Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

EARNIAN

  • verb [ weak ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
EARNIAN, p. ode, ade, ede; pp. od, ad; v. trans, gen. acc. To
Wright's OE grammar
§536;
EARN, merit, deserve, get, attain, labour for; mĕrēri
Show examples
  • Byþ geseald ðære þeóde ðe hys earnaþ it shall be given to the nation which deserves it, Mt. Bos. 21, 43, Hú monna gehwylc earnode éces lífes

    how every man merited eternal life,

    • Exon. 23 a
    • ;
    • Th. 65,
    • 9;
    • Cri. 1052
    • .
  • Ðá he ne earnade elles wuhte

    when he did not earn anything else,

    • Bt. Met. Fox 9,
    • 39;
    • Met. 9,
    • 20.
  • Gé ðæs earnedon

    ye merited this,

    • Exon. 27 b
    • ;
    • Th. 83,
    • 2;
    • Cri. 1350
    • .
  • Uton we friþes earnian

    let us merit peace,

    98 a;
    • Th. 366,
    • 17;
    • Reb. 13
    • .
  • He hæfþ ðæt ðæt he earnaþ

    he has that which he earns,

    • Bt. 37,
    • 2;
    • Fox 188,
    • 6.
Etymology
[
Plat. arnen, arnden to reap:
O. Frs. arn. f. messis:
Kil. arnen, ernen mĕtĕre sĕgĕtem:
Ger. ernten, ärnten to reap, harvest:
M. H. Ger. arnen to reap:
O. H. Ger. arnén mĕrēri; arnón mĕtĕre:
Goth. asans, f. harvest
.]
Derived forms
ge-earnian
Full form

Word-wheel

  • EARNIAN, v.