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hwá

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Wright's OE grammar
§7; §79; §144; §161; §231; §252; §263; §325; §469;
Add: pl. n. hwá; dat. hwám, hwǽm.
in direct questions.
hwá
who
Show examples

  • Hwǽm (hwám, v. l.) beóð dás ðyllecan gelícran?

    quibus isti sunt similes

    ?,
      Past. 226, 23.

  • Æt hwám (from hwǽm, R.

    a quibus)

    nimað cyningas gafol?,
      Mt. 17, 25 : Hml. Th. i. 510, 32.
hwæt
what, where the subject of the question may be of any gender or of either number,
alone, questions asking for the nature, character, extent,
&c., of person or thing
Show examples

  • Hwæt is se dumba, sé þe on sumre dene resteð?,

      Sal. 229.

  • Hwæt is þeós wundrung?,

      Cri. 89.

  • Hwæt is wuldor þín þe þú upp árǽrdest, þá þú goda ússa gilp gehnǽgdest ?,

      An. 1319.

  • Hwæt sindon þá gimmas búton God sylfa?,

      Cri. 694.
strengthened by ǽfre
Show examples

  • Hwæt þis ǽfre beón scyle?,

      Hml. S. 23, 532 : 516.
with partitive gen.
Show examples

  • Hwæt wæs seó Salamones ræste elles búton se hálga innoð?,

      Bl. H. 11, 19.
with gen. ,
what manner of
Show examples

  • Ac hwæt wile ðæt nú beón weorca ðæt ús on óðerre stówe forbiét ðæt wé hit beforan mannum dón, on ððerre lǽrd búton ðæt wé hit helen ?

    quid est ergo, quod opus nostrum et ita faciendum est, nevideatur, et tamen, ut debeat videri praecipitur ?

      Past. 451, 2.

  • Hwæt þis ǽfre beón sceole fǽrlices

    whatever manner of marvellous thing must this be?,

      Hml. S. 23, 516.

  • Hwæt gifest þú mé freómanna to frófre?,

      Gen. 2174.
introducing an exclamatory clause. Cf.
1 B iii a ; hwilc;
Show examples

  • Eála! hwæt se forma gítsere wǽre, þe ǽrest þá eorþan ongan delfan æfter golde,

      Bt. 15 ; F. 48, 22: Met. 8, 55.
in dependent clauses.
after verbs (or verbal nouns or adjectives') of asking, learning, knowing, seeing, saying,
hwá
Show examples

  • Hé frægn . . . hwá þá duru heólde,

      Fin. 23.

  • Heofon ongeat hwá hine getremede,

      Cri. 1150.
    þonne bið gecýðed hwá unclǽnnisse líf álifde, Dóm. 62.

  • Hwæt wille gé cueðan hwæs oððe hwæs gé sién ?

    quid vos hujus vel illius dicitis,

      Past. 211, 13.
hwæt (for meaning see I. A
above),
alone, (i) of persons
Show examples

  • Ðá Sǽde Paulus þone engel hwæt seó góde sáwel wǽre. Ðá sǽde hé him þæt heó wǽre mildheortnesse fyligende and staðolfæst . . . . Wlfst. 237,

      II. Hú
    mihte Adam tócnáwan hwæt hé wǽre . . . ?, Hml. Th. i. 14, 4.

  • Ic wát ge hwæt þú eart ge for hwon þú gnornast

    scio qui es, et quare maeres,

      Bd. 2, 12; Sch. 156, 14.
    þám deófle wæs micel twínung hwæt Críst wǽre, Hml. Th. i. 168, 10.

  • Hé hine hét secgan hwæt his geféran wǽron,

      Bt. 16, 2; F. 52, 23. (ii) of things :--
    Sum blind þearfa gehýrde myccle menigo féran; þá áhsode hé hwæt þæt wǽre, Bl. H. 15, 17.

  • Hé áscode hwæt hyt sóðes wǽre for hwig hym man swá fǽrlíce æfter sende,

      Hml. A. 184, 94.

  • Hú ne wást þú hwæt (ꝥ,

    v. l.

    ) wé cweþaþ.
      Bt. 34, 5 ; F. 138, 34,
    Uton spyrian hwæt þá geforan, þá þe God tufedon, and hwæt þá gefóran, þá þe God græmedon, Wlfst. 130, 11-13.

  • Oð ðæt ic wite hwæt God wylle hwæt be mé gewurðe donec sciam quid de me fieri uelit Deus, Bd. 5, 19 ;

    Sch.

      670, 12.
  • þá frægn Scipia hiene ann

  • Ic nát mid hwí ic delfe.

    Hml. S.

    23 b, 764.

  • Uton gehýran hwæt hé dyde and mid hwý hé ús freó gedyde,

      Bl. H. 83, 31.

  • Hé him sægde þurh hwæt seó sául eádegust gewurde, 159, 28. (B) with gen. (i) where the noun in the genitive denotes a class or kind, how many or how much of which is in question :-- Hé befrán hwæt hí him feós geúðon

    he asked what (how much) money they would give him,

      Hml. Th. ii. 242, 16.

  • Mé lysteþ ꝥ ic wite hwæt sóþes sý be þǽre wísan

    quid hoc de re veritas habeat, ignore,

      Gr. D. 303, 6.

  • Be þǽm hringum mon mehte witan hwæt Rómána duguðe gefeallen wæs,

      Ors. 4, 9 ; S. 190, 13.

  • Áríman hwæt þǽr mancynnes forwearð,

      1, 11 ; S. 50, 13.

  • Tó secganne hwæt hiera folces forwurde, 5, 2; S. 220, 9. (ii) where the genitive denotes a single object, what part of :-- Sege mé hwæt his (wealth) þé deórast þince, Bt. 13; F. 38, 10. (iii) where the noun in genitive denotes that, the manner or kind of which is in question, what kind of :-- Befrínende hwæt ꝥ fǽrlices wǽre, Hml. S. 31, 243. (iii a)

    what wonderful kind of.

      Cf. II :--
    Hit is on hrædinge earfoðrecce hwæt hé gesáwenlicra wundra worhte, Wlfst. 22, 14. (iv) where the genitive denotes objects the number of which is in question :-- Saga mé hú fela si fugela cynna. Ic ðé secge twá and fiftig. Saga mé hwæt fisccynna si. Ic ðé secge six and þrittig, Sal. K. 204, 5-10.
after other verbs,
hwá
Show examples

  • Hié ofergeáton . . . hwá him dugeðaforgeafblǽd,

      Gen. 2581.
hwæt.
alone
Show examples

  • Ne in huon ð ú hlada hæfis ðú

    neque in quo hatirias habes.

      Jn. L. 4, 11.

  • Þú wille cweþan ꝥ þá welgan habban mid hwám hí mægen þæt eall gebétan, Bt. 26, 2 ; F- 92, 35- Eall hwæt (þæt,

    v. l.

    ) hi willniaþ hí begitaþ,
      40, 7; F. 242, 22.

  • Hwæt seó rǽding cwyð . . . , hyt ys tó gýmanne,

      Angl. viii. 323, 32.
  • (B) with gen. Cf. I B i :-- Hé giémde hwæt hé hæfde monna gerímes, and ne nóm náne ware húlice hié wǽron, Ors. 5, 4; S. 224, 21.
where the
hwæt-clause is subject to the verb of the main clause
Show examples

  • Bið æt Gode ánum gelang eal hwæt wé gefaran scylon, Wlfst. 122, 9. with elliptical construction, the mam clause not expressed :-- Ǽlc man hwæt ((

    it did not matter ?) what )

    . . . his háde tó belumpe folgade, sé þe wolde,
      Chr. 1086 ; P. 219, 31.
as an indefinite pronoun,
hwá
alone, with much the same sense as man,
any one
Show examples

  • Ne selle mon tó fela ðǽm de lytles ðyrfe, ðý lǽs hwá him self weorðe tó wǽdlan, and him ðonne gehreówe sió ælmesse

    ne, cum pauca oportet, plurima praebeant, et ipsi postmodun minime inopiam tolerantes ad impatientiam erumpant,

      Past. 325, 7.

  • Ðæt is ðæt mann (mon, v. l.) forwierne his sweorde blódes, ðæt hwá forwirne his láre ðæt hé mid ðǽre ne ofsleá ðæs flǽsces lustas

    gladium a sanguine prohibere est praedica*-*tionis verbum a carnalis vitae interfectione retinere,

      379, 2.
  • Hwá þe heom þises bereáfie, God sié heom wráð, Cht Th. 621, 22.

  • Gif ðú hwene gesihst geðeón on góde, blissa on his dǽdum,

      Hex. 44, 28.
with gen.
Show examples

  • Gif hwá þonne þegena sý þe on his bóclande cyricean hæbbe,

      Ll. Th. i. 262, 11.
hwæt.
alone
Show examples

  • Gif him hwæt mistímað,

      Hex. 44, 30.

  • Weald hwæt heom tíde,

      Ll. Th. ii. 316, 25.

  • Gif hí on hwon (ówiht, v. l.) ágylton

    siqua delinquissent.

      Bd. 3, 5; Sch. 204, 22.

  • Gif þú tódǽlst hwæt on feówer,

      Angl. viii. 335, 24: Bl. H. 97, 27.
with gen.
Show examples

  • Gif hié hwæt suá heálicra yfela on him ongieten

    si qua valde sunt eorum prava,

      Past. 197, 5.

  • Gif him gebyrige ðæt hé on ðæs hwæt befoo ðe wið his willan

    sié,

      198, 23.

  • Hwæt swylces,

      Gr. D. 138, 2.

  • Gif hí hwæt litles understandaþ of þám Lýden-bócum,

      Ælfc. Gen. Thw. 2, 10.
  • U anomalous construction where V. l is used as well

    Mé bet lícað ꝥ swá hwæt swá þú in Rómána cyricean . . . oððe on hwilcre óþre hwæt þæs geméte, ꝥ Gode má lícode

    mihi placet, ut siue in Romana . . . seu in qualibet ecclesia aliquid invenisti quod plus Deo possit placere,

      Bd. 1, 27 ; Sch. 65, 5.
in combination with swá.
swá hwá (hwæt) swá.
See also (7 a)
Show examples

  • Swá hwá swá hilð his gódan weorc, . . . ne lǽt hé nánne óðerne æfter him,

      Fast. 449, 29.

  • Swá hwá þonne swá þæs wyrþe biþ ꝥ hé . . . ,

      Bt. 5, 1 ; F. 10, 13.

  • Gif twégen eówer geþafigaþ be ǽngum þinge swá hwæs swá hé gebiddan (be ǽlcum þinge þe hig biddað, W. S.)

    si duo ex vobis consenserint de omni re quamcumque petierint,

      Mt. R. 18, 19.

  • Hé gelýfd swá hwæt swá hé cwyð, gewurðe þis,

      Mk. 11. 23: Lk. 10, 35.

  • Swá hwæt swá

    (quicquid) . . . gelumpe, þæt eall ꝥ (totum hoc )

    se ofen . . . of ásude,
      Bd. 4, 9 ; Sch. 393, 11. (1 a) with gen. :-- Hé
    forgifeþ eall swá hwæt swá þes middangeard . . . ǽbyligða geworhte, Bl. H. 9, 11.
swá hwá (hwæt)
Show examples

  • Suá huá dringe selles

    quicumque potum dederit,

      Mt. L. 10, 42: Mk. R. 11. 23.

  • Swá hwæs hé gewilnode him ne forwyrnde God,

      Hml. S. 34, 193.

  • Swá hwæt hé gewyrce,

      Ll. Th. i. 78, 7.

  • Swá hwæt (huæd,

      L.) gecweoðas, dóað ꝥ, Jn. R. 2, 5.
hwá (hwæt) swá
Show examples

  • Hwæt swá þin hand mæge wyrcan,

      Gr. D. 327, 26.
Swá hwá (hwæt) sé
Show examples

  • And suá chuæt ðá quamcumque, Mt. L. 18, 19. (4 a) Swá hwá (hwæt) sé þe :-- Suá huá sé ðe wælle

    quicumque uoluerit.

      Mk. L. 10, 43.

  • Suá huá sé ðe ne hæfeð . . . genumen bið from him ł ðǽm,

      Lk. L. 8, 18.

  • Huǽ,

      Mk. L. to, 44.
  • Há, 11. 23
Sé swá hwá (hwæt).
Cf. (7 b)
Show examples

  • ꝥ suá huæt (quodcumque) from mé ðé gewæxe, Mk. L. 7, 11. ꝥ suá huæd, Lk. L. 10, 35. (5 a) Sé þe swá hwá (hwæt). Cf. (7b) :-- Sé ðe suá huá quicumque, Lk. L. 9, 5 : 48. þte swá hwæt (quodcumque) is of mé, Mk. R. 7, II. Ðá ðegnas sægdun him ðá ðe swá hwæt (huæd, L.) hiæ dydun

    narrauerunt illi quaecumque fecerunt,

      Lk. R. 9, 10.
Sé ł swá hwá (hwæt)
Show examples

  • Ðá ł suæ huæt (chuæt) quaecumque, Mt. L. 18, 18. (6a) Sé þe ł swá (hwæt).

    Cf.

    (7 c) :-- Sé ðe ł suá cnuá ðec genédes . . . geong mið him,
      Mt. L. 5, 41.
where eal qualifies the indefinite form. [Though probably eal in every case is adjective in the following passages, they may suggest that the construction might easily come to be considered as one in which eal was substantive, and the hw- forms were relatives.]
Cf.
, (1 a)
Show examples

  • þǽr mé æteówde hit self eall swá hwæt swá mé mislícode ubi omne quad displicebat se patenter ostenderet, Gr. D. 3, 18. þá gemétton hí . . . eall swá hwæt swá mihton beón gesewene . . .

    invenerunt . . . quaeque poterant . . . videri,

      129, 5.

  • Hweþer hí magen ábiddan eall swá hwæt swá heó biddað, and begytan eall ꝥ hi gewilniað

    si omnia quae volunt possunt, et cuncta impetrant quae desiderant obtinere,

      166, 21.

  • Eall swá hwæt swá hé findan mihte, hé dælde

    quidquid habere potuit, expendit,

      293, 7.

  • Eal hé mót ástundian, swá hwæt swá fram his gingrum forgýmeleásod bið

    ad ipsum respicit quicquid a discipulis delinquitur,

      R. Ben. 61, 7.

  • Eal swá hwæt swá ic þé gehét, eal ic hit gesette,

      Bl. H. 147, 8 : 21, 23.

  • Eal swá hwæt swá hé geseah, ealles héhis gyrnde,

      Ll. Th. ii. 398, 20.
Cf.
, (5 a)
Show examples

  • Hé gitrióweð iówih alle ðá ðe swá hwæt (alle ðá suǽ huæd, L.

    omnia quaecumque

    ) ic cweðo iów,
      Jn. R. 14, 26: 16, 15: Jn. R. 4, 29.
Cf. (6 a)
Show examples

  • Sé ðe cueð mé tó alle ðá ðe ł suǽ huæd ic dyde,

      Jn. L. 4, 29.
as relative
Show examples

  • Nán man ne ðorfte hine beládian ꝥ hé fæt næfde on hwý hé hit wyrman mihte, Hml. A. 141, 84. ¶ Instances of

    hw-

    forms used as true relatives are found only in late
      O. E.,
    but there are many earlier instances in which such forms are used in a way to suggest that the transition to the relative force would be easy. See above Angl. viii. 323, 32: Bt. 40, 7; F. 242, 22 (
2 b α): Wlfst. 122, 9 (
3): Cht. Th. 621, 22 (
1 a); In. R. 2, 5 (
2): Lk. L. 8, 18 (
4 a), and all the passages under
1,
V. 7. To these may be added
Show examples

  • Ne rǽdde gé ꝥ hwæt (the later version has, Ne rédde gé hwæt ...) Dauid dyde

    nec hoc legistis quod fecit Dauid,

      Lk. 6, 3.
Etymology
[Here hwæt is not a relative to antecedent þæt, but the hwæt-clause is in apposition to þæt. Cf. the A. V. rendering 'Have ye not read so much as this, what David did'.]
Similar entries
v. á-hwá, æt-hwá, wel-hwá, nát-hwæt.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “hwá.” 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/53444.

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