Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

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wæfre

  • adjective
Dictionary links
Grammar
wæfre, adj.
flickering, wavering, quivering
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  • Wylm ðæs wæfran líges (cf.

    Icel.

    vafr-logi),
      Cd. Th. 231, 2; Dan. 241.
fig.
wavering, languishing
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  • Him wæs geómor sefa, wæfre and wælfús,

      Beo. Th. 4831; B. 2420.

  • Hé ne meahte wæfre mód forhabban in hreþre,

      2305; B. 1150.
active, nimble (? cf, the force of the old adjective
quiver)
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  • Wearð him tó handbanan wælgæst wæfre,

      Beo. Th. 2666; B. 1331.
Etymology
[Cf. Uten uorsien þisne midelard and his wouernesse (instability?), Anglia i. 31, 18. M. H. Ger. waberén vacillare: Icel. vafra to hover about.]
Similar entries
v. wafian.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “wæfre.” 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/34247.

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Full form

Word-wheel

  • wæfre, adj.

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