples

  • Ðú meaht ðé self geseón, swá ic hit ðé secgan ne þearf,

    • Cd. Th. 38, 24
      • ;
    • Gen. 611.

  • Gif hit sié sumor, dó wermódes sǽdes dust tó; gif hit sié winter, ne þearft ðú ðone wermód tó dón,

    • Lchdm. ii. 180, 29.

  • Hé ne ðearf ná faran fram stówe tó stówe,

    • Homl. Th. i. 158, 4.

  • Hwæt ðurfon (þurfe, Bod. MS.) wé nú má sprecan?

    • Bt. 24, 4
      • ;
    • Fox 86, 22.

  • Hí witan, hwǽr hí eáfiscas sécan þurfan (

    where they must seek them, if they are to find them

    ),
    • Met. 19, 25.

  • Syle mé ðæt wæter, ðæt mé ne þyrste, ne ic ne ðurfe hér feccan,

    • Jn. Skt. 4, 15.

  • Ðý læs wé leng sprecen ymbe ðonne wé þyrfon (wé ne þyrfen, Cott. MS.),

    • Bt. 34, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 136, 14.
where the need is based on grounds of right, fitness, law, morality, etc., to be bound to do something because it is right, etc.
Show examples

  • Nó ðú mínne þearft hafelan hýdan

    the duty of burying me will not fall upon you,

    • Beo. Th. 895
      • ;
    • B. 445.

  • Gif hé gewitnesse hæbbe, ne þearf hé ðæt geldan (

    he is not bound by law to pay

    ),
    • L. Alf. 28
      • ;
    • Th. i. 52, 3.

  • Ne þearf hé him onfón,

    • L. In. 67
      • ;
    • Th. i. 146, 4.

  • Mé ðæt riht ne þinceþ, ðæt ic óleccan þurfe Gode,

    • Cd. Th. 19, 13
      • ;
    • Gen. 290.

  • Ðæt ðú ne wéne, ðæt ðú Iudéa leásungum gelýfan þurfe

    that you may not think, that you are bound to believe the Jews' false tales,

    • Blickl. Homl. 177, 35.

  • Hé suiðor his mód gebint tó ðǽm unnyttran weorcum, ðonne hé ðyrfe

    ( more than is fitting for him ),

    • Past, 4
      • ;
    • Swt. 37, 21.

  • Ðonne mon má fæst, ðonne hé ðyrfe

    ( more than religion requires ),

    • 43
      • ;
    • Swt. 313, 2.

  • Gif ða gyltas tó ðam hefelíce beón, ðæt hé tó bisceopes dóme tǽcan þurfe

    ( he must do it because the church has prescribed such a course ),

    • L. Ecg. P. i. 11
      • ;
    • Th. ii. 176,30.

  • Gedón hí ðæt hira synna ne ðyrfen ( need not, because of the divine ordinance ) bión gesewene æt ðæm nearwan dóme,

    • Past. 53
      • ;
    • Swt. 413, 16.
with the idea of compulsion, or where the inevitability of a consequence is expressed; in some cases the word might be taken almost as an auxiliary, of much the same force as shall; to be obliged, be compelled by destiny
Show examples

  • Gé ne þurfon hér leng wunian

    you shall not be obliged to stop here longer,

    • Ex. 9, 28.

  • Nis ðæt þonne nǽnig man, ðæt þurfe ðone deópan grund ðæs hátan léges gesécean,

    • Blickl. Homl. 103, 14.

  • Næs him ǽnig þearf, ðæt hé sécean þurfe

    there was no need to force him to seek,

    • Beo. Th. 4984
      • ;
    • B. 2495.

  • Feallaþ ofor ús, ðæt wé ne þurfon ðysne ege leng þrowian,

    • Blickl. Homl. 93, 34.

  • Þý læs gyt láð Gode weorðan þyrfen

    lest the inevitable consequence, your becoming hateful to God, follow,

    • Cd. Th. 36, 26
      • ;
    • Gen. 577.

  • Þý læs ða týdran mód ða gewitnesse wendan þurfe,

    • Exon. Th. 147, 21
      • ;
    • Gú. 730.

  • Náuht ðæs ðe hé ondréde, ðæt hé forleósan þorfte (

    should be obliged to lose

    ),
    • Bt. 26, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 92, 22.

  • Hwý him on hige þorfte ( should necessarily follow ) á þý sǽl wesan,

    • Met. 15, 9.

  • Hú hé ðisse worulde wynna þorfte læsast brúcan

    how he should be least under the necessity of enjoying the delights of this world,

    • Exon.Th. 122, 20
      • ;
    • Gú. 308.

  • Ðæt ðæt micle morð menn ne þorfton þolian

    that men would not necessarily have to suffer that great perdition,

    • Cd. Th. 40, 17
      • ;
    • Gen. 640.
to have good cause or reason for doing something
Show examples

  • Ðú sorge ne þearft beran on ðínum breóstum,

    • Cd. Th. 45, 28
      • ;
    • Gen. 733.

  • Ic ðé scylde, ne þearft ðú forht wesan,

    • 131, 5
      • ;
    • Gen. 2171: Blickl. Homl. 191, 18: Beo. Th. 3353: B. 1674.

  • Ðú ðec sylfne ne þearft swíþor swencan, gif ðú God lufast,

    • Exon. Th. 245, 18
      • ;
    • Jul. 46.

  • Ðæt is genóg sweotol, ðætte nánne mon ðæs tweógean ne þearf,

    • Bt. 11, 2
      • ;
    • Fox 34, 34: Blickl. Homl. 41, 36: 83, 9.

  • Ne þearf ðæs nán mon wénan,

    • 101, 13: 109, 30.

  • Ne ðarf mon ná ðone medwísan lǽran, ðæt hé ða lotwrencas forlǽte, forðonðe hé hié næfþ,

    • Past. 30
      • ;
    • Swt. 203, 15.

  • Ne þearf hé gefeón

    he will have no cause to rejoice,

    • Cd. Th. 92, 4
      • ;
    • Gen. 1523: Exon. Th. 449, 9
      • ;
    • Dóm. 68: Beo. Th. 4016
      • ;
    • B. 2006.

  • Mé wítan ne ðearf Waldend,

    • 5475
      • ;
    • B. 2741: Cd. Th. 165, 7
      • ;
    • Gen. 2728.

  • Ne ðurfe wé ceorian,

    • Homl. Th. ii. 438, 27.

  • Ne þurfan gé nóht besorgian, hwæt gé sprecan,

    • Blickl. Homl. 171, 18.

  • Ne þurfe gé beón unróte,

    • 135, 24.

  • Ne þurfon gé wénan,

    • Exon. Th. 142, 16
      • ;
    • Gú. 645.

  • Ne þurfon mé hæleð ætwítan,

    • Byrht. Th. 139, 4
      • ;
    • By. 249.

  • Ic eów secgan mæg, ðæt gé ne ðyrfen leng murnan,

    • Judth. Thw. 23, 33
      • ;
    • Jud. 153.

  • Sume him ondrǽdaþ earfoþu swíþor þonne hý þyrfen,

    • Bt. 39, 11
      • ;
    • Fox 228, 24.

  • Gif hé náne ǽhta næfde, ne þorfte hé nánne feónd ondrǽdan ... Gif ðú swelces nánuuht næfdest ne þorftest ðú ðé nánwuht ondrǽdan,

    • 14, 3
      • ;
    • Fox 46, 23-28.

  • Nö hé ðære feohgyfte scamigan þorfte,

    • Beo. Th. 2057
      • ;
    • B. 1026: 2147
      • ;
    • B. 1071.

  • Hwǽr hé ðara nægla swíðast wénan þorfte

    where he had most reason to expect that he should find the nails,

    • Elen. Kmbl. 2206
      • ;
    • El. 1104.

  • Nó wé þus swíðe swencan þorftan, þǽr ðú freónda lárum hýran wolde,

    • Exon. Th. 129, 19
      • ;
    • Gú. 423.

  • Ne þorfton hí hlúde hlihhan,

    • Cd. Th. 5, 17
      • ;
    • Gen. 73.

  • Hí gearowe wǽron deáðe sweltan, gif hí ðorfton (

    if the occasion demanded it

    ),
    • Homl. Th. ii. 130, 5.
where the need arises from an advantage to be gained, or purpose to be served, to be use, to be good for a person to do something
Show examples

  • Ne þearf ic yrfestól bytlian

    it is no good or use for me to build an hereditary seat,

    • Cd. Th. 131, 14
      • ;
    • Gen. 2176.

  • Ne þearft ðú sæce rǽran,

    • Elen. Kmbl. 1876
      • ;
    • El. 940.
to owe,
Similar entries
cf. sculan, I
Show examples

  • Ne þearf ic N. sceatt ne scilling, ne pænig ne pæniges weorð; ac eal ic him gelǽste ðæt ðæt ic him scolde,

    • L. O. 11
      • ;
    • Th. i. 182, 9.
Etymology
[
Goth. þarf, pl. þaurbum; prs.; þaurfta; p.; þaurbands; prs. ptcpl.
:
O. Sax. tharf, pl. thurƀun; prs.; thorfta; p.
:
O. Frs. thurf, thorf, pl. thurvon; prs.
:
O. H. Ger. darf tharf, pl. durfun, thurfun; prs.; dorfta; p.
:
Icel. þurfa; þarf, pl. þurfum; prs. þurfti; p.; þurfandi; prs. ptcpl.
]
Similar entries
v. be-þurfan; þearfan, þearfian, þorfan.
Linked entries
v.  þearf ge-þurfan þyrfende.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “þurfan.” 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/32251.

Checked: 1
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  • þurfan, v.

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