Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

æ
þ

for-

(prefix)
Grammar
for-, is used in composition in Anglo-Saxon exactly as the English for: it often deteriorates, or gives an opposite sense, or gives strength to the words before which it is placed; in which case it may be compared with Gothic fra-, Dutch and German ver- [different from the Dutch voor, and German vor]. Forbeódan to forbid; fordéman to condemn; forcúþ perverse, corrupt; fordón to destroy, to do for. — Sometimes fór denotes an increase of the signification of the word before which it is placed, and is then generally to be in English very; valde, as fó;r-eáde very easily,
  • Homl. Th. ii. 138, 35
: fór-oft very often,
  • Bd. de nat. rerum
    • ;
  • Wrt. popl. science 11, 8
    • ;
  • Lchdm. iii. 256, 16.
For- and fór-, or fóre- are often confounded, though they are very different in meaning; as forseón [Flem. versien] to overlook, despise; fór- or fóreseón [Flem. veursien] to foresee. — If a word, having for, fór or fóre prefixed, cannot be found under for-, fór- or fóre-, it must be sought under the simple term, and the sense of the preposition added; thus, fór- or fóre-sendan is from sendan to send, and fór-, fóre before, to send before, etc. [On the vowel in for, fore, see remark in the preface.]

Linked entries: scrífan scyldigian síðian -witol -wríþan stalian swelgan swígan swigian swíðan syngian trúwian þeahtung þeón þingian meltan myrþrian nefa pyndan of-drincan -sáwenlic scirian seáþ -wyrpness setness -sewen -sewenlic -sewenlíce -sewenness síþ stregdan teón treddan trúwung weorþan manig micel nǽman neáh irman þrǽstness witig wlencan wrégan wundian wyrht brítan fær- feallan fyllan gǽgan gǽgednes

Beó-wulf

(n.)
Grammar
Beó-wulf, es; m. [ = Beado-wulf a war-wolf, = Icel. Böðúlfr a warwulf]

BEOWULF

Entry preview:

This Saga it is hoped may yet be found in some Swedish library. The story informs us that Hrothgar built a splendid palace at Heorot in the north of Jutland.

Linked entry: Beado-wulf

sittan

(v.)
Grammar
sittan, p. sæt, pl. sǽton ; pp. seten.
Entry preview:

II a. to continue in a state or condition, live (in hope, fear, etc. ), remain (silent, etc. ) :-- Ic á on wénum sæt I lived in constant expectation. Cd. Th. 163, 18; Gen. 2700. Mǽre þeóden unblíðe sæt, Beo. Th. 261; B. 130.

Linked entries: a-sittan blód-setenn

FEORH

(n.)
Grammar
FEORH, feorg, fiorh, ferh, fyorh; gen. feores; dat. inst. feore; pl. nom. acc. feorh; gen. feora; dat. inst. feorum; n. m.

life ⬩ soul ⬩ spirit ⬩ vīta ⬩ ănĭma ⬩ a living being ⬩ person ⬩ hŏmo ⬩ persōna

Entry preview:

Ne bip him feores wén there will be no hope of his life, L. M. 2, 51; Lchdm. ii. 264, 19: Bd. 5, 3; S. 616, 8: Bt. 14, 3; Fox 46, 27: Exon. 115 b; Th. 445, 4; Dóm. 2: Cd. 162; Th. 203, 15; Exod. 404.

Linked entries: feorg ferh ferhþ fiorh fyorh

dulmúnus

(n.)
Grammar
dulmúnus, gen. pl. dulmúna; m. The war-ship of the Greeks, which king Alfred assures us would hold a thousand men; longa nāvis. These ships were the μακρὰ πλοῖα or νῆες μακραί, generally called in Greek ὁ δρόμων, ωνος, m. the light war-vessel of the Greeks. They were the longæ nāves the long war-ships of the Romans, which had often more than fifty rowers. The Romans called their vessel drŏmo, ōnis, defining it as a fast rowing vessel, evidently deriving their word from the Greek δρόμων, Cod. Just. 1, 27, 1, § 8; Cassiod. Var. 5, 17, init. where it is described as 'trĭrēme vehĭcŭlum rēmōrum tantum nŭmĕrum prōdens, sed hŏmĭnum făcies dīlĭgenter abscondens.' Some suppose that Alfred derived his word dulmúnus from the Icel. drómundr, m. which Egilsson, in his Lexĭcon Poëtĭcum, Hafniæ, 8vo. 1860, explains 'nāves grandior, cūjus gĕnĕris tantum extra regiōnes septemtrionāles, ut in mări mediterrāneo, mentio fit,' S.E. i. 582, 3, Orkn. 82, 1, 3. Vigfusson, in his Icelandic-English Dictionary, 4to. Oxford, 1869-1874, in drómundr gives only the Latin and Greek, and O. H. Ger. drahemond as cognates. What Orosius, calls longas nāves, Alfred translates dulmúnus in Anglo-Saxon. As we read in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of A.D. 897; Th. i. 174, 4, Hét Ælfréd cyng timþrian lang-scipu ongén ða æscas king Alfred commanded to build long-ships against-, those ships, v. ÆSC IV.-Alfred, in his translation of Orosius, says
Entry preview:

Ǽr he [Ercol] ongan mid Creáca scypum, ðe mon dulmúnus hǽt, ðe man segþ ðæt in scip mǽge in þúsend manna before he [Hercules] began with Grecian ships, which are called dulmunus, of which it is said that one ship can hold a thousand men, Ors. 1, 10; Bos

hund

Entry preview:

Hrýðeres belle and hundes hoppe ... ǽlc bið ánes sciłł. weorð, and ǽlc is melda geteald, Ll. Th. i. 260, 16. Be hundes slite. Gif hund mon tóslíte oþþe ábíte ... Gif se hund má misdǽda gewyrce, 78, 1-6. Wiþ hundes slite, Lch. i. 148, 7.

on-geagn

(prep.)
Grammar
on-geagn, -gegen, -gægn, -gegn, -geán, -gán, -geǽn, -gén.

opposite, over against, against ⬩ towards, in the direction of, to meet, in the way of ⬩ against ⬩ against, for the reception of, to receive ⬩ in reply to ⬩ in return for, as an equivalent for ⬩ opposite, over against ⬩ against, in a direction opposite to ⬩ against, with, contrary to, in opposition to ⬩ in reply to ⬩ as an equivalent for, in return for, in exchange for ⬩ against, ready for ⬩ towards ⬩ opposite ⬩ again, back ⬩ Lat re- ⬩ in reply ⬩ towards ⬩ on the other hand ⬩ again

Entry preview:

Ðæt cild ongeán his Hláfordhyhte and hine hálette the hope of the child went out to meet his Lord, and he hailed him, Blickl. Homl. 165, 29. in reply to Ne andwyrtst ðú nán þing ongén ða ðe ðiss ðé onsecgeaþ. Mt.

Linked entries: a-gén a-gén on-gegen

þanan

(adv.)
Grammar
þanan, þonan (-on, -un, -en); adv.
Entry preview:

Ðý læs hé áfealle ðonon ðe hé fæsðlícost tó hopian scolde, Past. 51; Swt. 395, 11. marking the point from or in regard to which direction or position is estimated Ðanon ðe hé blǽwþ him byþ nama gesett from the quarter that the wind blows is a name made

Linked entries: þanan-forþ þanon þonan þonon

þencan

(v.)
Grammar
þencan, p. þóhte (þohte?)
Entry preview:

Th. 102, 20. to think of doing something with hope or expectation, to desire, seek Ðurh ða róde sceal ríce gesécan ǽghwylc sáwl, seó ðe mid Wealdende wunian þenceþ, Rood Kmbl. 240; Kr. 121.

habban

(v.)
Grammar
habban, tó habbanne, hæbbene; pres. part. hæbbende; pres. indic. ic hæbbe, hafa, ðú hæfst, hafast, he hæfþ, hafaþ, pl. habbaþ, hæbbaþ; p. hæfde; subj. hæbbe, pl. hæbben, habban; imper. hafa, pl. habbaþ; pp. hæfed.

To HAVE, possess, hold, keep

Entry preview:

Wé beóþ hæbbende ðæs ðe wé ǽr hopedon we shall be in possession of that which before we hoped for, Homl. Th. i. 250, 34. Is seó stów on micelre árwurþnysse hæfed in magna veneratione habetur locus ille, Bd. 3, 2; S. 524, 12.

Linked entries: heofon-hæbbende hafa

cyning

(n.)
Grammar
cyning, cyng,es; m. [cyn people, -ing originating from, son of] .

a king, ruler, emperor ⬩ rex, imperator ⬩ a spiritual King, God, Christ ⬩ Deus, Christus ⬩ the devil ⬩ diabŏlus, satănas ⬩ Anglo-Saxon kings were at first elected from a family or class, by Witena gemót the assembly of the wise. ⬩ fidelity was sworn to them by the people, in the following words ⬩ the king took a corresponding oath to his people ⬩ the Anglo-Saxon king had royal power to pardon transgressors ⬩ of all forfeits the king had one half ⬩ all hoards above the earth, and within the earth. As we learn from Beowulf, in early and heathen times, much treasure was buried in the mound raised over the ashes of the dead, besides what was burned with the body ⬩ Pastus or Convivium ⬩ The king visited different districts personally or by deputy to see that justice was done to all his subjects. In these periodical journeys the king received support and entertainment wherever he went. Hence perhaps the privileges of our judges ⬩ Vigilia ⬩ head ward, or a proper watch set over the king, which he claimed when he came into any district ⬩ the mint or coinage of money. The king exercised a superintendence over the circulating medium

Entry preview:

geworht, ðone ylcan men iú geára for feós wilnunga gedulfon and brǽcon: ðá wæs ðǽr on óðre sídan ðæs hláwes gedolfen swylce mycel wæterseáþ wǽre there was on the island a great mound raised upon the earth, which some men of yore had dug and broken up in hopes

Linked entries: cuning cyncg cyneg cyng cyngc cincg cing cining

helle-dor

Grammar
helle-dor,
  • Exon. 121 a; Th. 464, 14; Hö. 87.

hó-hylde

Similar entry: ó-heald

hó

Similar entry: hóh

hó-banca

(n.)
Grammar
hó-banca, an; m.

A couch, ⬩ sofa; ⬩ sponda,

Entry preview:

A couch, sofa; sponda, Wrt. Voc. 290, 13

Linked entry: banca

Copyright

All the data provided here are free for any purpose. If you use the data for academic purposes, we ask that you kindly cite us as your source. In case you need a large portion of the dictionary data or you need it in a specific format, let us know through the contact form, we are happy to do custom database dumps for researchers.

How to cite

You can cite the entries of the online version of the dictionary, or you can cite the scanned pages of the original paper editions.

  • To cite the online version of the dictionary, click the icon right under the entry.
  • To cite the scanned paper version of the dictionary, click the "show/hide this scanned page" link under the entry, check the scan and use the citation information right above it.