Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

Dictionary online

æ
þ

rǽs

(n.)
Grammar
rǽs, (?). On the analogy of blód-lǽs, -lǽswu (q. v.) this might be entered as rǽs, rǽswu : <b>rǽsa</b> (?).

Similar entry: on-rǽsa

DRÍFAN

(v.)
Grammar
DRÍFAN, drýfan,ic drífe , ðú drífest , drífst , he drífeþ , drífþ , dríft , pl. drífaþ; p. ic, he dráf, ðú drife, pl. drifon, dreofon; pp. drifen .

DRIVE, force, pursue ⬩ pellĕre, mināre, impellĕre, persĕqui ⬩ To drive, rush with violence ⬩ ruĕre

Entry preview:

v. trans. ToDRIVE, force, pursue; pellĕre, mināre, impellĕre, persĕqui Se geréfa hie wolde drífan to ðæs cyninges túne the reeve would drive them to the king's vill, Chr. 787; Erl. 56, 13. Se Hǽlend ongan drífan of ðam temple syllende and bicgende Iesus

Linked entries: a-drífan drǽfan drýfan drif

frécnen-spræc

Grammar
frécnen-spræc, l. -sprǽc. But perhaps the word might be taken as adjective frécnen-sprǽce (frécen- or frécne- ?)

Using dangerous or mischievous speech.

Entry preview:

Using dangerous or mischievous speech

seldor

(adv.)
Grammar
seldor, cpve.: seldost; spve. (the positive seems expressed by seldan, which however has a comparative seldnor); adv.

More seldom ⬩ less frequently

Entry preview:

More seldom, less frequently Seldan raro, seldor rarius, ealra seldost (-ast, MS. H.) rarissime, Ælfc. Gr. 38; Zup. 240, 13. Tó seldan hit biþ, beó hit seldor on dæg ðæt wé God herian ðonne seofon síðum, Btwk. 194, 11. Bæþ ðám untrumum, swá oft swá hit

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: -witol -wríþan stalian syngian meltan myrþrian nefa pyndan of-drincan -sáwenlic scirian seáþ 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 trúwian þeahtung þeón þingian -wyrpness

rignan

(v.)
Grammar
rignan, rínan; p. rínde. [A strong preterite occurs in the Blickling Gloss, rán pluit.
  • Cf.
In Elyes tyme heuene was yclosed þat no reyne ne rone (roon, MS. W.: roen, MS. R.: ron, MS. B.: raynade, MS. C.),
  • Piers P. 14, 62.
]

to rain, to cause rain to fall ⬩ to rain, to fall (of rain)

Entry preview:

to rain, to cause rain to fall, with the agent expressed Ic ríne pluo, Ælfc. Gr. 28; Som. 30, 53. Hé rýnde ofer synfullan grin, Ps. Spl. 10, 7. Hit ágan rínan xl. daga and xl. nihta tósomne ðæm mǽstan réne, and seó eorþe rínde ealswá swíðe of hire eásprencgum

Linked entries: regnian regnan rínan

sunor

(n.)
Grammar
sunor, (-er), e; f. A herd of swine, a sounder ('That men calleth a trip of a tame swyn is called of wylde swyn a soundre; that is to say, ȝif ther be passyd v. or vi. togedres.'—Halliwell's Dict.)
Entry preview:

Wæs unfeor suner swína (suner berga, Lind. grex porcorum) etende. Ða deóful bédun hinae: 'send úsic in ðás sunrae (suner, Lind. gregem ) swína.' . . . Eode all siu suner niþerweardes in sae, Mt. Kmbl. Rush. 8, 30-32. Sunor . . . ðæt sunor, Lk. Skt. Lind

Linked entry: suner

ferian

(v.)

to carry ⬩ move ⬩ convey ⬩ to lead ⬩ conduct

Entry preview:

Dele bracket at end, and add: to carry, move, convey, the subject a person, and the object not moving itself Hé forðférde . . . hine man ferede tó Sc̃a Marian mynstre, Chr. 977; P. 122, 12: 1023; P. 157, 9. Hám feredan advectabant (manipulos ), Wrt.

Bebban burh

(n.)
Grammar
Bebban burh,
  • Chr. 547; Th. 28, 25; 29, 24 : 641
    • ;
  • Th. 49, 3 : 993
    • ;
  • Th. 240, 17; 241, 16, col. 2
    • :
Bæbba-burh,
  • Chr. 1093; Th. 360, 6
    • :
Bebba-burh,
  • Chr. 1095 ; Th. 361, 39, 40
    • :
gen. -burge ; dat. -byrig ; acc. -burg, -burh; f.

BAMBOROUGH, in Northumberland ⬩ Babbæ oppidum in provincia Northanhymbrorum

Entry preview:

BAMBOROUGH, in Northumberland: Babbæ oppidum in provincia Northanhymbrorum Hér Ida féng to ríce, ðonon Norþanhymbra cyne-cyn onwóc, and ríxode twelf geár. He timbrode Bebban burh, seó wæs ǽrost mid hegge betýned, and ðǽr æfter mid wealle here [A. D.

Linked entries: Bæbban burh Bebba-burh

eorþ-crypel

(n.)
Grammar
eorþ-crypel, -cryppel; gen. -crypeles , -cryples, -crypples; m. A creeper on the earth, one having the palsy, a paralytic person; părălytĭcus = παραλυτικός
Entry preview:

In ðære ðe eorþcrypel [se eorþcryppel, Lind.] læg in quo părălytĭcus jăcēbat, Mk. Skt. Rush. 2, 4: Lk. Skt. Lind. 5, 18. Se Hǽlend cwæþ to ðæm eorþcrypele [eorþcrypple, Lind.] Iēsus ait părălytĭco, Mk. Skt. Rush. 2, 5. To cweðanne ðæm eorþcryple dīcere

-iht

(suffix)
Grammar
-iht, an adjective suffix having much the same meaning as -ig, or as the Latin -osus, e.g. stǽniht : O. H. Ger. steinaht : Ger. steinicht petrosus. Icel. has a suffix -óttr.

sél

(adj.)
Grammar
sél, (the positive form does not occur, but is found in Layamon); cpve. sélra, sélla; spve. sélest, sélost; adj.

Good ⬩ good ⬩ worthy ⬩ having excellent qualities or properties ⬩ good of its kind ⬩ possessing the excellences of a class ⬩ excellent ⬩ well-qualified ⬩ skilful ⬩ efficient ⬩ good ⬩ advantageous ⬩ to one's interest ⬩ advisable ⬩ good ⬩ honourable ⬩ noble ⬩ proper ⬩ of value ⬩ precious ⬩ good ⬩ happy ⬩ pleasant

Entry preview:

Good. of health Sóna seó blǽdder tó séiran (to a healthier condition) gehwyrfeþ, Lchdm. i.206, 15. good, worthy, having excellent qualities or properties Sancte Iohannes wæs mára and sélra eallum óðrum mannum, Blickl. Homl. 163, 20. Sýlra, 161, 24.

Linked entry: sélost

dreág

(v.; part.)
Grammar
dreág, dreáh did, suffered, Exon. 74 b; Th. 280, 9; Jul. 626: Cd. 145; Th. 18o, 22; Exod. 49; p.
Entry preview:

of dreógan

feó

(n.)
Grammar
feó, for or with cattle or money,
  • Cd. 126
    • ;
  • Th. 161, 2
    • ;
  • Gen. 2659: Beo. Th. 2765
    • ;
  • B. 1380
    • ;
dat.
Entry preview:

and instr. of feoh

baldor

(n.; adj.)
Grammar
baldor, es; m. [the comp. of bald is baldor more bold, courageous, honourable, hence]

A prince ⬩ ruler ⬩ princeps ⬩ dominus

Entry preview:

A prince, ruler; princeps, dominus thus, Gumena baldor a ruler of men, Cd. 128; Th. 163, 4; Gen. 2693: Judth. 9; Thw. 21, 8; Jud. 9. Rinca baldor, 12; Thw. 26, 21; Jud. 339. Wígena baldor a prince of warriors, 10; Thw. 22, 5; Jud. 49

Linked entry: bealdor

efesian

(v.)
Grammar
efesian, efosian, efsian; p. ode; pp. od [efes the eaves, q. v.]

To cut in the form of eaves, to round, to shear ⬩ in rŏtundum attondēre, tondēre

Entry preview:

To cut in the form of eaves, to round, to shear; in rŏtundum attondēre, tondēre Ne gé eów ne efesion ne beard ne sciron neque in rŏtundum attondēbĭtis cŏmam nec rādētis barbam, Lev. 19, 27. Ic efesige oððe ic scere scép oððe hors tondeo ŏves aut ĕquos

Linked entries: efosian efsian

wítnian

(v.)
Grammar
wítnian, p. ode

To punish ⬩ torment ⬩ plague

Entry preview:

To punish, torment, plague Ic wítnie multo, Engl. Stud. xi. 66, 58. Uuítnath multabitur, Wrt. Voc. ii. 114, 42. Wítnað plectit, 90, 12. Wítnode multavit, punivit, Hpt. Gl. 455, 15. Déme ðæt se bisceop and wítnige be ðam (juxta hoc puniatur), L. Ecg.

týdran

(v.)
Grammar
týdran, týdrian; p. ede

To propagate ⬩ To bring forth ⬩ produce ⬩ to propagate ⬩ nourish ⬩ foster ⬩ To be prolific

Entry preview:

To propagate Ic tyddrige (teddrige, MS. D.) propago, Ælfc. Gr. 36; Zup. 216, 14. Grammar týdran, trans. To bring forth, produce Se godcunda foreþonc geedníwaþ and týdreþ (tídreþ, Cott. MS.) ǽlc túdor and hit eft gehýt nascentia occidentiaque omnnia

Linked entries: a-tydran tídran tyddrian týdred týdrian

þríste

(adv.)
Grammar
þríste, adv.

Boldly ⬩ confidently ⬩ without apprehension, fear, hesitation, reserve ⬩ without sense of shame ⬩ presumptuously ⬩ audaciously

Entry preview:

Boldly, in a good sense, confidently, without apprehension, fear, hesitation, reserve Hé þríste genéðde on óðre dǽlas, Apstls. Kmbl. 100; Ap. 50. Hé þríste bebeád, ðæt hié his láre, lǽston, Andr. Kmbl. 3303; An. 1654: Elen. Kmbl. 818; El. 409. Ne wæs

tunge

(n.)
Grammar
tunge, an; tung [? in the passage: Álés sáwle míne fram tunge fácen-fulre a lingua dolosa (but in the next verse linguam is glossed by tungan, so that perhaps tunge is meant for nominative : O. L. Ger. and O. H. Ger. , however, have strong as well as weak forms), Ps. Lamb. 119, 2], e; f.

a tongue ⬩ tongue ⬩ the person who speaks with the tongue ⬩ words ⬩ speech ⬩ language ⬩ a language ⬩ speech ⬩ power of speaking ⬩ a tongue-shaped thing

Entry preview:

a tongue Tunge lingua, Wrt. Voc. i. 64, 56. Gif monnes tunge biþ of heáfde óðres monnes dǽdum dón, ðæt biþ gelíc and eágan bót, L. Alf. pol. 52 ; Th. i. 94, 20: Exon. Th. 373, 25 ; Seel. Ex. 115. His tungan (tungæs, Lind. : tunga, Rush. ) bend uinculum

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.