Glossary to Riddle 7

 

abbreviations:


1st  = first person

2nd  = second person

3rd  = third person

acc. = accusative

adj. = adjective

adv. = adverb

anom. = anomalous

conj. = conjunction

fem. = feminine

gen. = genitive

Germ. = German

masc. = masculine

n. = noun

neut. = neuter

nom. = nominative

pl. = plural

prep. = preposition

pres. = present

pron. = pronoun

sing. = singular

str. = strong

v. = verb

wk. = weak


 

[the surviving form in the OED is indicated in square brackets]

 

āhebban str. v. 6 to lift up, raise, exalt, erect; take way, remove; support, uphold; leaven: pres. 3rd pl. line 1 [aheave]

and conj. and

bēon anom. v. to be, exist, become, happen: pres. 1st sing. line 8

beran str. v. 4 to bear, carry, bring, take away, carry out, extend; bring forth, produce; be situated by birth; wear; endure; support, sustain; set forth, open (a case): pres. 3rd sing. [i-bere]

būan (būgan) anom. v. to stay, dwell, live; lie (of land); inhabit, occupy; cultivate: pres. 1st sing. line 2 [Germ. bauen]

byht neut. n. dwelling: acc. pl. line 3

drēfan wk. v. to stir up, excite, disturb, trouble, vex, afflict: pres. 1st sing. line 2 [dreve] 

fēran wk. v. to go, come, depart, set out, march, travel; behave, act; accomplish, attain, obtain; fare, speed, undergo, suffer, bring: pres. participle line 9 [fere]

flōd masc. or neut. n. mass of water, flood, wave; flow (of tide as opposed to ebb), tide, flux, current, stream; the Flood, Deluge: dat. sing. line 9 [flood]

folc neut. n. folk, people, nation tribe; a collection or class of persons, laity; troop, army: acc. sing. or pl. line 6

folde fem. n. earth, ground, soil, terra firma; land, country region; world: dat. sing. line 9 [fold]

frætwa (frætwe) fem. pl. n. treasures, ornaments, trappings, armour: nom. pl. line 6

gæst masc. n. guest: nom. sing. line 9 (or possibly gǣst [ghost])

gǣst masc. n. breath; soul, spirit, life; good or bad spirit, angel, demon; Holy Ghost; man, human being: nom. sing. line 9 [ghost].

getenge see ge-tenge  alphabetised under t below.

hæleÞ masc. n. man, hero, fighter: gen. pl. line 3 [heleth]

hēa adj. high, tall, lofty; high-class, exalted, sublime illustrious, important; proud, haughty, deep; right: acc. sing. fem. line 4 [high]

hlūde adv. loudly, aloud: line 7

hrægl neut. n. dress, clothing; vestment; cloth, sheet, sail: nom. sing. line 1 [rail]

hrūse fem. n. earth, soil ground: acc. sing. line 1

hwīlum adv. sometimes, once, whilom; hwīlum . . . hwīlum now . . . now, at one time . . . at others: line 3

hyrst fem. n. ornament, decoration, jewel treasure; accoutrements, trappings, armour: nom. pl. line 4 [hurst]

ic personal pron. I: 1st pers. nom. sing. lines 1 and 8 [I]

lyft fem., masc., or neut. n. air, sky, clouds, atmosphere: nom. sing. fem. line 4 [lift, Germ. luft]

mec personal pron. me: 1st pers. acc. sing. lines 3 and 5 [me]

mīn, mīne possessive adj. my: nom. sing. masc. line 1, nom. pl. fem. lines 4 and 6 [my, mine]

ne adv. not, no: line 8

ofer prep. (with dat. = rest, with acc. = motion) over, beyond, above, upon, in, across, past: lines 3 and 6 [over]

oÞÞe conj. or; and; oÞÞe . . . oÞÞe either . . . or: line 2

singan str. v. 3 to sing, celebrate in song; crow, sing (of birds); chant, intone, read, recite, narrate; (of things) sound, resound, ring, clash: pres. 3rd pl. line 8 [sing]

strengu fem. n. strength, power, vigour, ability; firmness, fortitude; virtue: nom. sing. line 5

swīgian wk. v. to be or become silent, keep silence, be quiet, still: pres. 3rd sing. line 1 [swie, Germ. schweigen]

swinsian wk. v. to sound melodiously, make melody, sing: pres. 3rd pl. line 7

swōgan str. v. 7  to sound, roar, howl, rustle, whistle, rattle: pres. 3rd pl. line 7 [sough]

ge-tenge prep. with dat. near to, resting on: line 8

torhte adv. brightly, clearly; beautifully; splendidly: line 8

tredan str. v. 5 to tread, step on, trample; traverse, pass over, enter upon, roam through: pres. 1st sing. line 1 [tread]

Þā definite article the: acc. pl. neut. line 2 [the]

Þēos demonstrative this: nom. sing. fem. line 4

Þonne adv. and conj. then; therefore, wherefore; yet; while, when; thereafter; henceforth; rather than; since; although Þonne . . . Þonne when . . . then: lines 1, 5 and 8 [then]

wæd neut. n. ford, water, sea, ocean: acc. pl. wado line 2

wīc neut. (or fem.) n. dwelling-place, lodging, habitation, house, mansion; village, town; in pl. entrenchments, camp, castle, fortress; street, lane, bay, creek: acc. pl. neut. line 2 [wick]

wīde adv. widely, afar, far and wide: line 4 [wide]

wolcen neut. (or masc.) n. ball, lump; sky, heavens: gen. pl. line 5 [welkin]

 

 

Source of definitions: A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, ed. J.R.Clark-Hall. Medieval Academy Reprints for Teaching 14. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1984