Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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big-spell

  • noun [ neuter ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
big-spell, bí-spell; g. -spelles; pl. nom. acc. -spell, -spellu; n. [big, bí, spell a history]
A by-history, a parable, fable, example, proverb, story; parabola, fabula, exemplum, proverbium, narratio
Show examples

  • Gehýre ge ðæs sáwendan bigspell

    vos audite parabolam seminantis,

    • Mt. Bos. 13, 18.

  • Ic ahylde on bigspelle eáre mín

    inclinabo in parabolam aurem meam,

    • Ps. Spl. 48, 4.

  • Ealle ðás þing se Hǽlend spræc mid bigspellum to ðám weredum; and nán þing ne spræc he bútan bigspellum

    hæc omnia locutus est Iesus in parabolis ad turbas; et sine parabolis non loquebatur eis,

    • Mt. Bos. 13, 34, 35
      • :
    • Ps. Lamb. 48, 5.

  • Bigspellu,

    acc. pl.

    • Lchdm. iii. 214, 15.

  • He him rehte bíspell bí ðære sunnan

    he related to him a parable of the sun,

    • Bt. titl. vi
      • ;
    • xFox x. 12.

  • Ðeáh we sculon manega and mistlíce bísna and bíspell reccan

    though we should relate many and various examples and fables,

    • Bt. 35, 5
      • ;
    • Fox 166, 13, 19.

  • Gehýr sum bíspell

    hear an example,

    • 37, 3
      • ;
    • Fox 190, 21
      • :
    • 39, 6
      • ;
    • Fox 220, 21.

  • Þurh bigspell and bigcwidas

    in proverbium et fabulam,

    • Deut. 28, 37.

  • We sculon ðé sum bíspell reccan

    we will relate a story to thee,

    • Bt. 35, 6
      • ;
    • Fox 166, 27
      • :
    • Bt. Met. Fox 23, 17
      • ;
    • Met. 23, 9.
Etymology
[
Kil. bijspel:
Ger. beispiel, n:
M. H. Ger. bíspel, n.
]
Derived forms
bigspell-bóc
Linked entries
v.  an-lícnes bí-spell.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “big-spell.” 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/4307.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • big-spell, n.

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